The Nominated Film You May Have Missed: A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE

Every year, ten movies are bestowed the honor of becoming nominated by the Academy of Motion Arts and Sciences. Many of these films will have already had various successes throughout the year – good festival attendance, box office success and the receiving of other prestigious awards. Yet, only one of them ends their evening being declared the best of the best.

With the height of awards season over, many moviegoers will find themselves looking forward to the summer box office releases, as well as the beginning of a new round of breakthrough films. There is no longer a rush to see the movies that would be going head to head, an as many have already been released for home viewing; they can now be seen at anytime.

In 1952, the Academy of Motion Arts and Sciences bestowed the honor of a total of thirteen nominations to the clever adaptation of the 1947 stage play by Tennessee Williams – A Streetcar Named Desire. With the play’s writer behind the screenplay adaptation, an Academy Award-winning director at the helm, and a solid cast that exemplify the golden age of Hollywood, this film was primed to not only be a success, but to garner a spot in an exclusive club of films before it – a Best Picture Nomination.

Plot

A Streetcar Named Desire begins with a young lady arriving in New Orleans, looking to stay with her sister and a new start. Blanche (played by Vivien Leigh), a high class member of society, has lost all she’s had to death – the last of her belongings contained within the trunks she travels with. She arrives on edge, an over-dramatic, superior and passive aggressive attitude to those around her.

After admitting to her sister, Stella (played by Kim Hunter), that she has lost the family estate, Belle Reve, the credibility of Blanche is quickly called into question. Claiming the Napoleonic Code, a law of Louisiana that entitles a man to all that his wife owns, Stella’s husband Stanley (played by Marlon Brando) doubts the validity of Blanche’s tale, believing she has cheated her sister, and him, out of the family fortune. Forced to live in the environment that Blanche continues to create within his home, Stanley sets out to find the proof he needs to expose Blanche for what she truly is.

As Blanche falls further and further into madness, illusions consuming herself and those around her, Stanley begins to push his wife Stella to see the deception Blanche has presented as truth, as well as force Blanche to admit to the falsehoods she has created. Unrelenting in their search for what they hold as truth, Stanley and Blanche must find a way to coexist before they lose what matters most to them.

Descent Into Madness

A Streetcar Named Desire follows the madness of two individuals, each with something to prove and each with something to lose. From the early moments of the film, the mental stability of Blanche is questioned. She is fast-talking, nervous and constantly fishing for compliments – “you haven’t even said anything about how I look.” She immediately radiates a lack of self-confidence and a sense of walking along on the edge of sanity. While she is the most obvious character flirting with madness, she is not alone.

Questioning her regarding the legality of the loss of Bell Reve, Stanley begins his own journey towards madness. His is mad with obsession, an unrelenting desire to prove the falsehoods of Blanche and bring her down to the level he believes she should be standing at. His brutishness and cruelty towards Blanche reveals his true self to others, his obsession pushing away those around him as they see him in a new light.

While these two descend into the madness they create, Stella, mad with love and devotion, is the only character that is able to transcend within this film. As the malicious behavior of her husband comes to light, as well as the insanity of her sister, her character finds renewed strength in herself and the ability to require more from the individuals within her life. She is able to break free of the madness that surrounds her, saving not only herself but her newborn baby as well.

The Troupe

A Streetcar Named Desire is an exemplary example of the star-studded talent and range of the acting ensemble encompassed within this film. One of the most brilliant, and unusual, decisions made was the decision regarding who would star within the film. It was decided that the members of the theater production of A Streetcar Named Desire would be cast in their respective roles. Each actor was already in tune with the part they were to play and the cohesiveness that this casting provided was brilliant, allowing a feeling of loneliness and isolation for the one actor who was hired outside of the troupe – Vivien Leigh, cast to play Blanche.

Vivien Leigh was a household name at the time this film was released, having previously been a break-through success in 1939 playing Scarlet O’Hara in Gone With the Wind. She was hired for the role of Blanche outside of the play’s theater troupe – having played the character within a separate production within the British Theater. Elia Kazan, director of the film, attributed this separation from the rest of the cast as the perfect environment to create the isolation and separation that would plague Blanche within the film. Yet, it is not only this careful choice in casting that made Vivien Leigh’s performance so memorable.

Vivien Leigh, it is safe to say, gave a piece of herself to her art and to this role, her own image disappearing into her character. In real life, Vivien Leigh suffered from Bipolar Disorder. Many have said that following this film, she found herself lost in the character of Blanche, unable at times to tell the difference between reality and the illusions of her character. This great actress was able to connect with her character on the deepest of levels and accentuate a deeper authenticity of the character, exhibiting that connection through an outstanding performance that would garner her an Academy Award for Best Actress. Yet, Vivien Leigh was not the only actor that would help raise this film to the highest of standards.

Not yet a household name, Marlon Brando was cast as Stanley, the belligerent and strong-willed husband of Stella, Blanche’s sister. Having played the part in the theater production, Marlon Brando was the perfect choice to play Stanley, yet it was the buzz surrounding his talent that received him the attention. He was praised as being the next best thing to happen to Hollywood since the talkies. His departure into the role of his character was dedicated and seamless.

As Stanley, this dedication and seamless escape into the character is clear and concise within Marlon Brando’s performance. Every moment within the film is dedicated to the part and the picture, presenting the most convincing and authentic portrait of a man, determined and maliciously obsessed with exposing a woman for who she is. This presentation is a testament and a solid foundation for his future performances and successful career that were to follow.

The Illusion VS. The Brute

The relationship between Blanche and Stanley from the very beginning of A Streetcar Named Desire is rocky and tumultuous. Blanche, having arrived in New Orleans to leave her past behind, is determined to begin a new life no matter what illusion she must create for herself and for others. Upon her arrival, however, Stanley sees through her veil of illusion, questioning every choice and story she tells him and her sister Stella. He is in disbelief of every word that she utters, believing her stories to be intentionally false and intentionally harmful. Stanley pushes her to the breaking point, forcing her to reveal her true self.

What Blanche and Stanley do not see is that they each have a similar goal, each a force pushing back against the other. Blanche and Stanley want their audience to see the truth – each pursuing their own version of what that truth is. Stanley is obsessed with seeking out the truth revolving around Blanche and her past. He needs not only to know the truth himself, but to prove to those around him that Blanche is nothing more than a liar and a con. His obsession goes beyond just the discovery of truth, but shapes itself into a mission driven by malice and cruelty.

Blanche too tries to convince her audience of a truth. She presents herself as a refined, young and innocent woman. She uses her repertoire of language, over-dramatizes her expressions, and even manipulates the light and environment around her to shape a truth that she wants the people around her to see. Relying on the kindness of others, Blanche is forced to reexamine her reality when she is challenged by Stanley – a challenge her mental stability may not be equipped to handle.

These two characters, for much of the film, are two opposing forces, unmoved by the others’ convictions and strongholds. They each, unknowingly, sacrifice something in order to hold ground and prove the truths they each hold so dear. For these two characters, there is neither a winner or a loser – only two people whose battle leaves them forever changed.

Conclusion

A Streetcar Named Desire was a strong and clever adaptation of the successful stage play by Tennessee Williams. After watching the film, it is easy to see why this movie mesmerized and was held with such high regard by members of the Academy. With strong performances and a theme of madness that was easily translated and executed on screen, this film was an all-around success. While it did not win the ultimate prize of the night, it proved itself a high standing contender for that year, and for many years to follow.

Have you seen A Streetcar Named Desire? Tell us what you thought in the comments below.