A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE is not a film you love because it makes you feel good or because of some sweet message! No, you instead watch and admire the film and perhaps love it due to its brave depiction of seemingly real people--real but severely screwed up people. In fact, considering how screwed up they are and plot, I am shocked the film got made in 1951! After all, this is a very adult film and NOT one for kids.
Blanche DuBois is an incredibly deluded and annoying woman. She lives in a world that is the way she wants it to be--not how it really is. In her screwed up existence, she is a "lady"--a person of refinement and gentility--even though she is from the lowest strata of society and you would assume survives by selling herself to men. While she says she gets by due to "the kindness of strangers", only a lunkhead back in 1951 wouldn't have known this meant she was a kept woman or street walker. Regardless, by the time the film begins, she's down on her luck. Due to the ravages of age and an annoying personality, she is without a home or support and is forced to move in with her sister, Stella (Kim Hunter) and her neanderthal husband, Stanley (Marlon Brando). However, over time, her genteel faded belle routine wears very, very thin--and apparently gives Stanley the justification in his own mind to rape her and teach her a lesson (now THAT'S sick). The trouble is, Blanche has lived and talked so much about her dreamworld that now no one believes she was raped. The film ends with the sister and brother-in-law having her institutionalized! This was a very abbreviated summary, but as you can tell, this is NOT a "feel good movie". But, it sure has some amazing performances and characters. I loved Vivian Leigh as Blanche--she was perfectly suited to play this sad, faded belle. Perhaps Leigh's own personal struggles with Bipolar Disorder helped her to get in touch with the character.
The rest of the cast were really good, but I am about to say something that will no doubt irritate many...so hold on tight. As for Marlon Brando and his much lauded performance, while much of what he did was very good, his standing in the rain and yelling "STELLLLLA" is one of the most iconic and annoying things about the film. To me, this is a prime example of overacting, while many feel this is transcendent. Unlike the other performances, his seemed to be, at times, overdone. Okay, hit the "not helpful" button now.
Still, I really am glad I saw this difficult movie--difficult to watch though thoroughly fascinating from start to finish. I nearly gave the movie a 10, but only reserve this for truly perfect films. Imagine, then, the surprise that "An American in Paris" beat out this film (along with "A Place in the sun--"The African Queen" and "Ace in the Hole didn't even get nominated in the category) for Best Picture! What were they thinking?!
Blanche DuBois is an incredibly deluded and annoying woman. She lives in a world that is the way she wants it to be--not how it really is. In her screwed up existence, she is a "lady"--a person of refinement and gentility--even though she is from the lowest strata of society and you would assume survives by selling herself to men. While she says she gets by due to "the kindness of strangers", only a lunkhead back in 1951 wouldn't have known this meant she was a kept woman or street walker. Regardless, by the time the film begins, she's down on her luck. Due to the ravages of age and an annoying personality, she is without a home or support and is forced to move in with her sister, Stella (Kim Hunter) and her neanderthal husband, Stanley (Marlon Brando). However, over time, her genteel faded belle routine wears very, very thin--and apparently gives Stanley the justification in his own mind to rape her and teach her a lesson (now THAT'S sick). The trouble is, Blanche has lived and talked so much about her dreamworld that now no one believes she was raped. The film ends with the sister and brother-in-law having her institutionalized! This was a very abbreviated summary, but as you can tell, this is NOT a "feel good movie". But, it sure has some amazing performances and characters. I loved Vivian Leigh as Blanche--she was perfectly suited to play this sad, faded belle. Perhaps Leigh's own personal struggles with Bipolar Disorder helped her to get in touch with the character.
The rest of the cast were really good, but I am about to say something that will no doubt irritate many...so hold on tight. As for Marlon Brando and his much lauded performance, while much of what he did was very good, his standing in the rain and yelling "STELLLLLA" is one of the most iconic and annoying things about the film. To me, this is a prime example of overacting, while many feel this is transcendent. Unlike the other performances, his seemed to be, at times, overdone. Okay, hit the "not helpful" button now.
Still, I really am glad I saw this difficult movie--difficult to watch though thoroughly fascinating from start to finish. I nearly gave the movie a 10, but only reserve this for truly perfect films. Imagine, then, the surprise that "An American in Paris" beat out this film (along with "A Place in the sun--"The African Queen" and "Ace in the Hole didn't even get nominated in the category) for Best Picture! What were they thinking?!