A Streetcar Named Desire is a story of Blanche DuBois, a pretentious Southern belle, who is both frail and neurotic. As a last resort in her life, the once aristocratic fading beauty decides to move in with her poverty striken sister, Stella. After arriving at her sister's, Blanche discovers that Stella is married to a loud, coarse and brutish young man, Stanley Kowalski. Stanley is both animalistic and exhibitionistic and he disapproves of Blanche's intrusion into his relationship with Stella. As the film progresses, Blanche's true character emerges and Stanley tries to prove to Stella that her sister is a compulsive liar. Both emotive and shocking in parts, A Streetcar Named Desire explores many controversial subjects, including rape, homosexuality, domestic violence and even nymphomania. Both a classic in its time and at present day, A Streetcar Named Desire still manages to captivate audiences worldwide. Marlon Brando was one of James Dean's favourite actors. A Streetcar Named Desire was Brando's second film and he had already performed the theatrical version on Broadway. Whilst in New York, Jimmy watched Streetcar five times in four days. He was often heard quoting scenes from the film: "During a discussion of Method acting, he [Jimmy] took off his shirt and ripped his undershirt to shreds, yelling 'Stella!' in imitation of Stanley Kowalski." - Roy Schatt The quote above refers to an extract from one of the most emotional scenes in the film. Despite Brando's animalistic quality there is almost a vulnerability about him in this part of the film, as his anger melts into forgiveness and his fear into desire.

FILM FACTS
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l	YEAR RELEASED	1951	l
l	DIRECTOR	Elia Kazan	l
l	MAIN CAST:		l
l	STANLEY KOWALSKI	Marlon Brando	l
l	BLANCHE BUBOIS	Vivien Leigh	l
l	STELLA KOWALSKI	Kim Hunter	l
l	WRITER OF ORIGINAL PLAY	Tennessee Williams	l
l	l	l	l

One of the most memorable scenes from the film takes place at the dinner table. Stanley loses his temper when he realises that Stella has changed since the arrival of her sister, Blanche: "What do you think you are? A pair of queens? Now just remember what Huey Long said - that every man's a king - and I'm the king around here and don't you forget it! (Crashes dishes off table). My place is all cleared up. You want me to clear your's too?" - Stanley Kowalski Another scene from Streetcar demonstrates Blanche's attitude towards the brutish Stanley: "May I speak plainly? If you forgive me, he's common! He's like an animal. He has an animal's habits. There's even something subhuman about him. Thousands of years have passed him right by and there he is! Stanley Kowalski, survivor of the stone age, bearing the raw meat home from the kill in the jungle. And you - you are waiting for him. Maybe he'll strike you or maybe grunt and kiss you, that's if kisses have been discovered yet. His party night you call it. This party of apes?!" - Blanche DuBois