That did NOT disappoint. I think Vivian Leigh's real life struggles with mental illness gave her performance that haunting feeling u described. - just me in Palm Springs 🌴
Stanley was such a realistic rotten character. I've always thought that's why Brando didn't win the Oscar because his acting was unbelievably excellent. Love your channel. Thanks for your hard work in bringing these great movies to us.
Indeed in the play Stella stays with Stanley. Williams had to concede to the change if Stanley’s rape of Blanche was to remain (ie., Stanley had to be punished by losing Stella’s love). Williams’ point was that you have to keep on going no matter what. In making the change for the screenplay Williams slyly had Stella running up to Eunice’s rather than leaving entirely. The look on Eunice’s face says it all… “here we go again.” The other major change was what precipitated Blanche’s husband’s suicide. Blanche found him in bed with a man. What she whispered to him on the dance floor was “I know… I saw… you disgust me!”
You may know this already, but Tennessee Williams was gay and not particularly closeted about being gay, either. So the description that Blanche makes of her "sensitive" husband was actually a code. Because of censorship at the time, they couldn't just come out and say it, but gay people in the audience "got" it.
When Vivien Leigh was offered the role of Blanche in the movie she had already played the role in a London production. Supposedly, her feeling of alienation from Brando, Karl Malden, and Kim Hunter, all of whom had acted together in the Broadway production, helped her with her character.
The sailor who Blanche talks to at the beginning of the film was played by Mickey Kuhn. 12 years earlier Mickey had appeared in 'Gone With The Wind' as Beau Wilkes, Ashley and Melanie's son. Mickey died in 2022 at the age of 90.
This is one of your best reactions. It's very apparent that you felt this film. I really miss films like this in the cinema. Human-scaled drama. No crutches and phoniness or juvenile sensibilities or over-reliance on tech.
All my life I have seen my decent friends being ignored and the arrogant cheating sob type pulling chicks. One jerk, after a lady threw him out, had a buddy call her saying he had died in a car crash for revenge. That said, my meek friends found the right mate , the bad boys could not even recall all their flings. Me? Fine when I played tough, till the heart on my sleeve showed...
I once heard a commentary that said the key to Stanley is he's a WW2 veteran and had come out of the war traumatized. This would be shortly before the term 'beatnik' generation was coined, a generation of men returning from the war so beat down that they barely knew how to function in society. When infantry returned from the Pacific the army first put them on an island behind barbed wire because they were afraid what they'd do if they got out into society.
Nothing gets solved or resolved in a Tennessee Williams play, that's what I love about them, lol. This is the one time I prefer the movie ending to the play, as Stella stays with Stanley in the end - which always makes my stomach churn! When I went to see the restored version in 1993, it was like leaving a funeral. There was no chatter. People were stunned. Pretty powerful for a 40 year old movie!
I hate the ending in the film. The play's ending is meant to be devastating and heartbreaking for a reason. The playright who wrote it wanted it to be that way as a lesson. Censorship is never a good thing. Plus they imply pretty obviously that Stella goes back to him anyway by mirroring the ending scene to the STELLA!!!!! scene.
@@Georgina-lv9bt the movie’s ending is hardly a happy ending and in my experience is actually more realistic. I’ve seen it play out in real life many times. IMO Stella is just as annoying as Stanley in many respects, but in a passive aggressive way. It takes two to play that same sick game over and over. Meaningless threats, running off to the neighbors, involving everyone in their business, playing the victim, making excuses, wild makeup sex, and then rinse repeat. None of the main characters in this play are admirable, but big surprise, it’s Tennessee Williams.
Kim Hunter had a job playing opposite Brando and Leigh! She's an incredibly underrated actress. I adore her in the beautiful British post-war film, A Matter of Life and Death.
Just some tidbits that might make you get the full picture of the film: Blanche's husband was gay. She found him with another man, confronted him about it and he ran away and shot himself , leaving her with absolute crippling guilt. Also, in the end of the play, Stella stays with Stanley. The censors made them change the ending because they essentially didn't want a r*pist rewarded, but that's not how the play really ends.
I remember seeing this movie as a teen and being just absolutely terrified by Brando's performance. I remember thinking "Oh no, shut up, please, just shut up." when one of the two sisters was about to say something to him.
Adore this one and Tennessee Williams in general. My favorite actually is Glass Menagerie, would highly recommend the version with Katharine Hepburn. But as for Streetcar, lots of fun tidbits here. For one thing, I would say I prefer "A woman's charm is 50% illusion" to the kindness of strangers line....and I do use it all the time! Secondly, it sort of bugs me how Brando gets all the credit when Leigh owns this movie as far as I'm concerned. It does seem to be a battle in the old vs new styles, but I guess I'm making it clear where I stand. Lastly, my favorite Simpsons episode *is* A Streetcar Named Marge, which is a must see for any Streetcar fan! 😄
I don’t entirely agree with your assessment. I loved Leigh’s performance but what Brando did in this film is quite revolutionary. I don’t ever recall seeing a performance by a male actor so gritty and raw as this one, prior to this film. His portrayal is quite explosive.
I like Mia's commentary, analyzation of the movie and bloopers. I haven't seen this movie since I was a child. Each performance of the actors was great. Looking at this film is a subtle yet intense emotional rollercoaster ride with these characters. Vivian Lee was so distraught, disoriented and unbalanced, which showed in her eyes and face, that takes focus and discipline to keep up that kind of momentum in the making of this movie. No one was redeemed in this movie which goes to show not everyone has resolve or healing in their life.
Mia, you've just got to see "Who's Afraid of Virginia Wolf?". It has the same emotional intensity, perhaps more extreme, starring Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor.
Ms. Mia , You are classy and there is no wonder why you enjoy and share significant classic cinema with us! Your reactions and research before each film informs and entertains! ( Sorry about your creative work loss...) Thank You!
The ending was especially changed for the film. But in the actual play, when Blanche is taken away, everyone in the Kowalski household--Stanley and his friends--carry on as usual (I believe playing a card game), as if nothing extraordinary has taken place...Mia, eager to see your reactions to "On the Waterfront," which I list as one of the 3 best films I've ever seen.
I've always wondered what it would have been like if Jessica Tandy had starred in the film, though Vivien Leigh did such an amazing job, I don't think anyone could have topped it.
Tandy was a great actress but on the big screen a gorgeous lady whose beauty and sense of reality were fading was a good choice, not to mention star power.
Seeing Brando in this made me want to act. Two completely different styles of acting on screen performed by two legendary actors Brando and Leigh. Kim Hunter also, kills it.
My aunt, who was a real theater lover, saw Streetcar on Broadway in 1947 with Brando is his first major role. She fell in love with him---and she also thought that Jessica Tandy (Blanche) was more brilliant and deserved to be in the film as well.
My high school teacher took us to see this. Without even reading it 😵💫 I was confused if he SA Blanch (until I saw the movie a few years later) and the teacher didn't even DISCUSS it later, we were all left confused. And yes Brando basically took that role and made it into something different. For that time it wasn't common to see that kind of emtions and rage. He was magnetic and I think him being so young and sexy is actually what makes most women understand why Stella goes back each time. They are too animalistic.
Have you thought about reacting to the classic musical, "The King and I" staring Yul Brynner and Deborah Kerr, Mia? That one is a good one. It has iconic songs such as "Getting to Know You" and "Shall We Dance".
You can't go wrong with Tennessee Williams! I'd love to see you react to "Suddenly, Last Summer" with Elizabeth Taylor and Katharine Hepburn, it's mesmerizing
Brando and Leigh were brilliant in this!!! Watching Vivian Leigh in this is heartbreaking especially knowing she really struggled with mental illness. I am so glad I found your channel. I don't know anyone who loves and appreciates the old classics, so stumbling on your channel was so exciting. I was born in the early 80's but should have been born in the 1910's 😂 I have such a long list of films I would love to see you check out. I won't get crazy though and I'll name one for now. If you want to see another awesome Brando film, I HIGHLY suggest The Wild One. Brando...Motorcycle Gang...Chaos.....it's an AMAZING FILM, and his grin at the end of the movie is PERFECTION. I think you would like it.
I can't remember, if you've seen "On the Waterfront" yet or not, but it's another movie, where Marlon Brando & Karl Maldin shine! Check out "The Wild One" too. Not on the same level as this one, but still a good Brando movie. Edit: I now see, that "On the Waterfront" is next. Cool!
Slowest uploader of all time, as well as the best movie reactor of all time. I honestly can't wait to see what you watch next. You put lots of passion and effort into these videos and it shows 👏 Much appreciated.
I have really mixed feelings about this movie. Vivian Leigh is wonderful, and Marlon Brando's performance is just breathtaking. But having Stella leave Stanley at the end (whether permanently or not) seriously undercuts the play's final horror, that it is not Stanley but sweet, docile Stella who finally destroys her sister by making what is clearly the very calculated decision to believe Stanley's rather than Blanche's account of what happened the previous night, not based on evidence but simply in order to protect her own and her baby's future security. Of course the Hays office would have required this, because of its rule that any criminal must be shown to be punished somehow, even if not by the mechanism of the law; but following this rule means that the very secondary issue of what happens to Stanley is allowed to dictate how the really key issue of Stella's decision is handled. Stanley is less a moral agent than a force of nature; it's Stella whose choice surprisingly becomes, at the end of the play, the pivot on which everything hangs.
Kazan also directed the play, to great success, and I think he found a way around this requirement in how he staged this ending - it's like a retread of the earlier balcony scene, so there's a strong implication that we've been here before and she'll end up going back to him
@@zmani4379 Kazan certainly did a brilliant job of minimizing the damage that way (he's Kazan, after all!), and it's not his fault that he had to deal with the idiotic Hays code restrictions, which were an insult to art and should never have existed. But I still don't think it fully works, because it shows as not fully emotionally committed to her decision to believe Stanley and stay with him, which I think destroys the point of the play's ending. Stella is in survival mode, keeping her head down as always while doing what she must to avoid jeopardizing her status. Her husband and sister have stepped all over her because she gives no outward show of resistance, but she is really the one pulling the strings right to the end. Any indication that she might regret her betrayal of Blanche largely ruins that betrayal's dramatic force. All credit to Kazan for doing the best he could with an untenable situation, but it was still untenable.
I sort of agree but I feel that the movie does imply pretty obviously that she will return by mirroring the last scene with the "STELLAAA!!!" scene after the poker party. I mean I was 13 when I watched it and even I knew they were saying she would eventually return to him. So thats why I tolerate the ending. And Tennessee said its his favorite of his film adaptions, despite the censorship
Blanche DuBois is one of the most tragic figures in all of cinema. She went to her sister's house after getting fired from her teaching job because she literally had nowhere else to go. The only other choice was to become homeless. And like all great tragedies, everything ALMOST worked out. She just wanted a place to rest & settle down & Mitch was willing to provide that for her. But Stanley, being a jerk who hated her, ruined that for her and then caused her breakdown at the end by raping her. The other thing interesting about this movie is that Stanley is absolutely despicable but most people ended up liking the character because Brando had so much charisma in the part. Another movie where the exact same thing happened was Paul Newman in HUD. Absolutely despicable character that ended up being likable because the actor playing the part was so charismatic.
Marlon Brando sporting a T-shirt in "A Streetcar Named Desire" led to T-shirts being normal outerwear for men. Orior to this performance, T-shirts were almost exclusively underwear, except for certain military situations due to heat or informal athletic attire.
This film is listed number 2 on my list of greatest films of all time. the acting from everyone was there but obviously the main actors that stood out like a sore thumb was Marlon Brando and Vivien Leigh their acting abilities are just top notch. but let's touch base on some of the genres that were simultaneously in this film which were. western, drama, Soap opera, suspense, Noir. and this combination of genres had that extra punch that made this film be remembered for as long as can be.
so glad your watching this movie. Tenessee Williams so great a writer. Such s strong movie, unlike anything modern. Williams play couldn't be fully put on film, at the time. Another great play, that made a good movie, is Cat On A Hot Tin Roof.
There are other great films based on Tennessee Williams. Just to mention two: "The Night of the Iguana"(Richard Burton, Ava Gardner)and "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof"(Paul Newman, Elizabeth Taylor). Other films about New Orleans: "Pretty Baby" by Louis Malle, "Sanctuary"(Lee Remick)by Tony Richardson. Louis Malle had an illustrious career making movies and documentaries, too much to be detailed, well I will mention one lesser-known one, "My Dinner with Andre" which has just two actors.
Brando only has a few movies where he went all out. You don't really know what he's capable of unless you see Streetcar. On the Waterfront is great, yes, but he wanted to star in Burn, if you can find it. And Godfather.
It's implied that Alan Grey (Blanche's husband) was homosexual and that's why Blanche said he disgusted her (and why Stella refers to him as a 'degenerate')
Talking about choreography there is a ballet of 'Streetcar...' which I saw, before being familiar with the movie of play. I relief on the program notes to try to understand. Then I read the play. And only after that did I watch the movie!
You picked up beautifully on everything Williams wants you to feel as the story unfolds! One plot point that had to be changed for the film version: the reason Blanche's young man, Alan, killed himself. The story in the play is that Blanche walked in on him with another man and told him he disgusted her...which leads to his su*c*de. All the gay themes in Williams were changed for the movies--it's a real problem in "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof" where the lead character's repressed homosexuality is a major plot point, and the piece doesn't work without it.
Hey Mia! I have another Marlon Brando movie recommendation, Watch the film adaptation of William Shakespeare's Julius Caesar (1953) By The Way, The year that A Streetcar Named Desire was released in 1951 not 1952.
A great movie, probably with dialogues that are incomprehensible to today's youth. But our dear Mia would not have problems with it because she is an intelligent and classic woman.
Nice reaction - this film is like a dialogue between the 2 dominant acting traditions - the British Classical Stage vs the Stanislavski System popularized in the American Method - Stanislavski had brought Chekhov to the US, and that impact led to the Group Theatre, which was like the national theatre of the US during the 30s - both Kazan and Lee Strasberg were alumni (as was Garfield), then Kazan and Brando helped mainstream this Method in the 50s, and it became part of a post-war cultural rivalry between UK and US that was almost Oedipal SHAKESPEARE OLIVIER VS METHOD BRANDO - Laurence Olivier was the face of the Shakespearean UK tradition, and Brando was the face of the Method (tho he'd actually studied w Strasberg's rival, Stella Adler, another Group alum who'd worked directly w Stanislavski in Moscow - the word "Method" is most associated w Strasberg and the Actor's Studio he helmed) - and so Brando had done Stanley onstage w Kazan - and Vivien Leigh had done Blanche onstage in a version directed by her husband Laurence Olivier - so this film really is a Clash of the Titans in American culture - IMO it's the most perfect adaptation of a play to film, and features 2 of the greatest performances ever committed to celluloid (also see Lumet's Long Day's Journey Into Night) - I think the way Blanche grows more beautiful and powerful the more she descends into chaos may come from Olivier and his vision of tragedy (he did the same w his Othello) BLANCHE DUBOIS AND SCARLETT O'HARA - another meta aspect of Blanche here is of course the fact that Leigh's other Oscar is for the iconic Scarlett O'Hara in Gone w the Wind - Streetcar is almost like a sequel to that film, imagining what happened to Scarlett, and Belle Reeve is like Tara, tho Blanche's delicacy brings her much closer to Melanie than to Scarlett - imagine if it was Melanie left alone w Tara, and ended up losing it, and then increasingly started using sex to self-medicate OTHER BLANCHES - the other great onscreen renditions of Blanche are by Gillian Anderson (Gillian also has a short film online depicting Blanche at the hotel), and by Cate Blanchett, as seen in Blue Jasmine, and her "Blanche" also got Cate an Oscar - Blythe Danner's stage rendition is also legendary BLANCHE'S JOURNEY INTO HADES - regarding the meaning of her character's journey, I think Blanche is Tennessee Williams himself - or a conflation of Tennessee and his doomed, mentally challenged sister - he explores that most closely in his effervescent Glass Menagerie - I recommend the luminous version directed by Paul Newman - Williams had an interest in Greek mythology, and in some ways Streetcar is showing a descent into Hades - he also did a play about Orpheus descending into the Underworld, which Brando did on film in a very different, more mystical role - Williams insisted on keeping the rape scene because he said the whole play is about something beautiful and fragile being crushed by the brutal forces of the world - in short, the crushing of the Chinese lantern, which exists to soften the harsh glare of reality BRANDO'S IMPACT - as for Brando, IMO he's the most important screen actor, the only one whose every performance is pored over like a text by other actors, who's revolutionized screen acting multiple times via his own growth; most recently Johnny Depp credited him w inspiring the kind of improvisational doodling that gave rise to Jack Sparrow and Ledger's Joker - Brando's performance as Stanley brought the Method into the spotlight - I think it also defined a kind of neurotic electricity that pervades 50s cinema - and in a broader sense, it redefined American manhood, in a way that's still prevalent - there's a tremulous beauty in both the lead performances - Brando's Stanley is a giant infant, and there's a hint of buried trauma in the mortified way he responds to the scorn of the "high-born" Stella, which Blanche amplifies; he often seems like he's about to burst into tears, and vents this instead w violence - and at the same time he has a sardonic humor that almost overpowered the stage version - w Leigh, this performance ranks w Falconetti in Joan of Arc in the way it evokes our pity and terror - there's a sense of genuine madness that's heartbreaking, and also electric - both performances bring us very close to a sense of immediacy and danger in a way Kazan is famous for stoking - and, of course, we know in Leigh's case that in real life sadly she did ultimately succumb to mental breakdown; you can feel it here BLANCHE VS STANLEY - Malden said he preferred Jessica Tandy in the role, because he believed Tandy as a schoolteacher; Brando said he preferred Leigh, because of the sexuality she brought to the role - we've had other great Blanches, though Leigh's still towers - but no other famous Stanleys - this may be because it's Blanche who's the center of the play and its meaning, and the timeless classical role Williams created - Stanley is more of a force that's defined against Blanche's complex humanity - Brando's impact here is tied to the play's impact on the times, and the advent of the Method - Brando's chemistry and sexual force is the zeigeist element in the impact of that production; Williams channeled himself thru Blanche, and Kazan channeled himself thru Brando - and this is the alchemy we're watching STREETCAR IS A DIVIDING POINT - - overall, I think Streetcar marks a turning point in American film - perhaps even more than the black and white, the Classical Hollywood era favored by your channel is I think defined by being pre-Stanislavski - this is what ppl see now when they note the difference in the acting, a whole different relationship w the idea of Truth onscreen - and the 50s marked that transition - we often see the "argument" happening onscreen right in front of us - also see Montgomery Clift vs John Wayne in Red River, and James Dean vs Raymond Massey in Kazan's East of Eden - and West Side Story is a Brando-inflected musical (I prefer the remake, w Spielberg channeling his own inner Brando) - the Method was the visceral intuitition of Rebellious Youth facing down the mannered artifice of Parental Tradition, the Beat generation presaging the Counterculture to come Streetcar was also part of a Renaissance in American theatre, which began w Eugene O'Neill - continued w Hurston, Hughes; Odets w the Group; the American Negro Theatre - and exploded into popularity w Miller, Williams, Hansberry, Albee, Baldwin, and the Actor's Studio embrace of Stanislavski - many of these works were adapted to film
One of my all-time favorite movies. I just love everything Tennessee Williams writes. I just recently discovered your channel. Have you watched The Heiress with Olivia de Havilland and Montgomery Clift yet? Another one of my favorites.
The reason Blanche was so disturbed psychologically was that she caught her new husband in bed with another man and then insulted him, after which he committed suicide. Unallowable in Hollywood in 1951 under the 'code'. The film still holds up, though.
I think there is both other side in this story. She came to his house and started to to attract the sister's attention to herself перетягивать внимание сестры на себя и играть святую. А его при этом принижала. to draw the sister's attention to herself and play the saint. And she belittled him at the same time.
Kim Hunter who plays Stanley’s wife Stella, also played the lead female ape in the original Planet of the Apes. Imagine having to act, as a high evolved ape. I admire actors who take on challenges. Don’t get me started on Brando. He’s a favorite of mine. I love actors who have diverse talents. He actually did a musical, Guys and Dolls. He sang, rather well. Okay that he’s eye candy, but talent is sexy. IMHO.
Another layer to the pain I felt when seeing this film for the first time was knowing the mental struggles that plagued Vivien Leigh in her personal life. Inhabiting the role of Blanche first in the theater, then in film, could not have been beneficial to her overall physical and mental well-being.
Oh wow, for Marlon Brando movies, you sure started with a doozy! Lol! I have such mixed feelings about this story every time I see it. Stanely is a bad guy, undisputable; the trouble is he is right about much of what is going on with the story... I think if he were played by an actor with less talent and charm than Brando, it would be easy to write him off, as his interactions with everyone are 100% toxic, and yet we can't help but watch in fascination. Same with Vivien as Blanche, just amazing work!
Explaining some Points of the movie & play - spoilers below ! - Due to censorship the story had to be altered, but in the play the boy Blanche marries when she’s young was a repressed gay man, that’s where their hurt and resentment (in his case towards himself) comes from, from loving but not being able to fully give themselves to each other,what lead him to commiting suicide and Blanche saying she “despised him” is that she caught him in bed with another man. Homosexuality (specially repressed) is a common theme in Tennessee Williams’ plays that reflects his own struggles with his sexuality. - Towards the end Stanly, does in facts, rape Blanche. This was a hard scene to get inte movie, again bc of the code, which lead to many alternatives be brought on the table, such as making it seem part of Blanche’s psicosis. But those involved in the making of the movie fought hard for it since it’s a pivotal point both in the story and for Blanche’s character (the violence inflicted upon the weak and delicate by the strong and animalistic, or the new emerging new orleands taking over the sourthern old-lifestyle). As a result they had to change the ending instead of leaving it as ambiguous as Tennesse Williams does in his play (which I wholeheartedly recommend reading). - Talking about endings, they ususally are never resolved in Tennesse William’s plays, most of the time they’re left ambiguous our open, it’s part of the charm of his stories, to leave it to the audience to see what fits them best or simply take it unresolved. A streetcar named desire is an incredible movie that’s the result of many people fighting against the censorship to bring to screen one of the most influential movies in the history of filmmaking, the transition from the traditional school of acting to actors of method or the portrayal of themes that hadn’t been made pivotal points in the stories for years being some of the main contributions.Nedless to say it did well in the oscars, winning Vivien Leigh her second oscar since Gone With the Wind when going up against Katherine Hepburn in the African Queen amongst others.
Someone already mentioned that Blanche's husband committed suicide because Blanche made fun of hime being gay, which was removed because of the Hays code in effect at the time. Vivien Leigh was struggling with mental illness at the time which I suspect added depth to this performance. I'm also glad you are watching "On The Waterfront', which is another great Brando performance.
I dont think "make fun" is the right wording. She confronted him about it in a very hurtful way (because obviously she was hurt and dissapointed) but she wasn't making fun of him...that just sounds bizzare
The original story was that Stella did not leave Stanley which is more powerful....the Hays code dictated that Stella leave Stanley in the film.....Blanche's husband was gay and Blanche caught him w another man and she chided him about it which prompted his suicide
Great review! The Blanche character has delusions of grandeur; she lies and manipulates others. She is also mentally unstable. Stanley, who is a regular, no-nonsense working "joe", sees thru Blanche, tho her sister does not. Vivian Leigh actually DID have mental break down, and was hospitalized in her later years.
The play's themes were controversial, causing the screenplay to be modified to comply with the Hollywood Production Code. In the original play, Blanche's husband died by suicide after she discovered he was gay..
This story is hard to watch because there are no positive takeaways. Human train wrecks all around. Which is why phenomenally talented actors are so badly needed to play the roles. Otherwise, no reason to watch. Brando is like a lightning bolt. So, so dangerous and unpredictable.
I know this is for Brando, but Vivien Leigh is brilliant as the tragic Miss Dubois.
Agreed. She was the studio's choice because the original Broadway-Movie cast wanted Jessica Tandy especially Elia Kazan.
That did NOT disappoint. I think Vivian Leigh's real life struggles with mental illness gave her performance that haunting feeling u described. - just me in Palm Springs 🌴
There was no effective treatment for bipolar disorder then.
Nothing prepares you for Brando. Especially in STREETCAR.
Vivien Leigh is mesmerizing in this film. She rips out her own heart and hands it to the audience.
Stanley was such a realistic rotten character. I've always thought that's why Brando didn't win the Oscar because his acting was unbelievably excellent. Love your channel. Thanks for your hard work in bringing these great movies to us.
Indeed in the play Stella stays with Stanley. Williams had to concede to the change if Stanley’s rape of Blanche was to remain (ie., Stanley had to be punished by losing Stella’s love). Williams’ point was that you have to keep on going no matter what. In making the change for the screenplay Williams slyly had Stella running up to Eunice’s rather than leaving entirely. The look on Eunice’s face says it all… “here we go again.”
The other major change was what precipitated Blanche’s husband’s suicide. Blanche found him in bed with a man. What she whispered to him on the dance floor was “I know… I saw… you disgust me!”
You may know this already, but Tennessee Williams was gay and not particularly closeted about being gay, either. So the description that Blanche makes of her "sensitive" husband was actually a code. Because of censorship at the time, they couldn't just come out and say it, but gay people in the audience "got" it.
When Vivien Leigh was offered the role of Blanche in the movie she had already played the role in a London production. Supposedly, her feeling of alienation from Brando, Karl Malden, and Kim Hunter, all of whom had acted together in the Broadway production, helped her with her character.
The sailor who Blanche talks to at the beginning of the film was played by Mickey Kuhn. 12 years earlier Mickey had appeared in 'Gone With The Wind' as Beau Wilkes, Ashley and Melanie's son. Mickey died in 2022 at the age of 90.
Well, it was just a matter of time before you came across this masterpiece. This is the one that put Brando on the map.
Tennessee Williams had a gay crush on Brando.
@@teastrainer3604 I don’t blame him. Brando was hot stuff.
This is one of your best reactions. It's very apparent that you felt this film. I really miss films like this in the cinema. Human-scaled drama. No crutches and phoniness or juvenile sensibilities or over-reliance on tech.
Brando’s Stanley Kowalski is a total jerk, but at the same time HOT AF! 🥵
Yep, not hard to see why Stella was mad for him
All my life I have seen my
decent friends being ignored
and the arrogant cheating sob
type pulling chicks. One jerk,
after a lady threw him out, had
a buddy call her saying he had
died in a car crash for revenge.
That said, my meek friends found the right mate , the bad
boys could not even recall all
their flings. Me? Fine when
I played tough, till the heart on
my sleeve showed...
You've got Brando, you got Tennessee Williams, and you've got Elia Kazan. That's one of movie's beat triple plays!
And Vivien Leigh?
This movie is a masterpiece! The script, cinematography and acting are unbeatable.
Amazingly, this film lost out to "An American In Paris" for the Academy Award for Best Picture of 1951.
Stage actors generally consider Hamlet the most challenging male role in theatre history, and Blanche DuBois the most challenging female role.
Who said this?
Stanley "followed through" with it, with Blanche, but because of the Hayes Code, the symbolism of the shattered mirror had to suffice.
Thank goodness, I didn't need to see much more to get the point!
I once heard a commentary that said the key to Stanley is he's a WW2 veteran and had come out of the war traumatized. This would be shortly before the term 'beatnik' generation was coined, a generation of men returning from the war so beat down that they barely knew how to function in society. When infantry returned from the Pacific the army first put them on an island behind barbed wire because they were afraid what they'd do if they got out into society.
Nothing gets solved or resolved in a Tennessee Williams play, that's what I love about them, lol.
This is the one time I prefer the movie ending to the play, as Stella stays with Stanley in the end - which always makes my stomach churn!
When I went to see the restored version in 1993, it was like leaving a funeral. There was no chatter. People were stunned. Pretty powerful for a 40 year old movie!
She’ll go back…
I hate the ending in the film. The play's ending is meant to be devastating and heartbreaking for a reason. The playright who wrote it wanted it to be that way as a lesson. Censorship is never a good thing. Plus they imply pretty obviously that Stella goes back to him anyway by mirroring the ending scene to the STELLA!!!!! scene.
@@Georgina-lv9bt the movie’s ending is hardly a happy ending and in my experience is actually more realistic. I’ve seen it play out in real life many times. IMO Stella is just as annoying as Stanley in many respects, but in a passive aggressive way. It takes two to play that same sick game over and over. Meaningless threats, running off to the neighbors, involving everyone in their business, playing the victim, making excuses, wild makeup sex, and then rinse repeat. None of the main characters in this play are admirable, but big surprise, it’s Tennessee Williams.
@@Georgina-lv9bt I know. Tennessee liked bleak endings, like real life.
Lawrence Olivier, Vivian's husband, said she was never the same after the filming of this production.
Watch Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? Next!
Kim Hunter had a job playing opposite Brando and Leigh! She's an incredibly underrated actress. I adore her in the beautiful British post-war film, A Matter of Life and Death.
Don't forget. Kim Hunter was excellent with Roddy McDowell in "Planet of the Apes".
Brando not only crushed the role, he redefined what it was to be an actor. Monumental in this role.
Karl Malden said that Brando changed acting.
Just some tidbits that might make you get the full picture of the film: Blanche's husband was gay. She found him with another man, confronted him about it and he ran away and shot himself , leaving her with absolute crippling guilt. Also, in the end of the play, Stella stays with Stanley. The censors made them change the ending because they essentially didn't want a r*pist rewarded, but that's not how the play really ends.
I remember seeing this movie as a teen and being just absolutely terrified by Brando's performance. I remember thinking "Oh no, shut up, please, just shut up." when one of the two sisters was about to say something to him.
Adore this one and Tennessee Williams in general. My favorite actually is Glass Menagerie, would highly recommend the version with Katharine Hepburn. But as for Streetcar, lots of fun tidbits here. For one thing, I would say I prefer "A woman's charm is 50% illusion" to the kindness of strangers line....and I do use it all the time! Secondly, it sort of bugs me how Brando gets all the credit when Leigh owns this movie as far as I'm concerned. It does seem to be a battle in the old vs new styles, but I guess I'm making it clear where I stand.
Lastly, my favorite Simpsons episode *is* A Streetcar Named Marge, which is a must see for any Streetcar fan! 😄
I don’t entirely agree with your assessment. I loved Leigh’s performance but what Brando did in this film is quite revolutionary. I don’t ever recall seeing a performance by a male actor so gritty and raw as this one, prior to this film. His portrayal is quite explosive.
Bugs Leigh gets plenty of credit and brandos performance is the most influential in film history so of course he gets a lot of credit
I saw it when I was a teenager and that sinister Brando's smile still haunts me. What a brilliant and tragic film.
I like Mia's commentary, analyzation of the movie and bloopers. I haven't seen this movie since I was a child. Each performance of the actors was great. Looking at this film is a subtle yet intense emotional rollercoaster ride with these characters. Vivian Lee was so distraught, disoriented and unbalanced, which showed in her eyes and face, that takes focus and discipline to keep up that kind of momentum in the making of this movie. No one was redeemed in this movie which goes to show not everyone has resolve or healing in their life.
Mia , you said this movie put you in your " Feels " . Thank you for taking your adoring fans along with you to your feels place 💕
Mia, you've just got to see "Who's Afraid of Virginia Wolf?". It has the same emotional intensity, perhaps more extreme, starring Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor.
Ms. Mia , You are classy and there is no wonder why you enjoy and share significant classic cinema with us! Your reactions and research before each film informs and entertains! ( Sorry about your creative work loss...) Thank You!
Brando's performance was partially based on a boxer named Rocky Graziano. Paul Newman played him in Somebody Up There Likes Me.
Excellent choice!
The ending was especially changed for the film. But in the actual play, when Blanche is taken away, everyone in the Kowalski household--Stanley and his friends--carry on as usual (I believe playing a card game), as if nothing extraordinary has taken place...Mia, eager to see your reactions to "On the Waterfront," which I list as one of the 3 best films I've ever seen.
I've always wondered what it would have been like if Jessica Tandy had starred in the film, though Vivien Leigh did such an amazing job, I don't think anyone could have topped it.
Tandy was a great actress but
on the big screen a gorgeous
lady whose beauty and sense
of reality were fading was a good choice, not to mention
star power.
Seeing Brando in this made me want to act. Two completely different styles of acting on screen performed by two legendary actors Brando and Leigh. Kim Hunter also, kills it.
My aunt, who was a real theater lover, saw Streetcar on Broadway in 1947 with Brando is his first major role. She fell in love with him---and she also thought that Jessica Tandy (Blanche) was more brilliant and deserved to be in the film as well.
Oh wow! To see Brando live, I envy your aunt! I would love to go to more shows! I haven’t since high school! Thank you for sharing.
My high school teacher took us to see this. Without even reading it 😵💫 I was confused if he SA Blanch (until I saw the movie a few years later) and the teacher didn't even DISCUSS it later, we were all left confused.
And yes Brando basically took that role and made it into something different. For that time it wasn't common to see that kind of emtions and rage. He was magnetic and I think him being so young and sexy is actually what makes most women understand why Stella goes back each time. They are too animalistic.
Vivien Leigh gives the greatest oscar winning performance by a leading actress here. the only one that comes close is herself in Gone with the Wind!
My dad saw Brando play the role on Broadway. Electrifying!
That's a wow!!! Oh for a time machine...
Have you thought about reacting to the classic musical, "The King and I" staring Yul Brynner and Deborah Kerr, Mia? That one is a good one. It has iconic songs such as "Getting to Know You" and "Shall We Dance".
You can't go wrong with Tennessee Williams! I'd love to see you react to "Suddenly, Last Summer" with Elizabeth Taylor and Katharine Hepburn, it's mesmerizing
Brando and Leigh were brilliant in this!!! Watching Vivian Leigh in this is heartbreaking especially knowing she really struggled with mental illness. I am so glad I found your channel. I don't know anyone who loves and appreciates the old classics, so stumbling on your channel was so exciting. I was born in the early 80's but should have been born in the 1910's 😂 I have such a long list of films I would love to see you check out. I won't get crazy though and I'll name one for now. If you want to see another awesome Brando film, I HIGHLY suggest The Wild One. Brando...Motorcycle Gang...Chaos.....it's an AMAZING FILM, and his grin at the end of the movie is PERFECTION. I think you would like it.
How about “Guys and Dolls” next? Marlon Brando sings and dances!
I can't remember, if you've seen "On the Waterfront" yet or not, but it's another movie, where Marlon Brando & Karl Maldin shine! Check out "The Wild One" too. Not on the same level as this one, but still a good Brando movie.
Edit: I now see, that "On the Waterfront" is next. Cool!
You're going to love "OTW". Pay special attention to Leonard Bernstein's masterful score. It'll send chills up and down your spine!
I guess now you will have to do Cat on a Hot Tin Roof.
Definitely an all timer , thank you for your reaction and review
It's Brando. My personal favorite Brando & Kazan is Viva Zapata! (1952) screenplay by John Steinback.
Vivien Leigh is amazing in this.
Yes, Vivien Leigh is wonderful. I wish she had made more movies.
Yes! Finally someone reacting to this great classic. Good job!
Somebody Up There Likes Me, (1956) ❤❤❤
Slowest uploader of all time, as well as the best movie reactor of all time. I honestly can't wait to see what you watch next. You put lots of passion and effort into these videos and it shows 👏 Much appreciated.
Mia, You look terrific! You didn't need to get all dolled up just for me. I'm not worth it!
I have really mixed feelings about this movie. Vivian Leigh is wonderful, and Marlon Brando's performance is just breathtaking. But having Stella leave Stanley at the end (whether permanently or not) seriously undercuts the play's final horror, that it is not Stanley but sweet, docile Stella who finally destroys her sister by making what is clearly the very calculated decision to believe Stanley's rather than Blanche's account of what happened the previous night, not based on evidence but simply in order to protect her own and her baby's future security. Of course the Hays office would have required this, because of its rule that any criminal must be shown to be punished somehow, even if not by the mechanism of the law; but following this rule means that the very secondary issue of what happens to Stanley is allowed to dictate how the really key issue of Stella's decision is handled. Stanley is less a moral agent than a force of nature; it's Stella whose choice surprisingly becomes, at the end of the play, the pivot on which everything hangs.
Kazan also directed the play, to great success, and I think he found a way around this requirement in how he staged this ending - it's like a retread of the earlier balcony scene, so there's a strong implication that we've been here before and she'll end up going back to him
@@zmani4379 Kazan certainly did a brilliant job of minimizing the damage that way (he's Kazan, after all!), and it's not his fault that he had to deal with the idiotic Hays code restrictions, which were an insult to art and should never have existed. But I still don't think it fully works, because it shows as not fully emotionally committed to her decision to believe Stanley and stay with him, which I think destroys the point of the play's ending. Stella is in survival mode, keeping her head down as always while doing what she must to avoid jeopardizing her status. Her husband and sister have stepped all over her because she gives no outward show of resistance, but she is really the one pulling the strings right to the end. Any indication that she might regret her betrayal of Blanche largely ruins that betrayal's dramatic force. All credit to Kazan for doing the best he could with an untenable situation, but it was still untenable.
I sort of agree but I feel that the movie does imply pretty obviously that she will return by mirroring the last scene with the "STELLAAA!!!" scene after the poker party. I mean I was 13 when I watched it and even I knew they were saying she would eventually return to him. So thats why I tolerate the ending. And Tennessee said its his favorite of his film adaptions, despite the censorship
Blanche DuBois is one of the most tragic figures in all of cinema. She went to her sister's house after getting fired from her teaching job because she literally had nowhere else to go. The only other choice was to become homeless. And like all great tragedies, everything ALMOST worked out. She just wanted a place to rest & settle down & Mitch was willing to provide that for her. But Stanley, being a jerk who hated her, ruined that for her and then caused her breakdown at the end by raping her. The other thing interesting about this movie is that Stanley is absolutely despicable but most people ended up liking the character because Brando had so much charisma in the part. Another movie where the exact same thing happened was Paul Newman in HUD. Absolutely despicable character that ended up being likable because the actor playing the part was so charismatic.
Marlon Brando sporting a T-shirt in "A Streetcar Named Desire" led to T-shirts being normal outerwear for men. Orior to this performance, T-shirts were almost exclusively underwear, except for certain military situations due to heat or informal athletic attire.
Mia, Please try "One eyed Jacks " and "A Fugitive Kind" Brando and Karl Malden in the first and Brando and the great Anna Magnani. In the second.
This film is listed number 2 on my list of greatest films of all time. the acting from everyone was there but obviously the main actors that stood out like a sore thumb was Marlon Brando and Vivien Leigh their acting abilities are just top notch. but let's touch base on some of the genres that were simultaneously in this film which were. western, drama, Soap opera, suspense, Noir. and this combination of genres had that extra punch that made this film be remembered for as long as can be.
so glad your watching this movie. Tenessee Williams so great a writer. Such s strong movie, unlike anything modern. Williams play couldn't be fully put on film, at the time. Another great play, that made a good movie, is Cat On A Hot Tin Roof.
Mia,you look so beautiful! I wish I was as skilled w makeup as you(I'm not very good)😅
Really appreciate your thoughtful ans interesting reactions. Thanks!
There are other great films based on Tennessee Williams. Just to mention two: "The Night of the Iguana"(Richard Burton, Ava Gardner)and "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof"(Paul Newman, Elizabeth Taylor).
Other films about New Orleans: "Pretty Baby" by Louis Malle, "Sanctuary"(Lee Remick)by Tony Richardson. Louis Malle had an illustrious career making movies and documentaries, too much to be detailed, well I will mention one lesser-known one, "My Dinner with Andre" which has just two actors.
Pretty Baby certainly made Brooke Shield's career.
Brando only has a few movies where he went all out. You don't really know what he's capable of unless you see Streetcar. On the Waterfront is great, yes, but he wanted to star in Burn, if you can find it. And Godfather.
It's implied that Alan Grey (Blanche's husband) was homosexual and that's why Blanche said he disgusted her (and why Stella refers to him as a 'degenerate')
Thank you for this cool review!💥 This picture is outstanding, very modern for 50s
Talking about choreography there is a ballet of 'Streetcar...' which I saw, before being familiar with the movie of play. I relief on the program notes to try to understand. Then I read the play. And only after that did I watch the movie!
You picked up beautifully on everything Williams wants you to feel as the story unfolds! One plot point that had to be changed for the film version: the reason Blanche's young man, Alan, killed himself. The story in the play is that Blanche walked in on him with another man and told him he disgusted her...which leads to his su*c*de. All the gay themes in Williams were changed for the movies--it's a real problem in "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof" where the lead character's repressed homosexuality is a major plot point, and the piece doesn't work without it.
Hey Mia! I have another Marlon Brando movie recommendation, Watch the film adaptation of William Shakespeare's Julius Caesar (1953) By The Way, The year that A Streetcar Named Desire was released in 1951 not 1952.
A great movie, probably with dialogues that are incomprehensible to today's youth. But our dear Mia would not have problems with it because she is an intelligent and classic woman.
Hope you can do a review Anastasia 1956
Nice reaction - this film is like a dialogue between the 2 dominant acting traditions - the British Classical Stage vs the Stanislavski System popularized in the American Method - Stanislavski had brought Chekhov to the US, and that impact led to the Group Theatre, which was like the national theatre of the US during the 30s - both Kazan and Lee Strasberg were alumni (as was Garfield), then Kazan and Brando helped mainstream this Method in the 50s, and it became part of a post-war cultural rivalry between UK and US that was almost Oedipal
SHAKESPEARE OLIVIER VS METHOD BRANDO
- Laurence Olivier was the face of the Shakespearean UK tradition, and Brando was the face of the Method (tho he'd actually studied w Strasberg's rival, Stella Adler, another Group alum who'd worked directly w Stanislavski in Moscow - the word "Method" is most associated w Strasberg and the Actor's Studio he helmed)
- and so Brando had done Stanley onstage w Kazan - and Vivien Leigh had done Blanche onstage in a version directed by her husband Laurence Olivier - so this film really is a Clash of the Titans in American culture - IMO it's the most perfect adaptation of a play to film, and features 2 of the greatest performances ever committed to celluloid (also see Lumet's Long Day's Journey Into Night) - I think the way Blanche grows more beautiful and powerful the more she descends into chaos may come from Olivier and his vision of tragedy (he did the same w his Othello)
BLANCHE DUBOIS AND SCARLETT O'HARA
- another meta aspect of Blanche here is of course the fact that Leigh's other Oscar is for the iconic Scarlett O'Hara in Gone w the Wind - Streetcar is almost like a sequel to that film, imagining what happened to Scarlett, and Belle Reeve is like Tara, tho Blanche's delicacy brings her much closer to Melanie than to Scarlett - imagine if it was Melanie left alone w Tara, and ended up losing it, and then increasingly started using sex to self-medicate
OTHER BLANCHES
- the other great onscreen renditions of Blanche are by Gillian Anderson (Gillian also has a short film online depicting Blanche at the hotel), and by Cate Blanchett, as seen in Blue Jasmine, and her "Blanche" also got Cate an Oscar - Blythe Danner's stage rendition is also legendary
BLANCHE'S JOURNEY INTO HADES
- regarding the meaning of her character's journey, I think Blanche is Tennessee Williams himself - or a conflation of Tennessee and his doomed, mentally challenged sister - he explores that most closely in his effervescent Glass Menagerie - I recommend the luminous version directed by Paul Newman - Williams had an interest in Greek mythology, and in some ways Streetcar is showing a descent into Hades - he also did a play about Orpheus descending into the Underworld, which Brando did on film in a very different, more mystical role - Williams insisted on keeping the rape scene because he said the whole play is about something beautiful and fragile being crushed by the brutal forces of the world - in short, the crushing of the Chinese lantern, which exists to soften the harsh glare of reality
BRANDO'S IMPACT
- as for Brando, IMO he's the most important screen actor, the only one whose every performance is pored over like a text by other actors, who's revolutionized screen acting multiple times via his own growth; most recently Johnny Depp credited him w inspiring the kind of improvisational doodling that gave rise to Jack Sparrow and Ledger's Joker - Brando's performance as Stanley brought the Method into the spotlight - I think it also defined a kind of neurotic electricity that pervades 50s cinema - and in a broader sense, it redefined American manhood, in a way that's still prevalent
- there's a tremulous beauty in both the lead performances - Brando's Stanley is a giant infant, and there's a hint of buried trauma in the mortified way he responds to the scorn of the "high-born" Stella, which Blanche amplifies; he often seems like he's about to burst into tears, and vents this instead w violence - and at the same time he has a sardonic humor that almost overpowered the stage version
- w Leigh, this performance ranks w Falconetti in Joan of Arc in the way it evokes our pity and terror - there's a sense of genuine madness that's heartbreaking, and also electric - both performances bring us very close to a sense of immediacy and danger in a way Kazan is famous for stoking - and, of course, we know in Leigh's case that in real life sadly she did ultimately succumb to mental breakdown; you can feel it here
BLANCHE VS STANLEY
- Malden said he preferred Jessica Tandy in the role, because he believed Tandy as a schoolteacher; Brando said he preferred Leigh, because of the sexuality she brought to the role - we've had other great Blanches, though Leigh's still towers - but no other famous Stanleys - this may be because it's Blanche who's the center of the play and its meaning, and the timeless classical role Williams created
- Stanley is more of a force that's defined against Blanche's complex humanity - Brando's impact here is tied to the play's impact on the times, and the advent of the Method - Brando's chemistry and sexual force is the zeigeist element in the impact of that production; Williams channeled himself thru Blanche, and Kazan channeled himself thru Brando - and this is the alchemy we're watching
STREETCAR IS A DIVIDING POINT -
- overall, I think Streetcar marks a turning point in American film - perhaps even more than the black and white, the Classical Hollywood era favored by your channel is I think defined by being pre-Stanislavski - this is what ppl see now when they note the difference in the acting, a whole different relationship w the idea of Truth onscreen - and the 50s marked that transition
- we often see the "argument" happening onscreen right in front of us - also see Montgomery Clift vs John Wayne in Red River, and James Dean vs Raymond Massey in Kazan's East of Eden - and West Side Story is a Brando-inflected musical (I prefer the remake, w Spielberg channeling his own inner Brando) - the Method was the visceral intuitition of Rebellious Youth facing down the mannered artifice of Parental Tradition, the Beat generation presaging the Counterculture to come
Streetcar was also part of a Renaissance in American theatre, which began w Eugene O'Neill - continued w Hurston, Hughes; Odets w the Group; the American Negro Theatre - and exploded into popularity w Miller, Williams, Hansberry, Albee, Baldwin, and the Actor's Studio embrace of Stanislavski - many of these works were adapted to film
One of my all-time favorite movies. I just love everything Tennessee Williams writes. I just recently discovered your channel. Have you watched The Heiress with Olivia de Havilland and Montgomery Clift yet? Another one of my favorites.
Blanche is so tragic from the get go//have you done The Postman Always Rings Twice or The Heiress? I'd love to see your take on either
This is what acting is about. what you study for❤❤❤❤
A street car named desire. Read the book first. Both of them where excellent ❤.
The reason Blanche was so disturbed psychologically was that she caught her new husband in bed with another man and then insulted him, after which he committed suicide. Unallowable in Hollywood in 1951 under the 'code'. The film still holds up, though.
I think there is both other side in this story. She came to his house and started to to attract the sister's attention to herself
перетягивать внимание сестры на себя и играть святую. А его при этом принижала.
to draw the sister's attention to herself and play the saint. And she belittled him at the same time.
@8:56 a word or piece of dialog is "quacked" out. i'm curious as to what would need to be bleeped from a 1952 movie in order to placate CZcams?
I think it’s because the words that were quacked out were slurs.
Please cover On The Waterfront if you already haven’t!!!❤️
That’s next up on our schedule!
@@MoviesWithMia awesome I can’t wait!
Where you been? Havnt seen a reaction from you in 2 months on youtube
Hi 👋🏽 work has been taking up much of my time, but I am working on a few things in the background, so sorry to keep you all waiting for so long
A streetcar named desire came out in 1951
Oh no did I say 1952? Or was it just in the title?
@@MoviesWithMia The latter
Okay! I fixed it! Thank you for the heads up!
Kim Hunter who plays Stanley’s wife Stella, also played the lead female ape in the original Planet of the Apes. Imagine having to act, as a high evolved ape. I admire actors who take on challenges. Don’t get me started on Brando. He’s a favorite of mine. I love actors who have diverse talents. He actually did a musical, Guys and Dolls. He sang, rather well. Okay that he’s eye candy, but talent is sexy. IMHO.
I like the fact to put a duck on the sceen but ktber then that it fantastic
Another layer to the pain I felt when seeing this film for the first time was knowing the mental struggles that plagued Vivien Leigh in her personal life. Inhabiting the role of Blanche first in the theater, then in film, could not have been beneficial to her overall physical and mental well-being.
Please react to midnight cowboy!
Ooh that I’ve heard is a GOOD one!! Thanks for the recommendation!
@@MoviesWithMiaNo problem, I watched it recently myself and loved it
Love ya!
I know it's a pretty dark film but I always found Brando's lines about the '"treasure chest of a pirate" laugh out loud hilarious.
Somebody shoud react to more Tennessee Williams. Cat on a hot tin Roof.
If my parents had been movie actors they'd have been Kim Hunter and Robert Mitchum. Long ago ...
My mother in law saw the original cast on Broadway. She said it was like being in an earthquake.
Oh wow, for Marlon Brando movies, you sure started with a doozy! Lol! I have such mixed feelings about this story every time I see it. Stanely is a bad guy, undisputable; the trouble is he is right about much of what is going on with the story... I think if he were played by an actor with less talent and charm than Brando, it would be easy to write him off, as his interactions with everyone are 100% toxic, and yet we can't help but watch in fascination. Same with Vivien as Blanche, just amazing work!
Explaining some Points of the movie & play - spoilers below !
- Due to censorship the story had to be altered, but in the play the boy Blanche marries when she’s young was a repressed gay man, that’s where their hurt and resentment (in his case towards himself) comes from, from loving but not being able to fully give themselves to each other,what lead him to commiting suicide and Blanche saying she “despised him” is that she caught him in bed with another man. Homosexuality (specially repressed) is a common theme in Tennessee Williams’ plays that reflects his own struggles with his sexuality.
- Towards the end Stanly, does in facts, rape Blanche. This was a hard scene to get inte movie, again bc of the code, which lead to many alternatives be brought on the table, such as making it seem part of Blanche’s psicosis. But those involved in the making of the movie fought hard for it since it’s a pivotal point both in the story and for Blanche’s character (the violence inflicted upon the weak and delicate by the strong and animalistic, or the new emerging new orleands taking over the sourthern old-lifestyle). As a result they had to change the ending instead of leaving it as ambiguous as Tennesse Williams does in his play (which I wholeheartedly recommend reading).
- Talking about endings, they ususally are never resolved in Tennesse William’s plays, most of the time they’re left ambiguous our open, it’s part of the charm of his stories, to leave it to the audience to see what fits them best or simply take it unresolved.
A streetcar named desire is an incredible movie that’s the result of many people fighting against the censorship to bring to screen one of the most influential movies in the history of filmmaking, the transition from the traditional school of acting to actors of method or the portrayal of themes that hadn’t been made pivotal points in the stories for years being some of the main contributions.Nedless to say it did well in the oscars, winning Vivien Leigh her second oscar since Gone With the Wind when going up against Katherine Hepburn in the African Queen amongst others.
I like Karl Malden. But this was always a very uncomfortable movie to watch.
Now watch the short film, Who Am I This Time, an early film of Jonathan Demme based on a Kurt Vonnegut short story!
If you care about great acting, you have to see Streetcar. In this case, it is more important than some tidy redemptive ending.
Someone already mentioned that Blanche's husband committed suicide because Blanche made fun of hime being gay, which was removed because of the Hays code in effect at the time. Vivien Leigh was struggling with mental illness at the time which I suspect added depth to this performance. I'm also glad you are watching "On The Waterfront', which is another great Brando performance.
I dont think "make fun" is the right wording. She confronted him about it in a very hurtful way (because obviously she was hurt and dissapointed) but she wasn't making fun of him...that just sounds bizzare
Have you ever watched the TV series
THE OUTER LIMITS?
IF YOU CAN CHECK IT OUT
Always preferred "Cat On A Hot Tin Roof"...
The original story was that Stella did not leave Stanley which is more powerful....the Hays code dictated that Stella leave Stanley in the film.....Blanche's husband was gay and Blanche caught him w another man and she chided him about it which prompted his suicide
oh hell yeah we problematic thirstin' today. I have to say I really appreciate your introductions and film facts. You're like a one-woman TCM!
Great review!
The Blanche character has delusions of grandeur; she lies and manipulates others. She is also mentally unstable. Stanley, who is a regular, no-nonsense working "joe", sees thru Blanche, tho her sister does not.
Vivian Leigh actually DID have mental break down, and was hospitalized in her later years.
The play's themes were controversial, causing the screenplay to be modified to comply with the Hollywood Production Code. In the original play, Blanche's husband died by suicide after she discovered he was gay..
This story is hard to watch because there are no positive takeaways. Human train wrecks all around. Which is why phenomenally talented actors are so badly needed to play the roles. Otherwise, no reason to watch. Brando is like a lightning bolt. So, so dangerous and unpredictable.