Vivien Leigh and the Adaptation of 'A Streetcar Named Desire' | 1952
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- Опубликовано: 29 сен 2024
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In 1951, Vivien Leigh won her second Best Actress Oscar for playing Blanche DuBois in A Streetcar Named Desire. In this video I look at some of the challenges posed by adapting that play for the screen and how she acted alongside the cast of the original Broadway production.
Here's my video about Vivien Leigh and Gone with the Wind: • Casting Scarlett O'Har...
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Author Tennessee Williams commented that Leigh's interpretation of the character was "everything that I intended, and much that I had never dreamed of," but in later years, Leigh said that her time as Blanche DuBois "tipped me over into madness".
It's tragic that Vivian Leigh would mirror her second Oscar winning character's mental degradation to the point that her career was severly hampered.
Well, the tons of electro-shock treatments she received couldn't have helped her mental condition. And add in the TB, Vivien was a hot mess internally.
@@katemaloney4296 Mental Health treatments in the Golden Age of Hollywood were the Pits, I will grant you that....
I disagree that it was ruined. She was great in Roman Spring of Mrs. Stone and Ship of Fools. She even won a Tony for a broadway play Tovarich. She still excelled despite her illnesses, her directors were often beyond amazed at how strong she was, that she could go on stage right after electro shock treatment and not miss a beat in her performance. Your comment is such a disrespect to Vivien's accomplishments.
@@allisonchainz82 Agreed! Even with her mental and physical issues throughout her life, VL still gave iconic performances. She won two best actress Academy Awards out of being in nineteen movies. Not too shabby. Can't help but wonder if she had focused on her film career more, no telling how many more Oscars she probably would have won. VL stayed active and worked right up until her death at 53.
@@allisonchainz82 I apologise if my comment came off as derogatory.
I will argue though that Ryan Murphy's depiction of Vivian Leigh in 'Hollywood' is one that's genuinely disrespectful.
As a priest in the Church of the Algorithm, I bless this video with a comment.
Thank you for featuring the mental illness part in depth...often overlooked a lot still dont know
You are doing THE LORD's WORK-- thank you!!!! Liz Taylor "Who's Afraid" next
yay finally a best actress video!! hurrah!!
I'll always find it amusing that Vivien Leigh, one of the most British people to have ever lived, won both of her Oscars for (very convincingly) playing Southerners
Me, too. And marvelous roles to boot.
Well the southern accents has its roots with the Brits. Particularly when you compare the two aristocrat's geological accents.
@@brianmagee6595 Interesting! Would you tell me more please?
Hollywood have always had a weird obsession for British/non American playing American roles
Also traditional british culture and traditional southern culture have a lot of similarities (adapted for region)
As a person with bipolar disorder, l cannot imagine living in a world with literally no treatment, other than ECT. Lithium hadn't been used yet. What a nightmare her life would have been.
I have so much respect for Vivien Leigh. It is immeasurable.
I have read that Vivien still had burn marks on her temples from shock treatments when she went on stage to perform.
I totally agree. I too suffer with mental health and I cannot fathom a life without treatment. It’s like living in your own personal hell and there is nothing you could do about it. I have so much respect for Leigh and other people that suffered from mental health during these times and accomplished so much despite of their sufferings. There was a day I didn’t leave my bed for nothing in the world. It’s horrible. I’m in awe and it inspires me to get better
My grandmother was bipolar - and around 20 years younger than Vivien. Her favorite book was Gone with the Wind. The day she got Lithium and Xanax after 30 years of alcoholism and a year and a half of diagnosis, literally changed the life of her entire family. She's stayed on for the rest of her life and NEVER wavered because she knew those drugs were her life.
I am bipolar. Frankly I have a more “glass half empty” take than yours regarding the progress made regarding mental illness.
I will also say that “depending on the kindness of strangers” rings very true to me. Even when it comes to memories from years before I was diagnosed, those little meaningful interactions with strangers/acquaintances could mean so much, while family and friends, no matter how much they cared and tried, just seemed to feel perfunctory or so close at times…but never quite get there.
Tragic, isn’t it? There was no good medication or treatment for bipolar disorder. It must’ve been a living hell for her. Today she could’ve lived a more normal life.
The bkr stans are eatin good this month!!
Leaving NO crumbs...we don't deserve such a creator🙌🙌🙌
I tell you i screamed out loud when I saw this on my feed
@@yeowza564 I also screamed! First I thought it was the other video of Vivian, but then I saw her tweet and rushed back to yt
@@yeowza564 too relatable haha
we really are
Everyone blamed her performance as "old, classical era, over the top, overacting" including her peers and even the director; however, her performance entirely embraced and embodied Blanche's essentials and insecurities. She was utterly ahead of her time by insisting on giving that kind of performance. An acting master.
Yes, I agree. However, let me just say that in Brando's biography he gave VL high praise in her role as Blanche. Brando said although he had worked with Jessica Tandy on stage in NY, he thought Ms. Leigh did a better job of acting and understanding the role of Blanche. I know that Kazan and some others had wanted Tandy as Blanche because they all had worked on stage together in NY. Apparently, Vivien even won Kazan over with all her hard work.
@@terrihilder8217 In the end Kazan said Leigh would have crawled across broken glass if she thought doing so would improve her performance. Williams also preferred Leigh’s performance over Tandy’s, saying she brought more to the role than even he envisioned.
i think it helped that Ms Leigh was seriously bi polar.
@@kevinlatham5661 Playing Blanche actually seriously worsened her mental illness, when she would break down later, she start saying the lines of Blanche in the film
Wonderful actress and yes she played a Southern lady so well!!
According to Hitch: "Vivien Leigh was absolutely right to play Rebecca, but Rebecca never appears in the film..".
Her Blanche is even stronger than Scarlett. This performance is easily one of the best performances of all time in this history of cinema.
Vivien Leigh has left her mark on cinema forever. May she rest in peace.
I agree 100%! Yes Scarlett O Hara will always be Vivien Leigh’s most recognizable role but I think that Blanche Dubois is her personal best, in terms of acting!
Yes her acting craft had been perfected and matured even further in The Streetcar Named Desire.
@@felinequeen9243 That goes without saying, life, & how one deals or at least confronts it will deepen or stifle our emotional intesity, studying, being a technically astute artist will allow this to be projected.. music dance drama all creative endeavors that requires the same sort of discipline
Everything that's ever been said about Brando's acting talent is true. But when I first saw "Streetcar," it was Leigh's performance that stuck with me. Great video!
I don't hate him, I do like Brando, in my opinion he's the best actor of All time, but like I hate how he gets the attention
I agree with this. For an old movie, this truly resonated with me due to Vivien Leigh’s stellar performance. Brando was there and amazing as per usual but not as amazing as his “On the Waterfront”. This movie was Vivien Leigh!
I'm totally with you, when I first saw the movie, I was like wow Vivien is so perfect in it
@@ahyan6681 Vivian Leigh gets attention too. She won her second Academy Award for this performance. So to say she doesn’t get credit is silly.
Both gave equal great performances in this movie. The best part is that Brando and Leigh had different acting styles. One was Method and the other Classically trained theater. Both used their acting styles to creat electricity on screen.
same here, I knew her only from gone with the wind. Her charakter in a streetcar called desire seemed like a realistic version of that. This plastic theater worked so well becouse it had this two opposing elements of Vivien Leigh und Marlon Brando
There’s this great quote Vivien gave shortly before her death to an interviewer when he asked her about her two Oscar wins for playing women who were “knocked around a lot” and I loved her response of “Well, knocked around is one thing, but I think one overcame the knocking while the other succumbed.” I thought this was an interesting insight both into the women she’s played but also Vivien herself.
There's a theory that Blanche is what Scarlett might have become in latter years. I found that interesting - although I suspect Scarlett, being made of tougher stuff, would not have folded in on herself when faced with the pressures Blanche was...
Excellent point. In Gone With the Wind, Mitchell wanted to explore the sort of person who would survive a war. Scarlett was that person. She got knocked around, but did some knocking herself. Not the nicest or most moral person by any strech, but she survived and helped her friends survive. Even losing love didn't break her.
@@dontbefatuousjeffrey2494 Scarlett would've kicked Stanley's ass!
@@slc2466 word!
@@dontbefatuousjeffrey2494 yeah they're different characters. Scarlett wouldn't become Blanche in her later years, no.
I think having a 'classical' actor play Blanche was perfect because Blanche was so different than her surroundings and so afraid of dealing with reality, which eventually caved in on her. It was perfect casting.
Blanche Dubois was the role that was the most consequentially impacted Vivien’s mental health. As beautifully devastating as she was in the role it was the catalyst for her personal life.
Right and I really do believe as well that this movie is what flew her over the coco nest. Her style of acting drew off of emotions either from the past or present, she was already exhausted mentally from the screen roles. In her documentary, on RUclips, it is said after she did street car she never was the same.
@Tara Oakwell you are absolutely right, in the documentary they used Olivier’squote. Yes they broke down how a role in a film can sometimes mimic the persons life, because they also said she was a nympho and that Laurence was a prude in the bed and didn’t satisfy her enough, said by her close friend. Hence, Blanche loved sex in the movie.
Yes, so sadly true 😥😪
I’m just surprised that she would have mental episodes and would need Electroconvulsive therapy. I heard that in a documentary of hers and the biggest shock is that she would go on the stage and wouldn’t show it. I feel she knew what was going on with her mental Health but have a strict discipline to not show it. Must be complete torture to do that
@@waynegruber9122 she was nympho bc. she had tuberculosis people who suffer from it sometimes become sexual more active.....
This movie, is the only movie I have ever seen, I felt that could rightfully have deserved to win *all 4 acting categories at the Oscars*
Agreed; although I would probably add "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?".
I would add Network to that group. Ned Beatty, who recently passed away, was nominated as supporting actor for his Network role and probably should have won. Bob Duvall should also have been nominated but wasn't.
It probably would’ve if Humphrey Bogart had won for Casablanca. In a lot of ways, his win for The African Queen was a career win. No disrespect to Bogart, but come one - everyone knows that was Brando’s Oscar.
fully agreed: easily the grandest quartet ever nominated.
Especially since Bogart wasn't that good in the African Queen
The Flamingo Hotel/Tarantula Arms scene with her and "Mitch" shows how amazing her range was. She went from coy and flirtatious to pitiful and distraught to bold and defiant in a matter of two minutes. I will always consider this woman the greatest actor that ever lived. It was in her bones.
Natalie Wood famously idolized Vivien Leigh, especially her performance as Blanche in Streetcar Named Desire, a role she desperately wanted to play and never got to. She reportedly even got one of Leigh's exact dresses worn in Streetcar from the Warners wardrobe department for a masquerade party, arriving "as Vivien as Blanche" (they apparently had the exact same measurements).
There are some similarities in Splendour in the Grass
@@melissamarsh2219 I agree - and she did also of course get to tackle Tennessee Williams in a TV adaptation of Cat on a Hot Tin Roof as Maggie (opposite Robert Wagner) but her doing Blanche du Bois would have been something really special IMO
Vivien Leigh is the most beautiful actress ever, alive and dead.
Audrey Hepburn
@V J I was literally about to say that. Joan Crawford takes the prize.
All of the actresses of the golden age of Hollywood were beautiful though.
Well, to me, she is the actress who has the best of both worlds, both extremely beautiful and talented and thats rare
@@Popchaaa0731 That’s a good point. Also the fact that both her Oscar performances still hold up now are a testament to that.
oh my god she would’ve been SUCH AN elizabeth bennet..... oh my godddds
She's a bit too pretty though
@@tamarleahh.2150 as if the same couldn’t be said abt keira knightley come now
In my heart of hearts I really want Aisling Franciozi to play Elizabeth Bennet at some point.
@@tamarleahh.2150 scarlett wasn't supposed to be pretty yet Vivien still managed to deliver an iconic performance which fit the character perfectly
You had me at Vivien Leigh!
Looking at the list of actors with multiple Oscar wins, she is the only one who thoroughly deserved hers and her performances as Scarlett and Blanche easily rank not only as two of the best in the Best Actress category, but of the entire history of cinema as well :)
AAAAAAMEN!!
sophies choice has entered the chat. Meryl performance in that film is the greatest performance ever captured on fim :)
@Kit I mean maybe some say his second Oscar win for Forrest Gump is debatable many believe Morgan freeman should’ve won for The Shawshank Redemption
@Randy White actually they do many film fans and retrospective critics have said so, when Morgan freeman won the best supporting actor Oscar for million dollar baby, it was considered a consolation prize for not winning for the Shawshank redemption
The "only one" who deserved her's? That's absurd, sorry. You're saying De Niro didn't "thoroughly" deserve his for "Godfather 2" and "Raging Bull"? That's just off the top of my head. Nicholson didn't deserve his third Oscar....but the first two were definitely earned. I'd say Daniel Day Lewis deserved all three of his Oscars. Kate Hepburn had four Oscars....she definitely deserved at least two of them. I love Vivien Leigh, but that's a bit of a stretch.
I am obsessed with this series. Do you have any intention of getting around to supporting actresses? I’d eat my own hands to see you do a video on Ruth Gordon’s win.
She did do a video on Rita Moreno's Supporting Actress win.
Yesss! Ruth Gordon!!
@@MiamiPush2theLimit She did one & it was PHENOMENAL!
I hope you see it!
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Stay safe mate🌎🙏🏼
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Reasonable Pro-Lifer✨
Vivien Leigh was exquisite. Even with that breathtaking beauty, the first thing about her that people would mention is her acting talent.
Love that Bogart said "The Academy Awards don't prove anything" to seem nonchalant and dignified just for Katharine Hepburn to then out his ass in the Cavett interview talking about how much he loved and cared about the whole thing
That seems like an actor thing. If they didn't like attention/praise, they'd be in a different business.
There's no contradiction at all. It's nice to be accepted by the people of your industry (that's the thing to love about getting an Oscar), but the award says nothing about the actual performance and one's acting powers. That's two completely separate things.
For a 1950's film, Streetcar is honestly a miracle. Vivien Leigh's performance (and the rest of the cast's) along with Kazan's directing and, above all, the faithfulness to the play (despite the Legion of Decency) are what what have made the film stand the test of time as well as it has. Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, for example, hasn't had the same luck.
Yes I agree. Tennessee Williams actually stood outside theaters and told people not to by tickets when Cat On a Hot Tin Roof aired because he was so angry at how the movie censored his characters.
I love Vivien Leigh. I'll take one of her over ten Katharine Hepburns every time it's offered.
To think that, at 38, Vivien was already considered a relic. While Emily Blunt, today, still haven't reached her peak as an actress, at least in my opinion
I watched a video and it said that people were shocked how good Liz Taylor looked at 40
Point well made. Although Blunt isn't at Leigh's level in terms of acting prowess.
Streetcar was the very first play I've ever fallen completely in love with, and I find the way Leigh and Brando's acting styles suited their characters to be utterly fascinating. So happy to see this get a video from you!
Ms. Leigh's 'Blanche DuBois', and her 'Mrs. Treadwell' in 'Ship of Fools', are some of the best performances from an actress I've seen. As big of a 'star' as Vivien Leigh was; she completely disappears into these roles, and becomes these characters. Stunning actress...
One of the greatest performances in cinema history. How she filled that role with such pity, pathos, and passion simply cannot be forgotten.
She was a brilliant actress that only had 53 years to shine. Ship of foul was her last movie part, the scene in front of the mirror was intoxicating. Worthy of a third Oscar!
Wonderful video. Vivien Leigh's Blanche is probably the best female performance ever put on film! When you add her stunning work in GWTW as Scarlett, it's obvious her two Oscars were very well deserved. I often think she should have gotten a third one for Waterloo Bridge. And while I agree it's a shame she didn't act in more movies, the ones she did all showcase her incredible talent - and beauty.
Could you do Judy Holliday defeats Gloria Swanson and Bette Davis?
JUDY comedic tour-de-force defeated 2 divas in the mutually similar roles ! Marvellous.
@@screenactorsguilable I used to believe that Judy didn't deserve that Oscar win -- then I saw the movie a few years ago. She completely knocked it out of the park. So underrated.
I still very much believe it should have gone to Gloria. But I don’t begrudge Judy’s victory.
Yup
I had no idea there’s a black and white version of “Pride and Prejudice”! I can totally see Vivien playing Elizabeth Bennett, too bad she wasn’t casted :((
There is or was a colourised version of "Waterloo Bridge" also. I saw it, and at the end walking across the bridge her dress is a forest green !
I agree that the stylistic differences between Leigh and Brando perfectly represent their very different roles: Stanley is a realist, Blanch a romantic.
That last shot we see in this video, of Blanche looking up with childlike innocence at the doctor who will take to an asylum is just heartbreaking. How well she understands the camera and how to play without overplaying!
the best Best Actress Oscar win of all time
I’ve gotta give that honor to Elizabeth Taylor for “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?”, although both of Vivien’s wins are a close 3rd and 4th
I’ll give that title to Meryl Streep for Sophie choice
@@Kevin-rg3yc Those choices are all in my top 5 all time Best Actress wins with Faye Dunaway in Network rounding it out. All fantastic performances
1. Vivien Leigh - A Streetcar Named Desire
2. Meryl Streep - Sophie's Choice
3. Elizabeth Taylor - Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf
4. Vivien Leigh - Gone With The Wind
@@ahyan6681 I agree with you for the most part. I would also have the great Vivien Leigh in the top five twice. For her stunning portrayal of Scarlett in GWTW and Blanche in ASND. I know this is probably unheard of, I hate to admit it, I have never seen Sophie's Choice. lol
I know I should make a point to see it.
I disagreed about "Rebecca". Joan Fontaine was MADE for that role. It wouldn't have suited Vivien, I think. And I do think she excelled in Waterloo Bridge. But yes, the Hollywood system certainly did oppress their actors.
Her performance in that film always mesmerized me. The way she portrayed the unraveling of Blanche Dubois was so captivating.
Also my God Brando is just as magnificent in that film.
The only actress deserving and worthy of the two for two Best Actress record. And she did it playing southern belles.
Yeah weird considering she was British
@@maristiller4033 yup. Hollywood has had a fascination with Brits playing Americans from the beginning.
I'd say Jodie Foster clearly deserved both her Oscars too.
@@callmej5337 Jodie Foster has 4 nominations, though ;)
I'd say this is about right. She dominates in two fantastic films in GWTW and Streetcar. The other multiple winners:
Katherine Hepburn has 4 Best Actress wins: Morning Glory (ingenue win, pretty meh), Guess Who's Coming to Dinner (relied on her big watery eyes and Spencer Tracy pairing), The Lion in Winter (Amazing performance, great film), and On Golden Pond (decent, sentimental win)
Frances McDormand has 3: Fargo (Amazing comedic performance and Amazing film), Three Billboards Outside Ebbing Missouri (decent performance in a decent film), and Nomadland (not much of a stretch, good film)
Meryl Streep has 2: Sophie's Choice (Amazing performance, the rest of the film is somewhat weak), Iron Lady (awful, sentimental win)
Hilary Swank has 2: Boys Don't Cry (great performance in a great film), Million Dollar Baby (good performance in a good film)
Jodie Foster has 2: The Accused (decent performance in a standard courtroom drama), The Silence of the Lambs (amazing performance in an amazing film)
Sally Field has 2: Norma Rae (great performance in a decent film) and Places in the Heart (good performance in a decent film)
Jane Fonda has 2: Klute (Amazing performance in a great film), Coming Home (great performance in a great film)
Glenda Jackson has 2: Women in Love (decent performance in a decent film), A Touch of Class (good comedic performance in a good film)
Elizabeth Taylor with 2: Butterfield 8 (good performance in a "bad", soapy film), Who's Afraid of Virginia Wolfe (amazing performance in a great film)
Ingrid Bergman with 2: Gaslight (great performance in a good film), Anastasia (good performance in a decent film)
Olivia de Havilland: To Each His Own (good performance in a soapy, good film), The Heiress (Amazing performance in an Amazing film)
Bette Davis: Dangerous (good performance in decent film), Jezebel (great performance in a good film, overshadowed by the similar GWTW)
Louise Rainer: The Great Zeigfeld (ingenue win, pretty meh), The Good Earth (good performance, yellowface has aged badly but it was the 1930's)
The reason I think Vivien as the second Mrs. DeWinter wouldn’t have worked is because of Olivier. He so wanted Viv in the role that his indifference and disdain for Joan showed in and enhanced his performance, and Joan’s as well, actually. Viv and Larry were so in love that I don’t think he would have played his role the same way; their chemistry was hard to hide. So I disagree with you on that one.
The rest of the segment, Brava! 🥰
Actors having chemistry is a bad thing?
@@cesarzpontu8886 Chemistry is great. I’m saying they were so in love that I don’t think he would have showed the same indifference with Viv that he clearly had for Joan. Maxim’s apathy and lack of “obvious” affection for wife #2 are central to the story.
@@adriennepender673 Olivier was a great actor. He could pull it off even with his wife.
I agree with you. Vivien Leigh's stunning good looks would have been an unnecessary distraction.
Joan Fontaine's pretty-but-not- beautiful looks, her insecurities and awkwardness are perfect for the role. Leigh would have been fabulous Rebecca, if they ever do a remake with flashbacks.
Ok hear me out, Vivien Leigh as Rebecca de Winter, the first wife.
She deserved so much better and we were all robbed from the complicatedly beautiful performances she might have delivered. Thank you for sharing your thoughts on both the movie and this actor.
Vivien Leigh's performance is excellent. Her presence with Marlon Brando is dynamite. Ken Tynan was a jerk and he preyed upon Vivien Leigh. Few know of him. However, her performances will live on. I loved your commentary.
Hepburn- who was the maid of honor at Leigh and Olivier's elopement, has said some of the reason Vivien didn't work as much as she should/could was because Olivier was jealous of her success- he never fought for her to have some of those great parts, afraid she'd over shadow him.
Loved Vivien Leigh's performances in Waterloo Bridge, Anna Karenina and A Street Car Named Desire. Her scenes with Brando are iconic.
OMG, yes! Watch "Waterloo Bridge," which was her first movie after "Gone With The Wind," and bring a box of Kleenex! Her Myra portrayal breaks your heart--as she is able to do in so many of her performances.
I wish I could have known her, but alas I'm only 2 degrees of separation because I own a dressing gown that belonged to Robert Taylor. Close but no banana.
"Waterloo Bridge" is my all time favorite movie. When I watched I saw the most beautiful woman I've ever seen.
There's a wonderful interview where Vivian completely and eloquently shuts Kenneth Tynan down when he smugly implies that she gives the same performance in gone with the wind and streetcar.
He WAS smug
Your videos are so beautifully done and they reflect a tremendous amount of research of cultural and women's history. Congrats to you! And for the record, Vivien's performance in this film is one of the most extraordinary performance of all of cinematic history.
Vivian Leigh was a timeless beauty and is forever immortalised in our collective consciousness for her raw talent. She’s the legend of all Hollywood legends
Couldn't disagree more on the Rebecca movie casting. Vivien to me seems more like she would be better suited to play Rebecca. The glimmer of wickedness in the eye, the sex appeal, charisma. Even in the screentest, it felt like a put on performance, a manipulative tactic, rather than making a genuine confession. Joan is demure, shy, and unglamorous, and very insecure, which is entirely the point for the protagonist.
Likewise.
Vivien Leigh is a powerful dramatic actress. But I don't feel she could have pulled out naïveté as naturally as Fontaine did.
Likewise. Even her emotionally weaker characters have an air of being “mentally wrong”, such as with Blanche. There’s nothing physically or mentally wrong with Mrs. De Winter, she’s just very very timid and shy
@@heywoodjablome7535 Actually, it's interesting you should say that, because that's the one aspect of the unnamed narrator that was missing from the film. In the books, she was a chronic maladaptive daydreamer. Had Hitchcock included this aspect of the character, including filming her reveries, I could easily see Vivien in the part. But without being able to be in her head as easily as we can be in the first-person narration of the novel, Fontaine simply being ignorant and sweetly naive works better, I think.
Dominic Noble here on RUclips has done an adaptation review of the 1940 film against the book and goes into detail, if you're interested.
Fontaine was a slam-dunk in the role, same as Leigh in GWTW.
Her and Elizaberh Taylor were both still stunning in aging makeup.
Peter O'Toole said in an interview when casting Eleanor of Aquitaine in 'The Lion in Winter' he only considered 2 actresses- Hepburn and Leigh- he offered it to Hepburn first and she leapt at it.
Hi i really hope you read this. I was wondering if you could do a video on Marilyn Monroe and her career. You could talk about her rise to stardome as well as her constant struggle with type casting and being taken seriously as an actress. You could also mention her fight with it and how she began to take more serious roles towards the end of her life. This will be an amazing video and i really hope you could do it. Also i love your content and you are amazing.
She’ll probably do a video on Marilyn to coincide with the release of the biopic Blonde, which stars Ana de Armas, due to be released by Netflix in 2022. (There’s some anecdotes circling around that Netflix did not approve of the final cut of Blonde, which has graphic depiction of sexual assault, hence the delay)
I do not think that they tried to hide her homophobia when she talks about her husband. They tried to hide explicit discussion of homosexuality.
so to you its ok to marry a man who likes to go skin diving with other men
and isnt it amusing that both brando and karl malden were on the gay train were karl was actually arrested for seducing a teenage boy
Oh no you didn't!! The most beautiful actress of all time in the most mesmerizing screen performance. More ethereal, carnal and heartbreaking than the author imagined. Brava.
I'm saving this for later. ❤️😘
Vivien Leigh, one of the greatest actors, PERIOD!!👏🏻👏🏻
Vivien Leigh was absurdely beautiful and incredibly talented!✨
I love Vivien Leigh - she's one of my favorite actors. The obstacles in her life and how she worked against them shows the strength of her character, her talent, and her ambition. She seemed to understand Blanche in a visceral way, which fed into how she gave the character to us. Much as I would have loved to have seen Jessica Tandy in the movie, I'm so glad we have Vivien - the monologue she gives to Karl Malden's Mitch toward the last disaster against her is mesmerizing and filled with pain - the writing is sublime and the acting is anchored to its truth.
Having just finished watching the screentest for "Rebecca" on RUclips, I respectfully disagree with your opinion of Hitchcock's choice: there is, in this scene, a core of confidence in Leigh's Mrs. deWinter; there's something disconcerting in how she is able to meet Maxim's eyes and smile - it doesn't come across as a seeking, uncertain smile, but something stronger than that, though still vulnerable. Leigh's Mrs. deWinter would have been an interesting one, but I question whether her Mrs. deWinter would have been overcome by Judith Anderson's Mrs. Danvers and led to the window. The core of integrity here makes me think the direction would have needed substantial adaptation, and maybe even a script revision.
Thank you for giving Vivien the respect and admiration she so certainly deserves!
It's, maybe, the most wonderful and pefect performance of all times. God bless Vivien Leigh. 🎭💐
If you think of it Blanche in a way is a continuation of made up stories and unrealistic flighty positivity that Scarlett often utilized in Gone With The Wind
Adore both films
Kenneth Tynan was the very definition of a pseudo intellectual, but Vivien ripped him apart in the interview they did together.
What a performance by Vivien Leigh
Omg, two BKR in a week! I ADORE Vivian Leigh, her performance in this film is haunting. She deserved SO much more.
And strangely enough, I’ve been on a Vivian Leigh deep dive the last few days and this couldn’t have come at a more perfect time!!
Try Hugo Vickers's 1988 biography "Vivien Leigh". It is not true that there is not much available about her post-Streetcar career. Be aware that the author obviously had a terrific crush on Leigh, yet still he did not spare her from criticism where it was due. I do not know how much respect it has now among film history buffs, but I have reread it several times and found the quality of research to be high.
My favorite movie of hers was Waterloo Bridge, simply beautiful in its tragedy and subtlety
BTW guys I love Brando but it seems in the comment section of videos about a streetcar named desire, that he gets the attention, I feel like it should be 50/50 but like no, and half of them act like they're already these acting gods and think that Vivien's performance was the "typical 1940s actress", BTW that "typical 1940s acttess" are far more better than todays ones, also not to mention but many actresses looked up to her, some like Jessica Lange, Natalie Wood, Elizabeth Taylor, Nicole Kidman, and many more ill put some in the comments if I can find out, in my opinion i like seeing the difference between their acting styles it actually works, Marlon and Vivien are the best actor and actress of all time in my opinion, you could argue for Bette Davis or Katherine Hepburn but Vivien for me takes the top spot.
I love this film so much, especially when you find out how much she was struggling with her mental health yet continued to go on filming
I feel that the narrator glossed over how extraordinary she was in Waterloo Bridge. If I am not mistaken it was Vivien's favorite movie that she did.
She was such a brilliant actress!
I know she was never nominated in the Best Actress category, but I wish you would make a video on Angela Lansbury.
I wish that she got nominated for Bedknobs and Broomsticks.
Your videos have been a highlight for me on RUclips. I've loved Vivien Leigh's performances since I saw her first in "Gone With The Wind," and to know what she face off-screen is harrowing and only adds to the brilliance she brought to the screen. Thank you for honouring her in a way that shows her as one of the world's greatest actresses of all time. Her characters and acting stand the test of time. Thank you!
Thank you for the wonderful videos! But to be honest I found this one quite disappointing. I had hoped you would dive more deeply into what made Vivien's performance as Blanche Dubois one of the greatest cinematic performances of the 20th century. We get so much "Brando Mania" around the film and so much of the "Vivien Leigh was too old school" that the story of the film has evolved into a Godfather prequel. I really appreciated how you pointed out how intentional Miss Leigh's style was for the character of Blanche and how that is why the chemistry between she and Brando was so electric. Why couldn't you have gotten into this more instead of focusing so much on the production code stuff? Anyway, thank you for doing these videos that are so well put together, informative and entertaining. Your videos on Joan Crawford are truly stellar! Please do one on Olivia de Havilland and Joan Fontaine!!!!!
The Legion of Decency is somehow the most terrifying name for that group I can think of
It’s a very oxymoronic name: “The Catholic Legion of Decency”.
Makes me so mad...The censoring of this film is the only thing standing in the way of utter perfection.
@@bananabasket I wish it wasn't censored, it actually is sexy to me, I wish it was more
@@beethovensfidelio Ha!
The "Catholic Legion of Decency"--who should have been policing their own house for child abuse, is as terrifying as the "Moral Majority," who was, in my opinion, neither.
Vivian Leigh was the OG “I’m a human beeeeeeeing”. I like how she’s savvy and aware of the roles she can perform.
I saw Miss Leigh's performance as Blanche for the first time at a showing at UNC Chapel Hill on campus in around 1981. I had seen Gone With The Wind many times before this, and i must say that this creation of Blanche just blew me away. I had researched Miss Leigh over the years, and new of her successes and struggles in life since Gone With The Wind. Somehow Miss Leigh's Blanche represented the changes in Miss Leigh's life herself. It is no wonder the performance affected Miss Leigh's mental health. She gave everything to that role. Even though i am male I related to her depiction of the woman who is cast aside and trying to stay relevant and desired. Blanche made some bad choices but who doesn't. It is a testemant to Miss Leigh;s talent and belief in the role that i actually pitied and admired Blanche at the same time. "Straight?....A line can be straight or a street, but the heart of a human being?" A wonderful line. Like you, i was astounded by how few films Miss Leigh agreed to do, but she won Oscars on both of her nominations. Like you, I wish there were more. Thank you Vivien Leigh for your artistry and your sharing it with us!
My favorite film of hers is “ The Roman Spring of Mrs. Stone”.
Vivien Leigh and Brando were just PHENOMENAL on this one...
It's fascinating how Leigh's acting actually perfectly matches her character!
It's stories like this that make me glad I never became a 1940s movie star.
This channel focuses on the negative. And in this video it amounts to not having the career opportunities in Hollywood the stars wanted, it’s not today the starts can pick an choose what they do (well they don’t have similar contracts but they just don’t get often work if they don’t take what’s available). Then movie stars were far more important to the box office which is why these castings (and images) were so controlled by studios. Now even biggest stars for the majority of time only can guarantee host in certain roles or franchises (like Robert Downey Jr being huge as Iron Man but flopping in the Judge and Doolittle). It’s lot more uncertain and tv is starting to be where drama and challenging roles are.
That being said I worry Hollywood is slowly returning to the 1940s studio system and culture, which sucks
@Jarred Knox Just you wait! I'm about to sign a three picture deal with Sarcastic Studios!
@@sarasamaletdin4574 I thought Downey was pretty good in The Judge. Everybody must have known it was never going to do the blockbuster numbers of an Iron Man film. But to your point it's always been a part of the Hollywood landscape that people get chewed up and spit out for any reason at all, fair or otherwise.
@@notchuckproductions5029 Netflix and the other streaming services are trying to show young film makers that the Hollywood system doesn't even matter.
When I saw this video came out I had to get some snacks prepared haha! I love Vivien Leigh so much, when I was starting out into classic hollywood films her acting had always been the most digestible and “modern” to me. I always felt like she was really the only Oscar winner who really deserved both her wins. Another amazing video, BKR 🥰
Honestly this adaption is one of my favorites. Marlon Brando is spectacular and Vivien Leigh is...well, she breaks your heart.
She sure does!
@@johnivory3245 And she was stunningly beautiful to boot
Ms. Leigh has left us with her great work. She's the only Blanche for me. Thank you for shedding light to her work.
It’s one of those rare times that I find myself disagreeing with anything on this channel. I don’t think that Hitchcock made a mistake by refusing to cast Leigh as a Mrs De Winter. The character is a mousy, shy, furtive girl who’s taken advantage of because of her naivete and lack of confidence. In no world could an actress like Leigh be that; it’s like casting Angelina Jolie as Cinderella. Now Pride&Prejuduce, that was such a shame. Hollywood missed out on a legendary Lizzie Bennet portrayal.
It did work in a Radio Dramatization of Rebecca done by Lux Radio, but that benefited from not having Vivian's visual charisma.
@@eamonndeane587 with a radio adaptation, it makes sense that Vivien Leigh could play Mrs De Winter well. But imagine if she had been on-screen, made “plain” the same way that Grace Kelly was made “plain” in The Country Girl.
Leigh's Blanche is held in such high regards tt her version is still widely considered to b the first among equals, even when Lange, Blanchett, Gillian Anderson n so many all others recv glowing reviews. Same goes for Brando's Stanley. None cld surpass his version
The greatest performance of all!
Vivien Leigh was not only beautiful but a great actress.
Ms. BKR, you are a born storyteller. Thanks for sharing your gift!
She was one of the great actresses to ever exist.
Vivien Leigh as Blanche DuBois gives the single best performance by a human being in film history. Another amazing video.
It's hard to measure such a thing but I actually agree with you. And yet time and again, Kazan and Karl Marlden have slagged Vivien's performance, saying they preferred Jessica Tandy. Marlon Brando, to his credit, disagreed with them both and said he thought Vivien was brilliant.
@@Mark-Smeaton It makes sense that Hunter, Kazan, Malden were akin to Tandy's broadway performance and loyal to her and perhaps--since I never saw Miss Tandy in this role on stage--(although I loved her in "Driving Miss Daisy") felt Miss Tandy originated the role as an American actress and should have the precedence in an American film.
People may not know that Miss Leigh 'originated' the role on the London stage under Sir Olivier's direction. Perhaps there was a bit of America vs British rivalry as well: Kazan's stage direction vs Olivier stage direction. In the end, Lady Olivier was the bigger name which is what a film production cared about and in my humble opinion they weren't wrong. The woman sacrificed her own health for this role and deserved a second Oscar for a tremendous performance.
@@Mark-Smeaton In fairness to Kazan he also said VL won him over with her hard work on the film. I have read that Karl Malden and his wife were very good friends with Jessica Tandy and her husband. Tandy worked with Kazan and the others on stage in NY. No doubt there was loyalty to Jessica Tandy because of that. Interesting that Kim Hunter and Vivien became good friends during the filming.
Vivien Leigh is easily my favorite actor/actress of the classic hollywood era. The little we have of her on screen is impactful and masterful.
I am going to honestly praise Vivian Leigh and I don’t care if some critic thinks that is not appropriate. Leigh is brilliant in Streetcar.
Even Brando said that she was the ultimate blanche! I love Viven Leigh so much in the role! She is one of the ultimate actresses of that era with the likes of Kim Stanley and Anne Bancroft
Brando and Leigh actually became close friends on set and remained so until her death.
@@eamonndeane587 I've read Vivien, Marlon and Laurence were living a threesome
I love, love, love "Waterloo Bridge." ... and I love her Streetcar line when Blanche advised her younger sister, "Don't hang back with the brutes." ... ... great advice for any woman of any age.
I clicked so fast on this video my laptop almost broke. I just love this performance and Vivien Leigh so much. I think this is one of the greatest performances ever.
Clarity: I honour Vivien greatly. She'd have made a fine anybody; Joan Fontaine is the superlative Mrs De Winter, as Leigh for Scarlett and Blanche. Streetcar showed: even de-glammed, Vivien is a stunner (right indeed for that role.)
After watching so many of these wonderfully researched and beautifully put together pieces, I just now wondered, "How many people who watch these are old enough to know what is being referenced by "Be kind rewind"?
I’m old enough! 😉
I’m old enough, too.
Who cares? Us Boomers are old enough and we are legion. At least for a while...
One does not have to be old enough. One has to love film.
The idea for Crawford for "Waterloo Bridge" is fascinating. If Crawford had had a huge hit with "Waterloo Bridge," would she have left MGM and not done "Mildred Pierce"?
I bet Vivien Leigh could have done comedy, she is that talented! I always pictured her as playing Auntie Mame if Rosalind Russell hadn't worked out!
She did do comedy. The play Tovarich and also live shows for the troops in WW II.
Vivien was amazing in this. It's my favorite performance of hers.
Vivien Leigh gave us two of the greatest performances and then more spectacular performances. This video gives a perfectly simplified version of Leigh's career and abilities. So interesting to learn about the casting of 'Streetcar' too, especially learning about the different acting styles. Leigh's talent shall never be forgotten, nor her dedication to acting.