The Big Picture
- Leonard Bernstein's rise to fame in the film industry began with the musical On the Town, which was later turned into a film starring Gene Kelly and Frank Sinatra.
- Bernstein composed the score for On the Waterfront, which was a pivotal film in director Elia Kazan's quest for personal redemption during the McCarthy-era witch hunt.
- Bernstein's score for On the Waterfront effectively captures the emotions and themes of the film through its use of different musical motifs and innovative orchestration techniques.