A Streetcar called Desire

[Jaga]

I never watched this whole movie before (shame on me). We just bought a CD version. It is really a good movie. It starts a bit slow, from what I heard about it I expected Stan Kowalsky to be a main character and a negative but it is Blanche who is the main very complex character. For a half of the movie I really did not like her and the way how she was trying to be better, more sophisticated than anybody else, later I started to understand her problem and that there were other people who made her this way.

Stan Kowalsky - he is just a type of a handsome brutal that women are attracted to. I did not considered this movie as being anti-Polish really although it evokes some stereotypes of Poles being harsh and with no refined style. But he is not stupid or naive, just a typical man.

How did any of you like it?

[sciwriter]

Jaga, glad you enjoyed the movie. I liked the movie's main message, namely, the economic difficulties of the industrial working class. especially non-WASPS as personified by Kowalski, in South USA in 1940's-1950's. The South was still mainly a feudal-type agricultural society. Also keep in mind that Williams was homosexual, and positioned the woman: Stella as causing the difficulties for Kowalski. Carl

[forza]

Is this the one with "I could have been a contender, I could have been somebody" ?

[Jaga]

Carl,

yes, this movie is very deep, it talks about many issues. Forza, I am not sure, sorry

[suzanne]

forza said:

Is this the one with "I could have been a contender, I could have been somebody" ?

No, but it's from another Marlon Brando movie - "On the Waterfront" I believe.

[pieter]

I saw two versions, and liked the oldest movie the best with Marlon Brando as Stan Kowalsky.
Wonderful movie. A classic like "Brief encounter" and "Cassablanca".

[forza]

Speaking about Kowalski....I saw yesterday Vanishing Point (1971) with wild Kowalski driving across America. Splendid film.
And of course Ray Kowalski from Altman's MASH the movie (not TV series).....