A Streetcar Named Desire

“Streetcar…” was not only a turning point for practically newcomer Marlon Brando, but also an earthquake for the whole idea of acting and the art of creating characters on the big screen. It was the beginning of the acting method known to this day – an attempt to become one with the character with body and thoughts, instead of playing it schematically. Blanche DuBois (Vivian Leigh, who also portrayed Scarlett O’Hara in “Gone with the Wind”), after losing her home, returns to her sister Stella. Stella’s husband, labourer Stanley Kowalski (Brando) doesn’t know how to react to a new woman under his roof. Is it better to impress her with masculinity, to flirt, or to frighten her with his fury? Are his drunk arguments with Blanche proof of his masculinity, or the opposite, a mask to hide the truth about his identity?

“A Streetcar Named Desire” was not only a play by Tennessee Williams, a gay writer, whose orientation was an open secret but also a new quality in acting, that began a big trend for tight white t-shirts and the scream “Stella!” that not only resounds at the end of the movie but still echoes throughout pop culture.

🏆 Academy Awards 1952 – Best Actress, Oscar – Vivien Leigh
🏆 Academy Awards 1952 – Best Actress in a Supporting Role, Oscar – Kim Hunter
🏆 Academy Awards 1952 – Best Actor in a Supporting Role, Oscar – Karl Malden
🏆 Academy Awards 1952 – Best Art Direction-Set Decoration,
Oscar – Nominee: Best Picture, Best Actor – Marlon Brando, Best Director, Best Writing, Screenplay – Tennessee Williams,…
🏆 Venice Film Festival 1951 – Special Jury Prize, Volpi Award – Best Actress – Vivien Leigh