Peppermint Friday Film Review #6: A Streetcar Named Desire

I've loved doing this week, and next week is gonna be abit different, but I'm excited. This is a film which stars Marlon Brando, Kim Hunter and Vivien Leigh but it was originally a play. It basically started off Marlon Brando's career, also its such a staple film. 

The story is about a woman called Blanche Dubois who comes to this town to stay with her sister Stella and her husband Stanley. Its about the story of this woman and the town and people that surround her life, its a really moving story. I loved Vivien Leigh's portrayal of Blanche as normally I'm not a huge fan of her as an actress, because personally I just don't get it, like I don't feel any excitement from her, that might be partly down to the fact that she is known for Gone With The Wind and her character which everyone knows but it just doesn't excite me and make me feel something for her.

I do love Marlon Brando in this film aswell, he just plays Stanley so effortlessly, like he had such guts, and sex appeal that was totally required in order to play this part the way he did, and when you watch it now it doesn't feel as if it's old fashioned, it just seems like a really good story with wonderful characters. Its totally timeless and thats why I like it, not because Marlon Brando is in a tight white t-shirt and his muscles are. 

I love the script it just flows and connects beautifuly, I mean its a classic American culture film. I also love the costume and attire of the film like there doesn't seem to be the huge bugdet and its not too flashy and thats what I love about it. Thats one thing that I love about older films, it just didn't feel too staged and so natural. I'm not a huge fan of some films now where they feel the need to put a special effect in or a green screen and with a gigantic budget. 

This film is an amazing piece of work, and I also think its clever to bring the majority of the original play, as for project like this you'd want it to be amazing, and the best it can be, not aiming for it to be successful but it turns out it was. I think everyone should watch this film if you haven't as its one of my favorite films.

Brando Vs Dean

So we're gonna carry on the theme of coolness, and 50s teen. With Marlon Brando and James Dean, two huge stars of the time, but very different but at the same time the same.

Lets start from the beginning shall we, well first of all James Dean was a huge fan of Marlon Brando as I think he was the only actor that he related to in a way, as they were both the tough guy teen, and had the same views on acting and the industry as a whole, as they both were interested in realistic acting. Also both were involved with allot of big films that we still talk about them today, like Streetcar Named Desire and Rebel Without a Cause.

 

As similarities in films and acting styles go they were both in a way, as James died young at the age of 23 in a car crash and Marlon stayed alive and died fat, old at the age of 80. So in a way, James was more of a hardcore 'teen' who loved motorbikes, and whom died still in the eyes of a teenager. Wheras with Marlon he died old and fat, and wasn't as frozen in time than James.  I mean at the beginning of there lives, its quite similar as James's mother passed away when he was a boy and was extremely close with his mother, and his father was the opposite of his mother, and Marlon had a similar thing but his mother was an alcoholic but was fun, and his father was again a polar opposite. 

Without Marlon Brando, we wouldn't have James Dean as he was heavily inspired by him as there wasn't anyone else quite like them back then, there was alot of slick, hair, and a booming clear golden voice, charming men, sharp suit. Suddenly there was this guy with tousled hair, mumbly, wearing leather jackets, and its iconic. Gotta admit both are amazing actors and totally gorgeous, has to be said. They changed acting and made a brand of what they did with films, and roles.

They really made the 'Teen' Brand also the bad boy brand where you just want to cuddle them and tell them its okay, just me okay... But also they brought a new genre of film and gave a voice to teens, which changed everything. Its lovely aswell that James Dean was a huge fan of Marlon Brando and who was already a big star at the time, and Brando was like 'oh hi' and Dean was like 'oh my god!!' then when Dean died Brando was like 'oh wow he was a really good guy' because after he died Rebel Without A Cause came out and instantly made him an icon of all teens. With Brando he carried on and wasn't cool anymore, and then became this old, fat man that once was a sexy man with a tight white t-shirt.

Again like with Keaton and Chaplin post both are incredible, but I'd say James Dean wins for me, looks, talent, story just him. He is outstanding and as both are I've just liked James Dean abit longer than Marlon Brando, but they are both huge talents, and if I didn't like Marlon Brando I wouldn't be doing a post on him would I. But they are both amazingly talented men, and have impacted lots of people for generations.