45. A Streetcar Named Desire 1951
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0044081/
Marlon Brando, one of the most talented actors of the twentieth century, gives a spectacular performance in his breakthrough role as the loathsome Stanley Kowalski in A Streetcar Named Desire. The character was written by Tennessee Williams as one of two main characters, but in the film version, Brando outshines Vivian Leigh as Blanche by leaps and bounds in his character development and realistic version of this poor common man who smashes things and throws his wife around like a football.
Although not very well educated, Stanley is shrewd and is always on the lookout for someone who he thinks may swindle him. Brando’s high key performance makes it so that he commands every scene he is in. His face shows contempt for Blanche the moment he carries in her trunk. He is not fooled. She has fooled many men by putting on airs but Stanley is a realist, and is not shy about letting Blanche know it, even after Stella has asked him not to do so. As Blanche walks around the house like a queen, Stanley doesn’t even acknowledge her. When she goes through the formality of saying “Please don’t get up”, he retorts “Nobody’s going to get up, so don’t get worried.” He is rude and could not care less about Blanche; for he sees her for the phony she truly is and refuses to be insincere.
Even in the most famous scene, (which would later be parodied by others like an over-drugged Elaine in Seinfeld) after he is doused in the shower by his poker buddies and runs outside to yell “Hey STELLA!!” Brando is immersed in the character of Kowalski and does not stray. However, it is not in these scenes where Brando is brash and screaming that the audience respects his character. It is in a single scene that he breaks out of character and allows his self-indulgent, delusional sister-in-law to dig herself deeper: the scene between him and Blanche where he quietly placates her delusions of being whisked away to the Caribbean by a millionaire. He sits quietly and allows Blanche to suffer in her delusion, all the while cajoling her and saying things like “We’ve both got out lives worked out!” “You’ve got a millionaire and I’ve got a baby! What a happy occasion this is!” “I think I’ll go put on my silk pajamas that I wore on my wedding night. I keep them for the best of occasions!” It is the darkest of comedic scenes and the audience almost believes him as much as Blanche does until he snaps her out of it with his derision.
Nevertheless, however loathsome Stanley’s character may be, Brando is the type of actor who commands respect so much that the audience begins to actually sympathize with this drunken wife-beater. It is in this role that Brando emerges as a superstar and obtains his iconic status, for he had only one small film prior to this and one television performance. Although Brando certainly looks the part, it is not merely his looks that make the performance magnificent. He becomes Stanley, and does it so well that it has become one of his most memorable roles ever.
Marlon Brando, one of the most talented actors of the twentieth century, gives a spectacular performance in his breakthrough role as the loathsome Stanley Kowalski in A Streetcar Named Desire. The character was written by Tennessee Williams as one of two main characters, but in the film version, Brando outshines Vivian Leigh as Blanche by leaps and bounds in his character development and realistic version of this poor common man who smashes things and throws his wife around like a football.
Although not very well educated, Stanley is shrewd and is always on the lookout for someone who he thinks may swindle him. Brando’s high key performance makes it so that he commands every scene he is in. His face shows contempt for Blanche the moment he carries in her trunk. He is not fooled. She has fooled many men by putting on airs but Stanley is a realist, and is not shy about letting Blanche know it, even after Stella has asked him not to do so. As Blanche walks around the house like a queen, Stanley doesn’t even acknowledge her. When she goes through the formality of saying “Please don’t get up”, he retorts “Nobody’s going to get up, so don’t get worried.” He is rude and could not care less about Blanche; for he sees her for the phony she truly is and refuses to be insincere.
Even in the most famous scene, (which would later be parodied by others like an over-drugged Elaine in Seinfeld) after he is doused in the shower by his poker buddies and runs outside to yell “Hey STELLA!!” Brando is immersed in the character of Kowalski and does not stray. However, it is not in these scenes where Brando is brash and screaming that the audience respects his character. It is in a single scene that he breaks out of character and allows his self-indulgent, delusional sister-in-law to dig herself deeper: the scene between him and Blanche where he quietly placates her delusions of being whisked away to the Caribbean by a millionaire. He sits quietly and allows Blanche to suffer in her delusion, all the while cajoling her and saying things like “We’ve both got out lives worked out!” “You’ve got a millionaire and I’ve got a baby! What a happy occasion this is!” “I think I’ll go put on my silk pajamas that I wore on my wedding night. I keep them for the best of occasions!” It is the darkest of comedic scenes and the audience almost believes him as much as Blanche does until he snaps her out of it with his derision.
Nevertheless, however loathsome Stanley’s character may be, Brando is the type of actor who commands respect so much that the audience begins to actually sympathize with this drunken wife-beater. It is in this role that Brando emerges as a superstar and obtains his iconic status, for he had only one small film prior to this and one television performance. Although Brando certainly looks the part, it is not merely his looks that make the performance magnificent. He becomes Stanley, and does it so well that it has become one of his most memorable roles ever.
posted by Susan @ 2:09 PM
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