A Streetcar Named Desire

Starring: Vivien Leigh, Marlon Brando, Kim Hunter, Karl Malden, Rudy Bond
Directed by: Elia Kazan
Rating: PG
Genre: Drama
1951

Times Seen:
Tim: 1

Summary: Blanche (Vivien Leigh) moves in with her sister (Kim Hunter) and clashes with her brother-in-law (Marlon Brando) .

Review:

Tim: A Streetcar Named Desire is one of the all-time classic films, a movie that won 4 Academy Awards. I'd heard a lot about the film before I actually sat down to watch it. I was quite excited to finally see the film, but slightly troubled that I didn't love the movie. Oh, I liked it all right- the acting is superb, the drama is intense, it tackles subjects that were fairly taboo at the time. It features more than one all-time classic line of dialogue. And yet, I never felt the emotional connection to these people. That prevented me from getting as close as I would have liked to, it blunted some of the impact of the film. I'd consider this a really, really good movie. However, I believe (for shame, some would say) that this movie falls just short of greatness.

Let's tackle that first, before I get into everything I liked about the movie. This film was adapted from the play and I have to say that the movie pulls in too much from the stage and doesn't fully make the leap to a feature film. As much as I love Elia Kazan as a director, I think it hurt that he'd directed the Broadway production. Yes, he's familiar with the material, but it causes the movie to feel a bit too much like a play. Those are two different mediums and while translates between the two can be incredible (and many have), it felt like more of a hindrance here. The movie felt like a filmed play, instead of a film (and all that that means). One of the biggest symptoms of this is the over-the-top melodrama throughout the film. Yes, the cast give incredible, unforgettable performances. But most of their performances feel like they would fit better on the stage. There needed to be more subtlety here (which doesn't work as well on a stage in front of an audience). I think that was one of my bigger hangups. The other issue is that I just didn't care that deeply about these characters. Yes, they are flawed, but why should I be invested? Contrast this with a film like Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? another movie populated by over-the-top, flawed characters. I felt like I understood and connected with the characters in that movie more than this one. Did I really care what happened to Blanche? I'm not sure. Sure, her story is beyond tragic, but I never sympathized all that much with her. Maybe others were able to see past these issues, but they muted the effectiveness of the movie for me.

Now, I do need to address the actors. While I have my criticisms here and there, I am in awe of the performances in this film. I have to start with Best Actress for Vivien Leigh. I loved her Academy Award winning performance in Gone With the Wind, but this one far surpasses the one twelve years earlier. Leigh almost vibrates with energy and tension. It's an emotional role that required full commitment. She throws herself into this character. It's almost impossible to take your eyes off her. She's mysterious and deeply flawed and interesting every second she's on screen. Leigh gives the best performance of the film. I thought Kim Hunter was slightly more surprising for winning Best Supporting Actress. She's certainly good and plays off Leigh and Marlon Brando well, but her performance pales in comparison to Leigh's. She gives a very good performance, granted, but it doesn't have the sheer force of Leigh's. Still, I have no complaints about Hunter winning- she's very good in the role. It's interesting that Karl Malden won for Best Supporting Actor. He could have been overlooked due to Marlon Brando's intense, in-your-face performance, but his quiet emotions make a huge impact on the film. I really did enjoy his performance. It's so impressive that this film won 3 acting Academy Awards. It's so interesting that Marlon Brando, who gives perhaps the most intense, memorable performance of the cast was the only one not to win an Academy Award (he lost to Humphrey Bogart's lovable performance in The African Queen. It's interesting that Brando was a virtual unknown before this film. I get why this performance put him on the map- Brando's presence is felt unlike any actor I've seen. When he's on screen, you almost can't help looking at him- he's brash and dangerous and demands your attention. His bravado, charm, and energy are just astounding. You can't forget his presence here. And yet, if I can be honest (as I always am when I write these reviews), it felt like his presence was bigger than his actual acting ability. I loved the energy he brought to certain scenes, but I can't say I consistently loved his performance. It was occasionally too strong, too in-your-face. He feels a bit one-dimensional. He's loud, but I didn't fully understand or connect with his character. Some people might be outraged by that, but I understand why he didn't win the Academy Award.

This movie does feature some incredible lines. "Stella!" is the most memorable- you can just hear Brando bellowing that at the top of his lungs. "I have always depended upon the kindness of strangers" is another, the exact opposite in terms of delivery- quiet and sad. The dialogue is obviously strong, as so much of it was taken from the excellent play.

I know it's unconventional to not consider A Streetcar Named Desire a great movie, but it does get awfully close. I thoroughly enjoyed the film and appreciated so much about it. It's memorable and I would certainly recommend it to anyone.

Rating 1-10
Tim's Rating: 7.5



If You Enjoyed This Movie, We Recommend:
Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, Gone With the Wind