A Streetcar Named Desire (1951)

Looking for a benchmark in movie acting? Breakthrough performances don't come much more electrifying than Marlon Brando's animalistic turn as Stanley Kowalski in A Streetcar Named Desire. Sweaty, brutish, mumbling, yet with the balanced grace of a prizefighter, Brando storms through the role--a role he had originated in the Broadway production of Tennessee Williams's celebrated play. Stanley and his wife, Stella (as in Brando's oft-mimicked line, "Hey, Stellaaaaaa!"), are the earthy couple in New Orleans's French Quarter whose lives are upended by the arrival of Stella's sister, Blanche DuBois (Vivien Leigh). Blanche, a disturbed, lyrical, faded Southern belle, is immediately drawn into a battle of wills with Stanley, beautifully captured in the differing styles of the two actors. This extraordinarily fine adaptation won acting Oscars for Leigh, Kim Hunter (as Stella), and Karl Malden (as Blanche's clueless suitor), but not for Brando. Although it had already been considerably cleaned up from the daringly adult stage play, director Elia Kazan was forced to trim a few of the franker scenes he had shot. In 1993, Streetcar was rereleased in a "director's cut" that restored these moments, deepening a film that had already secured its place as an essential American work. --Robert Horton Amazon.com essential video

An explosive masterpiece

Elia Kazan's screen version of Tenessee William's firey work is a non stop emotional ride. Marlon Brando revises his stage role as Stanley Kowalski, a working class man who lives in New Orleans with his wife Stella. There life is a roughly passionate one which intensifies when Stella's southern belle sister Blanche DuBois arrives. Blanche, portrayed so beautifully and truly by Vivien Leigh, that her husband Sir Lawrence Olivier once commented on how it almost broke her to play this role. Blanche is mentally unstable, broken by the world and by distorted ideals. Stanley immeadiately loathes Blanche and all that she pretends to be, allowing this hatred to consume him and become an animalistic urge that explodes at the end of the film. In all this film displays both the beauty and horror of human kind, it is a must see for all! December 3, 2008

a sure classic.

The film, A Streetcar Named Desire, is based ultimately on the extreme cultural differences between Blanche Dubois and Stanley Kowalski. Blanche, a vicarious and unlucky Southern Belle, shows up on her sister's (Stella) doorstep in New Orleans after arriving there on a streetcar route named "Desire." Blanche has a rough background and is hesitant to share the truth of her visit with her sister and brother-in-law Stanley. She tells Stella and Stanley she lost the family mansion, Belle Reve, because of problems with deceased family members that ultimately resulted in financial losses aka Belle Reve. In reality, Blanche was fired from her job as an English teacher for having an affair with a 17-year old student and couldn't afford the home anymore.
Blanche tries to keep this past a secret from everyone, but Stanley is skeptical and makes it difficult for her. Coming from a hard-working, immigrant family, Stanley resents Blanche's luxurious lifestyle in a beautiful mansion in Mississippi. When Stanley learns the reason for Blanche's visit he sets out to make her life as difficult as possible. After being raped by Stanley and confronted with his knowledge Blanche has a nervous breakdown. Stanley commits her into a mental institution and tries to reveal her horrific past.
The 1948 Pulitzer Prizewinning drama, A Streetcar Named Desire, is a sure classic. Tennessee Williams, an American playwright, opened the play on Broadway in December of 1947 and closed in December 1949 at the Ethyl Barrymore Theater. Since day one this play has been a hit. With acting from Broadway's finest like Marlon Brando (Stanley) and Vivien Leigh (Blanche), why would this play not be a sure classic? November 25, 2008

street car

"A Streetcar Named Desire" represents how many people were during the time after the war. Mental and issues and alcohol problems. It's a movie about a sister's, Stella, triumph to continue to live her life after her sibling comes to stay with her and her husband. The sibling, named Blanche Dubios comes with emotional baggage that brings a strain to Stella and her husband Stanly's marraige. Although Stella wants to cater to and care for her younger sister, she has to try to please her husband, who is not pleased with Blanche staying with them. The movie contains secrets, lies and a bit of an alcohol problem. November 21, 2008

Streetcar Review

Elia Kazan's adaptation of A Streetcar Named Desire is one to be reconed with. With the cast of superstars, such as Marlon Brando and Vivien Leigh, he was able to show the constraints of raw human emotion at both ends of the primitive and cultural ends. Stanley's stone age actions towards and "ownership" qualities towards Stella is a pure contradicting parallel to the cultural qualities of Blanch. These two main characters battle throughout the movie, and each think they know just what the other is, either the caveman or the Nile queen. Although the movie is in black and white, you cannot deny the significance of the performances, or how it was directed so perfectly. I believe this movie will stay a classic for decades to come. November 21, 2008

Kevin G "A Streetcar Named Desire" Review

"A Streetcar Named Desire" 11/20/08

By: Kevin Green

"A Streetcar Named Desire" was a brilliant depiction of a marital angst triumphing over sibling affection. Although Blanches' (Vivien Leigh) performance was a bit too theatrical for the big screen it was still a performance well worth her academy award. Blanche's only tie to reality, Stella (Kim Hunter), broke away from her and hence allowed Blanche to fall deeper into insanity.

Marlon Brando displayed a very natural performance as Stanley befitting of an Oscar. Mitch (Karl Malden) provided a good opposite to Stanley as a well-mannered gentleman. Overall, "A Streetcar Named Desire" is a deeply passionate film that expresses realistically the common emotional tribulations a person may go through some time or another.

November 21, 2008

More reviews at Amazon.com ...