IMDb > A Streetcar Named Desire (1951)
A Streetcar Named Desire
Quicklinks
Top Links
trailers and videosfull cast and crewtriviaofficial sitesmemorable quotes
Overview
main detailscombined detailsfull cast and crewcompany creditstv schedule
Awards & Reviews
user commentsexternal reviewsnewsgroup reviewsawardsuser ratingsparents guiderecommendationsmessage board
Plot & Quotes
plot summarysynopsisplot keywordsAmazon.com summarymemorable quotes
Fun Stuff
triviagoofssoundtrack listingcrazy creditsalternate versionsmovie connectionsFAQ
Other Info
merchandising linksbox office/businessrelease datesfilming locationstechnical specslaserdisc detailsDVD detailsliterature listingsNewsDesk
Promotional
taglines trailers and videos posters photo gallery
External Links
showtimesofficial sitesmiscellaneousphotographssound clipsvideo clips

A Streetcar Named Desire (1951) More at IMDbPro »

Photos (see all 38 | slideshow) Videos (see all 4)
A Streetcar Named Desire (1951) -- Disturbed Blanche DuBois moves in with her sister in New Orleans and is tormented by her brutish brother-in-law while her reality crumbles around her.
A Streetcar Named Desire (1951) -- AllTrailers.net - Trailer (Flash)

IMDb Holiday Movie Guide

Overview

User Rating:
MOVIEmeter: ?

Up 9% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.

Director:

Elia Kazan

Writers:

Tennessee Williams (original play "A Streetcar Named Desire")
Oscar Saul (adaptation)
(more)

Contact:

View company contact information for A Streetcar Named Desire on IMDbPro.

Release Date:

1 December 1951 (West Germany) more

Genre:

Drama more

Tagline:

...When she got there she met the brute Stan, and the side of New Orleans she hardly knew existed. more

Plot:

Disturbed Blanche DuBois moves in with her sister in New Orleans and is tormented by her brutish brother-in-law while her reality crumbles around her. full summary | add synopsis

Awards:

Won 4 Oscars. Another 11 wins & 14 nominations more

NewsDesk:
(95 articles)

Cate Blanchett Shines on the Cover of Vogue Magazine
 (From HollyScoop. 13 November 2009, 4:05 AM, PST)

"Dare" is Daring, But Could Be Bolder With Gay Theme
 (From AfterElton.com. 11 November 2009, 8:50 AM, PST)

User Comments:

Antebellum Delusions more (173 total)


Cast

  (in credits order) (verified as complete)

Vivien Leigh ... Blanche DuBois

Marlon Brando ... Stanley Kowalski

Kim Hunter ... Stella Kowalski

Karl Malden ... Harold 'Mitch' Mitchell
Rudy Bond ... Steve
Nick Dennis ... Pablo Gonzales
Peg Hillias ... Eunice
Wright King ... A Collector
Richard Garrick ... A Doctor
Ann Dere ... The Matron
Edna Thomas ... The Mexican Woman
Mickey Kuhn ... A Sailor
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Mel Archer ... Foreman (uncredited)
Dahn Ben Amotz ... Bit part (uncredited)
Marietta Canty ... Giggling woman wth Eunice (uncredited)
John George ... (uncredited)
Chester Jones ... Street vendor (uncredited)
Lyle Latell ... Policeman (uncredited)
Maxie Thrower ... Passerby (uncredited)
Charles Wagenheim ... Passerby (uncredited)
Create a character page for: ?

Directed by
Elia Kazan 
 
Writing credits
Tennessee Williams (original play "A Streetcar Named Desire")

Oscar Saul (adaptation)

Tennessee Williams (screenplay)

Produced by
Charles K. Feldman .... producer
 
Original Music by
Alex North 
 
Cinematography by
Harry Stradling Sr. (director of photography) (as Harry Stradling)
 
Film Editing by
David Weisbart 
 
Art Direction by
Richard Day 
 
Set Decoration by
George James Hopkins 
 
Makeup Department
Gordon Bau .... makeup artist
Ray Forman .... hair stylist (uncredited)
Otis Malcolm .... makeup artist (uncredited)
Pat O'Grady .... body makeup artist (uncredited)
Hazel Rogers .... hair stylist (uncredited)
 
Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Don Alvarado .... assistant director (uncredited)
 
Sound Department
C.A. Riggs .... sound
Nathan Levinson .... sound (uncredited)
 
Costume and Wardrobe Department
Lucinda Ballard .... wardrobe
Lillian House .... wardrobe (uncredited)
Robert O'Dell .... wardrobe (uncredited)
Marguerite Royce .... wardrobe (uncredited)
 
Music Department
Ray Heindorf .... musical director
Maurice De Packh .... orchestrator (uncredited)
 
Other crew
Irene Mayer Selznick .... presenter: stage play
 
Crew verified as complete


Production CompaniesDistributors
Create a character page for: ?

Additional Details

Also Known As:

Endstation Sehnsucht (Austria) (West Germany) [de]
Un tramway nommé désir (Canada: French title) (France) [fr]
Un tranvía llamado deseo (Argentina) (Spain) [es]
A vágy villamosa (Hungary) [hu]
Leoforeion o pothos (Greece) [el]
Linje lusta (Sweden) [sv]
Omstigning til Paradis (Denmark) [da]
Tramlijn Begeerte (Belgium: Flemish title) [un]
Tramvaj zvani zelja (Serbia) [sr]
Tramwaj zwany pozadaniem (Poland) [pl]
Um Bonde Chamado Desejo (Brazil) [pt]
Um Eléctrico Chamado Desejo (Portugal) [pt]
Uma Rua Chamada Pecado (Brazil) [pt]
Un tram che si chiama desiderio (Italy) [it]
Un tramvai numit dorinta (Romania) [ro]
Un tramvia anomenat desig (Spain: Catalan title) [ca]
Un tramway nommé Désir (Belgium: French title) [fr]
Viettelyksen vaunu (Finland) [fi]
Yokubô toiu na no densha (Japan) [ja]
more

Runtime:

122 min | USA:125 min (re-release)

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Spanish

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1 more

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Certification:

USA:GP (1970 re-release) | USA:Approved (certificate #14871) (original rating) | Australia:PG (TV rating) | France:Unrated | South Korea:12 | UK:12A (re-rating) | New Zealand:PG | Argentina:13 | Australia:M | Finland:K-16 | Norway:16 | Portugal:M/12 | Sweden:15 | UK:15 (video rating) (1986) | UK:X (original rating) | USA:PG (1993 director's cut) | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Canada:14 (Nova Scotia) | Canada:AA (Ontario) | Canada:PG (Manitoba)


Fun Stuff

Trivia:

Jessica Tandy was originally slated to play Blanche, after creating the role on Broadway. The role was given to Vivien Leigh (after Olivia de Havilland refused it) because she had more box-office appeal. more

Goofs:

Continuity: When Mitch embraces Blanche, she puts her arm around his shoulders, which changes between shots, either her left one or her right one. more

Quotes:

[first lines]
A Sailor: Can I help you, ma'am?
Blanche DuBois: Why, they told me to take a streetcar named Desire and then transfer to one called Cemetery and ride six blocks and get off at Elysian Fields.
more

Movie Connections:

Referenced in V.O. (2001) more


FAQ

How closely does the movie follow the play?
Is this movie based on a novel?
Where does the title come from?
more
29 out of 38 people found the following comment useful.
Antebellum Delusions, 16 October 2005
Author: Lechuguilla from Dallas, Texas

Blanche DuBois reminds me of Norma Desmond in Sunset Blvd. (1950). Both characters succumb to their alter egos, and descend into their own worlds of fantasy and half-truths.

In "A Streetcar Named Desire", Blanche travels from her antebellum roots in Mississippi to New Orleans, to see her sister Stella. But, upon arriving in the Big Easy, Blanche must confront Stella's husband Stanley, a greasy, poker-playing neanderthal lout who knows a thing or two about reality. It's the clash between Blanche's stately delusions and Stanley's gritty realism that soups up the drama in this Tennessee Williams play, converted to film classic by director Elia Kazan.

The drama is absorbing. But the performances of Marlon Brando and Vivien Leigh, as Stanley and Blanche, are what make the film the cinematic powerhouse that it is. Excellent B&W lighting and jazzy background music amplify the seedy, sleazy atmosphere, which adds depth and texture to the story and the acting. And, of course, the claustrophobic, steamy French Quarter makes a perfect setting.

As one would expect for a film derived from a play, "A Streetcar Named Desire" is very talky. Generally, I don't care for films burdened with a ten thousand page script. But this talk-fest is an exception. Overwhelming what I would otherwise consider a weakness, the acting of Brando and Leigh alone are enough to justify a two hour investment, and render an enjoyable and memorable cinematic experience.

Was the above comment useful to you?
more (173 total)

Message Boards

Discuss this movie with other users on IMDb message board for A Streetcar Named Desire (1951)
Recent Posts (updated daily)User
What does Stanley do for a living? GunHillTrain
Who did you sympathize with? myavalon
STELLLLA!!!!! keeb69
Vivien Leigh wasnt good KKyriacoscar
What is it exactly that he hates so much? turnip_head
Brando's acting confuses the hell out of me sensa_moi
more

Recommendations

If you enjoyed this title, our database also recommends:
- - - - -
A Streetcar Named Desire Gone with the Wind A Streetcar Named Desire The Hours The Miracle of Morgan's Creek
IMDb User Rating:
IMDb User Rating:
IMDb User Rating:
IMDb User Rating:
IMDb User Rating:
Show more recommendations

Related Links

Full cast and crew Company credits External reviews
News articles IMDb top 250 movies IMDb Drama section
IMDb USA section Add this title to MyMovies

You may report errors and omissions on this page to the IMDb database managers. They will be examined and if approved will be included in a future update. Clicking the 'Update' button will take you through a step-by-step process.