Review of A Streetcar Named Desire (1951) by Lou S — 09 Jan 2010

Not only was the film remembered for it's fight against censorship, but "A Streetcar Named Desire" was fantastic in every aspect of film, without a doubt. The performances in this film are so compelling, and so brilliant, it's hard to look away from the screen.

Vivien Leigh comes to stay with her sister Stella, and her husband Stanley (Played by Marlon Brando). What follows is Stella's realization of the kind of woman her sister really is, along with Stanley's growing anger and desire for her to leave. Though the premise may be simple, that's all it needs to be. The story builds on the actors, and their performances. It turns from something small, to something large, and it's done beautifully.

As said before, the performance in Streetcar are phenomenal. Both Leigh and Brando give some of the best performances I have ever seen on the screen before. Karl Malden, and Kim Hunter do excellent jobs as well. The way that the characters emotions, concerning anger, sadness, aggression, and fear...and how they all gradually grow in different directions over the course of the film, is so excellent, and so brilliant.

One reason I love this film so much, is how it doesn't make itself too big. This movie was so fantastic, yet it was filmed in predominantly one location, the apartment. We don't need to see anything else, but basically this one set, along with a work environment, and a restaurant. It was just so fun to watch, and I feel that when films don't make themselves to pretentious, and just are fantastic because of the great care that the director (Eliot Kazane, it's too be expected that he's amazing) and the actors give makes the movie just so much fun to watch.

The cinematography in this film was amazing as well. Close ups on actors faces, with perfect lighting, make the emotions of the characters all the more clear and understandable to the audience. Vivien Leigh not wanting to show her face to hide her age the entire time, fits into the camera work perfectly, and keeps a constant tension throughout. It's simply brilliant.

"A Streetcar Named Desire" really was just fantastic on all ends. It will be remembered for it's fight for censorship, it's wonderful acting, and direction, and as a prime example of how amazing a film can be executed.