For other uses, see A Streetcar Named Desire (disambiguation).
In 1993, a director's cut restored version of the film was released on home video. This version added back scenes that Kazan had filmed that were removed because of demands by the groups like the Catholic Legion of Decency. The scenes were removed without Kazan's knowledge, and despite the script revisions that had occurred before filming began. These restored scenes add about an additional three minutes to the film length.
| A Streetcar Named Desire | |
|---|---|
| File:Streetcar original.jpg Original movie poster | |
| Directed by | Elia Kazan |
| Written by | Tennessee Williams (play A Streetcar Named Desire and screenplay) Oscar Saul (adaptation) |
| Produced by | Charles K. Feldman |
| Starring | Vivien Leigh Marlon Brando Kim Hunter Karl Malden Rudy Bond Nick Dennis |
| Music by | Alex North |
| Distributed by | Warner Bros. |
Release dates | September 18, 1951 U.S. release |
Running time | 122 Min Director's Cut 125 Min Director's Cut |
| Language | English |
In 1999 the film was deemed "culturally significant" by the United States Library of Congress and selected for preservation in the National Film Registry.
The music score, by Alex North, was a radical departure from the major trend in Hollywood at that time, which was action-based and overly manipulative. Instead of composing in the traditional leitmotifstyle, North wrote short sets of music that reflected the psychological dynamics of the characters. For his work on the film, North was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Music Score, one of two nominations in that category that year. He also was nominated for his music score for the film version of another play, Death of a Salesman, which also was composed with his unique technique. However, he lost to Franz Waxman's score for A Place in the Sun.
Background and production
- Elia Kazan made the set walls movable so that, with each passing scene, the walls could close in on Blanche Dubois (thus mirroring her insanity).
- Brando was the only one of the four actors nominated from the film who did not win an award.
- When the film was made, one could not buy fitted T-shirts, so a regular T-shirt was bought, it was washed several times and its back was sewn in order to tighten it for Brando.
- During filming, in the garden of Vivien Leigh's mansion, David Niven discovered Marlon Brando and Lawrence Olivier swimming in the pool. Olivier was kissing Brando. "I turned my back to them and went back inside to join Vivien. I'm sure she knew what was going on, but she made no mention of it. Nor did I. One must be sophisticated about such matters in life."[1]
Cast
- Vivien Leigh - Blanche DuBois
- Marlon Brando - Stanley Kowalski
- Kim Hunter - Stella Kowalski
- Karl Malden - Harold 'Mitch' Mitchell
- Rudy Bond - Steve Hubbel
- Nick Dennis - Pablo Gonzales
- Peg Hillias - Eunice Hubbel
- Wright King - A Collector
- Richard Garrick - A Doctor
"You think I want to interfere with you? Well, maybe you wouldn't be bad to interfere with." — Marlon Brando to Vivien Leigh
Awards
The movie won Academy Awards for Best Actor in a Supporting Role (Karl Malden), Best Actress in a Leading Role (Vivien Leigh), Best Actress in a Supporting Role (Kim Hunter), and Best Art Direction -- Set Decoration, Black-and-White. It was also nominated for Best Actor in a Leading Role (Marlon Brando), Best Director (Elia Kazan), Best Cinematography, Black-and-White, Best Costume Design, Black-and-White, , Best Music, Scoring of a Dramatic or Comedy Picture, Best Picture, Best Sound, Recording and Best Writing, Screenplay.
Theatrical Deviations
Censorship of the time, in the form of the Hollywood Production Code, called for the end of the film involving Stella's renunciation of Stanley's rape of Blanche, perhaps to the point of leaving the household. The original play's ending is far more ambiguous, with Stella, distraught at having sent off her sister Blanche, mutely allowing herself to be consoled by Stanley.
Homosexual themes found in the play were removed for the film adaptation. In the original play Blanche's deceased husband, Allen Grey, had committed suicide after having a homosexual affair. In the film, Blanche says only that she showed scorn towards Allen, driving him to suicide.
Notes
Template:FnbLeigh, who had starred Laurence Olivier's production in the West End, was chosen for the film version over Jessica Tandy, who had played the role in the Broadway production. It was believed[citation needed] that Tandy looked too much older than Marlon Brando to be cast as Blanche DuBois. Leigh was also chosen over Tandy at the insistence of the producers, since Brando had not yet achieved the fame necessary to draw audiences to see Streetcar. Thanks to her work on such films as Gone with the Wind, Leigh was internationally known, and provided the star power which they felt the film needed, and the other cast members lacked. [2] Streetcar was arguably the film which catapulted Brando to worldwide fame, although at the time, top billing went only to Vivien Leigh.
References
- ^ Thornton, Michael. TV & showbiz, Daily Mail, 1 September 2006. Retrieved on 2006 December 30.
- ^ Manvell, Roger. Theatre and Film: A Comparative Study of the Two Forms of Dramatic Art, and of the Problems of Adaptation of Stage Plays into Films. Cranbury, New Jersey: Associated University Presses Inc, 1979. 133
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