Streetcar Named Desire Comparison

A Streetcar Named Desire was produced and directed in 1951 by Elia Kazan. Based on the play written by Tennessee Williams, the film follows Blanche DuBois as she leaves her beloved hometown, Belle Reeve, and moves in with her sister, Stella Kowalski and husband, Stanley. Blanches flirtatious but traumatized personality causes problems for Stella and Stanley whose relationship is based off of sexual desires. Blanche is going through a battle in which she finds herself guilty for her late husbands suicide and this distress eventually leads to a huge conflict in the Kowalski household. Vivien Leigh played the dramatic Blanch DuBois and received an Oscar for the best female in a leading role. Marlon Brando who played Stanley captured the character

At the beginning of the film, Blanche is shown arriving at the train station asking for directions, setting the mood for how helpless she is. She also mentions the actual streetcar named Desire and it is shown brining Blanche to the Kowalski’s. In contrast, the play starts off with Blanche already at the apartment and nothing much is said about the streetcar. The movie also includes the bowling alley, which is never seen in the play. At the alley, Stanley is shown fighting with his friends and acting like an animal, which introduces his animal like behavior. One major difference made in the movie was that of the ending. In the movie Blanche seems to have found comfortableness in the doctor and gives a last look on screen of helplessness. In the play Stella screams after Blanche but then goes to hug Stanley. However in the film Stella takes her baby and runs upstairs after Blanche leaves, screaming to Stanley how she will never go back to him. She does eventually go back to him because she only went upstairs. This was included in the film because it represents the effect Blanche has had on Stella but that Stanley will always