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Movie Analysis: A Streetcar Named Desire

792 Words4 Pages

A Streetcar Named Desire (1951), is an Oscar winning film adaptation from director Elia Kazan, based on the Pulitzer Prize winning play written by Tennessee Williams. Over the course of this paper, we will be pulling back the curtain on a few of the major elements that made A Streetcar Named Desire such a hit. The exact story of the movie was difficult to pinpoint, but throughout the journey, the setting, cinematography, and acting remain as (a few of the) anchors that keep you connected to the events and characters. Regardless of the sharp turns back and forth throughout the story, the previously mentioned factors keep you enthralled in the story, interested in the characters. You feel like you’re living in the action-packed monochromatic …show more content…

The area seems to be bustling, but the Kowalski’s are living simply. The lack of privacy – mostly from the low number of rooms – is something prevalent throughout the story, and becomes important in advancing the plot forward a few times over, it plays a major part in the relationships in the story, with little room to breathe on a typical day, the sudden and (somewhat) unwelcome guest in Blanche makes the small space even more unpleasant. Stanly’s distaste for Blanche, along with the proximity brings us to some explosive, emotional moments. Those explosive moments are supported by the stark contrast in the characters’ personalities along with some truly remarkable …show more content…

The camera is a powerful tool that the director can speak to the viewer through, and although it is an effective tool of communication, most of the time the camera disappears as you feel you are peering into the lives of the characters. For example, the camera can portray strength or weakness just through the angle, and that is without considering the composition, or whether motion is present or not, among other things. Throughout the film, numerous decisions will likely slip past. A good example from the film itself would be when Stanly longingly calls out to Stella around the midpoint in the movie, he is seen staring up into the lens, this makes sense when we consider the environment, Stella went to the upstairs neighbor, but it also works if you’re considering it as a cinematographer, as Stanly looks up into the camera – this is combined, of course with the weather, his mannerisms, both in body and in his voice, and the music – he looks weak here, and the camera greatly contributes to

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Streetcar Named Desire Play Vs Movie Analysis

513 Words | 3 Pages

In 1951, the play was change into a movie by Elia Kazan. After reading and watching Streetcar Named Desire/Streetcar, I noticed there was some similarities and differences. Two similarities I will develop a thought on will be, the plot and setting. There were also some differences in the setting. Some aspects were emphasized more than other or even deleted.

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Streetcar Named Desire Opening Scene Analysis

841 Words | 4 Pages

In the beginning of the play, Blanche and New Orleans are anticipated as totally incongruous together. The reason why this controversy is created between Stellas sister and New Orleans, is that Blanche comes from Belle Reve, a completely different city, and she is not used to the life in the place where Stella has settled down, as she is described as a highbrow person, from an elevated social class who is well refined and very delicate. Her character is also noticed from the fluffy bodice clothes and the white gloves that she is wearing, as well as the cultural language that Blanche uses to communicate with the others. On the other hand, New Orleans is a small city, with old white painted houses with rickety stairs, with an atmosphere of decay, full of bars where the loud disturbing sound of the tinny piano is heard, and people that behave differently from what Blanche expected.

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Common Core Satire

97 Words | 1 Pages

Education is the key to a brand new car. But the government crashed that car. They have no right to take away our education. The president brought us common core. This is a lot harder than regular math.

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A Streetcar Named Desire Controversy

413 Words | 2 Pages

After having been performed at the Ethel Barrymore Theater in 1946, A Streetcar Named Desire brought about much controversy. At first it seemed that much of the controversy stemmed from the unpleasantness with which the subject was presented, such as the vulgar, unprecedented topics acted out on stage. George Jean Nathan, an original critic of the play, touched upon the vulgar manner of the drama, calling it “The Glands Menagerie.” (Bak, “Criticism on a Streetcar Named Desire”) Perhaps the more pressing reason as to why this play was received controversially, however, is a result of its cynical nature.

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Character Analysis: A Streetcar Named Desire

1038 Words | 5 Pages

Tennessee Williams is acclaimed for his ability to create multi faced characters such as Blanche Dubois in the play, A Streetcar Named Desire. She comes to New Orleans after losing everything including her job, money, and her family’s plantation Belle Reve, to live with her sister Stella. During her time there she causes many conflicts with Stella’s husband Stanley and tries to get involved with the people there, all while judging them for their place in society, although she is imperfect too. Through her, Williams has created a complex character. She is lost, confused, conflicted, lashing out in sexual ways, and living in her own fantasies throughout the entirety of the play.

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A Streetcar Named Desire And The Bell Jar Analysis

776 Words | 4 Pages

Throughout Tennessee William’s ‘A Streetcar Named Desire’ and Sylvia Plath’s ‘The Bell Jar’ feminine ideals of appearance are associates with ablutions and bathing. This is due to the view of water having renewing properties, the mental health associations of bathing within both texts, and the patriarchal view of feminine appearances. In William’s and Plath’s literary works, water is depicted as having renewal properties in the central feminine characters of both plots. In the character of Blanche DuBois this is most notable when she exclaims, “Oh, I feel so goof after my long, hot bath, I feel so good and cool and – rested!”. Blanche’s frequent baths, along with the excessive amount of time spent in the bathroom within the play, exemplify her attempts at purifying herself from the events of past and present.

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Animals In Streetcar Named Desire

903 Words | 4 Pages

Playwright Tennessee Williams once said “a symbol in a play has only one legitimate purpose which is to say a thing more directly and simply and beautifully than it could be said in words”. He seems to take his own advice to heart when writing such a thought provoking play as A Streetcar Named Desire. While Williams makes extensive use of symbols in Streetcar, the use of animals and animal-like characteristics as a symbol are constantly used to define Stanley Kowalski’s character and convey his desires as primal and ferine. Stanley has the first line in the play and is immediately characterized by Williams with the use of his stage direction “bellowing” (Williams 244; sc. 1). Like a wild animal, Stanley has a desire for unrefinement and

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Film Analysis: A Streetcar Named Desire

296 Words | 2 Pages

DEREK is a rock star in rehab reluctant to give up his old ways. LAYLA is a therapist who once struggled with sexual addiction and drug dependence. Although Layla isn’t Derek’s therapist, they argue over his drug problem, but anger turns to lust when they make-out in a barn. Their affair is cut short when she accepts a new job in New York raising money for city rehab programs. When Derek moves to New York, Layla solicits his involvement in a benefit concert.

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Violence And Power In A Streetcar Named Desire

652 Words | 3 Pages

The themes of violence and power in ‘A Streetcar Named Desire’ hold an important role in the criticism of 1940s American society. Conflicts perpetuated by violence and power, such as abusive relationships and violent oppression are projected through the characters within the play.  Williams uses these conflicts to highlight his criticisms of faltering values and social norms, from the perspective of an individual constrained by the expectations of a strict, Southern society. To begin with, there is an indefinite violence between men and women within ‘A Streetcar Named Desire’. Stanley Kowalski, a focal character, is the epitome of male dominance and primitive aggression.

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Theme Of Dominance In A Streetcar Named Desire

698 Words | 3 Pages

As soon as Blanche steps into the Kowalski household and meets Stanley, it is evident that her appearance is a threat to his superiority. Both characters attempt to establish dominance through their control over Stella, a minor character who exists mainly to deepen the contrast between Blanche and Stanley. In scene four, Blanche advises Stella to leave her abusive husband and attempts to influence her by saying “I have a plan for us both, to get us both—out!” (69).

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A Streetcar Named Desire And Death Of A Salesman Analysis

2044 Words | 9 Pages

A Streetcar Named Desire by Tennessee Williams and Dead of a Salesman by Arthur Miller are two plays in which the two main characters, Blanche Dubois and Willy Loman have problems facing and separating the reality from the fantasy. In both plays the characters tend to fantasized a life trying to avoid real world problems. Both authors develop the idea of who they should be vs. who they really are as humans and that illusion does not only affect them but also everyone around. The fact that we will do anything just to sell ourselves in a miserable world will drive us to an endlessly insanity. Humanity envision things and ideas they can’t get hold of just to end up depressed and in solitude.

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Critical Analysis Of A Streetcar Named Desire

959 Words | 4 Pages

A Streetcar named Desire written by American playwright Tennessee Williams is a Marxist play that depicts the socio economic status of the characters and people living during that time. The play was written in 1947, two years after the second world war. The historical time leading up to the Second World War known as the Interwar period from 1918-1939 was an era classified with economical difficulties for a majority of American citizens. After the new economic system based upon capital emerged succeeding the Industrial Revolution, the United States saw a massive prosperity in the early twentieth century only to be demolished by the stock market crash of 1929 also known as Black Tuesday (source). These unsuccessful stock markets were one of the signs that showed that the new system, which depended on an extensive labor force and an open and unregulated market, was not as reliable as previously thought, this period was known as the Depression.

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Relationships In A Streetcar Named Desire

1371 Words | 6 Pages

Williams uses the expressionist technique “The ‘Varsouviana’ is filtered into weird distortion, accompanied by the cries and noises of the jungle” to parallel Blanche’s inner mind and depicts Blanche’s deranged mental state after Stella’s betrayal. The imagery ‘Lurid reflections appear on the walls in odd, sinuous shapes’ highlights her mental turbulence and the stage directions ‘mysterious voices behind walls, as if reverberated through a canyon of rock…the echo sounds in threatening whispers’ heightens tension, positioning the audience to witness the overwhelming fear and exaggeration of her senses, further emphasising the detrimental impact Stella’s decision made. The Streetcar Named Desire also examines the influence that a person’s social standing can have. Stanley’s statement in scene 2 ‘The Kowalskis and Dubois have different notions’ indicates their social upbringing has influenced the way they think, hence disrupting their connection and loyalty towards one another. The use of their family name is metonymic for their ancestry and social standing, addressing the barriers derived from a social hierarchy which have affected their relationship.

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A Streetcar Named Desire Past And Present Analysis

1547 Words | 7 Pages

Tennessee Williams wrote “A Streetcar Named Desire” (Williams, 1947) It is based in New Orleans a new cosmopolitan city which is poor but has raffish charm. The past is representing old south in America 1900’s and present is representing new America post world war 2 in 1940’s. Past and present are intertwined throughout the play in the characters Stanley, Blanche, Stella and mitch. Gender roles show that males are the dominant and rule the house which Stanley is prime example as he brings home food and we learn of one time when he got cross and he smashed the light bulbs.

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Society In A Streetcar Named Desire

847 Words | 4 Pages

“A Streetcar Named Desire” is a very elegant film in which the Southern gothic culture is demonstrated profoundly. Tennessee Williams uses the characters in the play to bring about a sense of how corrupt society truly was in the 1940’s in the South. The 1940’s was marked by an immense amount of violence, alcoholism, and poverty. Women at the time were treated as objects rather than people. Throughout the play Tennessee Williams relates the aspects of Southern society to the characters in the play.

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