Review of A Streetcar Named Desire (1951) by Jack W — 09 Nov 2009
Some of the best performances I have ever seen on screen. Vivien Leigh particularly reminded me of Gloria Swanson in Sunset Boulevard or even Bette Davis in All About Eve. Her performance as Blanche just carried the film as she was just a tour de force.
To me the film symbolizes a shift from a dying era to a new one, from the old south to a modern one, from classic Hollywood to modernist Hollywood. Blanche, like Norma Desmond clings to her past and can't or won't let go just as the old South and Hollywood struggled to do the same.
All the other actors are great in their roles and Kazan is at the top of his game using lighting and shot composition to great effect in helping to portray Blanche's downfall. I also thought he did a remarkable job keeping the film so similar to the play, even to the point of primarily using only the one main set.
Just truly classic work by all involved.
This review of A Streetcar Named Desire (1951) was written by Jack W on 09 Nov 2009.
A Streetcar Named Desire has generally received very positive reviews.
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