A Streetcar Named Desire (1995) (TV)

User Rating:

7.0/10   

Director:

Glenn Jordan

Writer:

Tennessee Williams (play)

Release Date:

29 October 1995 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Plot:

Set in the French Quarter of New Orleans during the restless years following World War Two, A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE is the story of Blanche DuBois...

Plot Keywords:

Rape Victim | Pregnancy | Pulitzer Prize Source | Mental Illness | Sister Sister Relationship

Awards:

Won Golden Globe. Another 8 nominations

Cast

Alec Baldwin	...	Stanley Kowalski
Jessica Lange	...	Blanche DuBois
John Goodman	...	Harold 'Mitch' Mitchell
Diane Lane	...	Stella
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Frederick Coffin	...	Steve (as Fred Coffin)
Carlos Gómez	...	Pablo
Jerry Hardin	...	The Doctor (as Jerry Harden)
Patricia Herd	...	The Matron
Matt Keeslar	...	Collector (as Matt Keesler)
Tina Lifford	...	The Neighbor
Rondi Reed	...	Eunice
Carmen Zapata	...	Flower Seller

Runtime:

Germany:150 min | Israel:149 min | USA:156 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Certification:

Iceland:L | Germany:12 | UK:15 (video premiere) | Australia:PG

Company:

CBS Entertainment Production

Trivia:

The original Broadway production of A Streetcar Named Desire opened at the Ethel Barrymore Theater on December 3, 1947 at ran for 855 performances. This production also opened at the Ethel Barrymore Theater on April 12, 1992 and ran for 137 performances.

Quotes:

Stella: But there are things that happen, between a man and a woman, in the dark, that sorta make everything else seem unimportant
Blanche: What you are talking about is brutal desire. Just desire. The name of that rattletrap streetcar that bangs through the Quarter, up one old narrow street and down another.
Stella: Haven't you ever ridden that streetcar?
Blanche: It brought me here, where I'm not wanted, and where I'm ashamed to be.

Movie Connections:

Version of Linje lusta (1981) (TV)

Good production with fine Lange performance

It is always difficult to pull off a remake of a genuine classic work of art and the 1951 definitive black and white film version of STREETCAR is just that - a classic work of art.

The use of color in this production is however non-invasive as the shadows, both interior and exterior, are retained, thus softening the blow.

Jessica Lange's Blanche builds mightily on the Vivien Leigh performance and occasionally drawing from the Ann-Margret incarnation preceding her. It is not an original conception of the character. That having been said, she does a very good job in portraying Blanche - probably the best written female character in the entire history of world theatre (with the exception of the Greek heroines).

Her Blanche is more flirtatious and seductive than prior Blanches, thus giving us the clue by which Stanley immediately discovers her fatal flaw - a nice touch.

It's great to have the whole play. The cuts made for the film (Blanche's detailed account of the deaths at Belle Reve, the lengthy discussion between Blanche and Stanley re money, Blanche's last memories of Belle Reve prior to her rape scene, etc.) are restored here and the character is better fleshed out as well as allowing us to hear that wonderful Williams poetry.

Baldwin is merely acceptable as Stanley, Goodman does well as Mitch and Lane is quite good as Stella, especially in her scenes with Lange. This is a fine performance over all and is worthy of DVD release.