Review of A Streetcar Named Desire (1951) by Luke G — 23 Dec 2012

It is impossible to battle the fact that this 1947 Pulitzer Prize winning play has not made an impact on American culture in its time. Furthermore, the film won four Academy Awards, three of which were for acting.

It is impossible for me to dispute the power of this film. Academy Award Winners Marlon Brando (On The Waterfront, The Godfather Part 1), Vivien Leigh, Kim Hunter, and Karl Malden band together to form an unforgettable cast of acting dominance.

Blanche DuBois (Leigh, award winning in this role) is a Southern belle who has been run out of her town of Auriol. Her delusions of grandeur and alcoholism are evident from the exposition of the film, but it is Blanche's older, pregnant sister Stella (Hunter, award winning in this role) who sees the good in Blanche.

Be that as it may, her husband, Stanley (Brando) does not see such good in her. His distrust and ultimately hatred for her causes his forthcoming downfall. Blanche also continuously finds herself slipping into a worse mental state, but finds refuge with Stanley's friend from work Mitch (Malden, award winning in this role).

Blanche uses Stanley and he leaves her, subsequently as Stanley and Stella have their baby. Stanley returns home to get some rest with only Blanche there. She lies to him, and fueled by alcoholism and rage, he rapes her.

Afterwards, Blanche has a complete nervous breakdown, and Stanley has her committed to a mental institution. Mitch realizes Stanley raped Blanche, and hits him before they take her away. At the end of the film, Stella realizes that she cannot stay another moment with Stanley, and she seeks refuge, with her baby, in her neighbor's home while Stanley calls her name.

The film was nominated for twelve Academy Awards and, in my opinion, is one of the great American classics.