Review: A Streetcar Named Desire

Directed by: Elia Kazan

Written by: Tennessee Williams, Elia Kazan, Oscar Saul

Starring: Vivien Leigh, Marlon Brando, Kim Hunter, Karl Malden, Rudy Bond, Peg Hillias 

Rating: [4/5]

Stepping in to live with others puts the individual receiving the accommodation in a place where they need to show respect to their hosts while still holding some agency. A difficult balance at times, especially when it involves the dynamics seen in A Streetcar Named Desire where it involves a sister and a husband. It all comes together for a boisterous and difficult viewing experience that carries plenty of power through the performances. 

Arriving in New Orleans, Blanche (Vivien Leigh) gets the chance to move in with her sister, Stella (Kim Hunter), and her husband Stanley (Marlon Brando). Her presence becomes a source of tension as Blanche and Stanley clash on multiple occasions leaving Stella in the middle trying to keep the peace as well as maintaining her relationship with her husband. 

Finding oneself in a circumstance as detailed in A Streetcar Named Desire would not be the envy of anyone. Living with a young couple still trying to figure everything out presents its own challenges but having to deal with Stanley and his fiery personality presents its own issues and one the women of this feature must contend with. Blanche brings a sense of mystery to his film when she says plenty about what’s involved in her past but others remain skeptical about the validity of what she states and any truth that lives within them. Much of the skepticism comes from Stanley coming from a place that he deems stems from care while in reality gets rooted in misogyny and a general anger he cannot control even in the slightest. 

This tension begins most likely before the audience gets introduced to this story as Blanche comes in as another mouth to feed in Stanley’s household and when he hears about properties owned by the families managed by this sister-in-law, he gets very interested in her decisions. For instance, he speaks aplenty about the Napoleonic Code, which stipulates everything belonging to a wife belongs to the husband and vice versa. A couple of minutes with him would leave one inferring he cares more about one side of that argument as compared to the other. Instead of succumbing to the bullying tactics of Stanely, Blanche decides to stand firm leading to some heated arguments and the ultimate tragedy of this feature as a whole. 

Taking place in hot summer in Louisiana, the heat certainly plays a role in the film and jumps right off of the screen. With the apartment, Stanley and Stella live in serving as the main setting for the film, we get this feeling of heat only making the anger held in the space much more volatile. This gets seen directly with Stanley where he has this sweat on his body consistently throughout this feature to the point where he’s perspiring through his shirt. It presents the opportunity for Marlon Brando to take off his shirt on multiple occasions, which I’m sure not many complained about at the time and even now. This heat not only exacerbates the issues at play but also unleashes Stanley for the animalistic behavior he displays. 

Simmering under the surface of this feature is this violent sexual tension ever-present through the presence of Stanley. It appears through him and his sweaty shirt but also the way he speaks to the women in this feature. Other men he hangs out with certainly carry some misogyny as displayed but the degree to which Stanley possesses this ideology leans into the physically violent in a disturbing manner. This makes him such a danger, which Blanche tries to convince her sister of to no avail only hammering home what decisions get made throughout the film and exactly how the characters react to it. 

Taken from a successful play, this feature displays some excellent performances right at the helm with quite the quartet. Of the four, the two that most certainly stand out are Marlon Brando and Vivien Leigh. Two actors operating at the prime of their careers and give their best performances here. Brando brings this physicality and anger to the role which shows what makes Stanley such a terrifying character but also one that remains irresistible to Stella despite the many red flags blaring right in front of her. Vivien Leigh, on the other hand, brings this mysterious and tragic Stella to life for us to take this journey with her. She becomes the heart and soul of this feature as the individual who has suffered from a life she has tried to escape only to end up where she has now in this apartment. Her tragedy lies in her lack of options and what she must do to ensure a level of safety she has not had for years and Leigh brings that right out through her spellbinding performance. 

A compelling drama driven by tremendous performances, A Streetcar Named Desire cobbles together a tough story when watching the actions of his physically and verbally abusive man. Someone who displays all of the red flags leaving Blanche to bravely point them out and only get herself into more trouble. A well-crafted feature by Tennesee Williams and Elia Kazan makes for a dynamic viewing experience making it feel larger than a play on screen but bringing the gravitas to another level of enjoyment.