Review of A Streetcar Named Desire (1951) by Stuart K — 23 Apr 2012
Based on the successful Broadway play by Tennessee Williams, first staged in 1947, it was picked up for film by producer Charles K. Feldman and director Elia Kazan. Although it toned down many of the controversial themes the play had, it would win Oscars and make a star of it's male lead.
It's heavy going, even now, and can be a bit too melodramatic in places. Set in New Orleans, it has Blanche DuBois (Vivien Leigh) moving from Auriol, Mississippi to New Orleans' French Quarter to live with her sister Stella Kowalski (Kim Hunter) for a short while, even though Stella is worried of what her husband Stanley (Marlon Brando) will make of Blanche moving in.
Indeed Stanley is non too happy at Blanche being there, especially as Stanley and Stella are expecting a baby, Blanche hates his boorish, ill-mannered attitude, and he even has his friends over to play cards and drink, it's at one of these meetings that Blanche meets Mitch (Karl Malden), who finds Blanche attractive.
But, Stanley can't bear to see Blanche happy with his best friend, so he intervenes and so begins Blanche's decent into madness. It's a melodramatic film well made and it does benefit from tight, focused directed by Kazan, Leigh plays Blanche well, while Brando is a force of nature.
It's a good film, but not as good as what people make out, and The Simpsons' take on it was better.
This review of A Streetcar Named Desire (1951) was written by Stuart K on 23 Apr 2012.
A Streetcar Named Desire has generally received very positive reviews.
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