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When Blanche Met Brando: The Scandalous Story of "A Streetcar Named Desire"
Exhaustively researched and almost flirtatiously opinionated, W hen Blanche Met Brando is everything a fan needs to know about the ground-breaking New York and London stage productions of Williams' "Streetcar" as well as the classic Brando/Leigh film. Sam Staggs' interviews with all the living cast members of each production will enhance what's known about the play and movie, and help make this book satisfying as both a pop culture read and as a deeper piece of thinking about a well-known story.
Readers will come away from this book delighted with the juicy behind-the-scenes stories about cast, director, playwright and the various productions and will also renew their curiosity about the connection between the role of Blanche and Viven Leigh's insatiable sexual appetite and later descent into breakdown. They may also--for the first time--question whether the character of Blanche was actually "mad" or whether her anxiousness was symptomatic of another disorder.
"A Streetcar Named Desire" is one of the most haunting and most-studied modern plays. Staggs' new book will fascinate fans and richen newcomers' understanding of its importance in American theater and movie history.
Readers will come away from this book delighted with the juicy behind-the-scenes stories about cast, director, playwright and the various productions and will also renew their curiosity about the connection between the role of Blanche and Viven Leigh's insatiable sexual appetite and later descent into breakdown. They may also--for the first time--question whether the character of Blanche was actually "mad" or whether her anxiousness was symptomatic of another disorder.
"A Streetcar Named Desire" is one of the most haunting and most-studied modern plays. Staggs' new book will fascinate fans and richen newcomers' understanding of its importance in American theater and movie history.
432 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2005
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169 people want to read
About the author
Sam Staggs
23 books28 followersSam Staggs is the author of several books, including biographies of movies: All About All About Eve, Close-Up on Sunset Boulevard, When Blanche Met Brando, and Born to be Hurt. He has written for publications including Vanity Fair and Architectural Digest. He lives in Dallas, Texas.
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
January 17, 2025
A Streetcar Named Desire is one of my favorite films hands down. Also probably my favorite play. I have seen the classic film countless times- and am always enthralled and continue to find myself surprised at observing countless new details, from Richard Day's production design that has become the standard in which all sets are based on; the costumes designed by Lucinda Ballard, the immortal jazz influence score by Alex North- all new things come to mind whenever I watch the movie again.
Mr. Staggs has done an excellent job researching both Tennessee Williams' play and movie version both with an affection for camp, and a serious love of the art of theater and cinema.
From reconstructing the casting of original Broadway Blanche DuBois, Jessica Tandy; the discovery of the magnetic Marlon Brando, actors Karl Malden and Kim Hunter, and how it became a hit movie, with Vivien Leigh replacing Jessica Tandy as Blanche.
With Leigh having played Blanche in the original London production, Eliza Kazan and Jack Warner casting Ms. Leigh as Blanche would forever define her career, and her personal life as one tragic mold, with her intensity and manic depression constantly making her real life and the character of Blanche become one.
Staggs observes this with acute precision, and I wholeheartedly agree with him: Vivien Leigh gives one of the most unforgettable performances on film, and is rewarded with a second Oscar for her incredible bravery.
Most audiences remember Marlon Brando- the hyper masculinity, greasy t-shirts, shirtless showing off his body and the immortal screaming of Stella's name from down the balcony; but Mr. Staggs gives his research and dedication all back to Blanche.
Staggs also writes about other versions and revivals of the play, two other film adaptations, and an opera. But his heart remains with I feel, the film- for its the only recorded document in which we see four actors who had originated their parts on stage originally, then transferred them into film posterity.
Postscript:
How lucky am I to have seen a legendary stage version of Streetcar?!
I am reflecting on the 2009 Brooklyn Academy of Music production of "Streetcar" directed by Liv Ullman; and starring Cate Blanchett and Joel Edgerton as Blanche and Stanley.
In this version, with Mr. Williams' complete play intact without any cuts from censors, Ms. Blanchett delivered what I think is the most fully realized characterization I've seen on stage, and you cannot compare her portrayal to that of Vivien Leigh's haunted and broken woman. The ghost of Vivien Leigh is gently put to rest during the three hour duration of Ullman’s interpretation because Blanchett’s portrayal is so startlingly original and defiant.
Ms. Blanchett’s Blanche begins the play slow and steady, her mind intact, eventually dissolving into disillusion and madness, a harrowing process that makes her one of literature's greatest tragic women.
The production design was not of a New Orleans apartment, but garishly lit with the harshness and melancholy of an Edward Hopper painting.
With the film starring off with Blanche already broken and unsteady, it’s apparent that Leigh's personal life certainly factored in her acting choices around playing Blanche, drawing from her own tragic experiences.
Ms. Blanchett has created someone completely new, and gradually, you fall under her spell eventually with a different mindset. When I saw this version, Blanchett was given six encores and it was the hottest ticket in town, years before Hamilton was thought of.
Overall, though Mr. Staggs did not write about Cate Blanchett's version, since his book was published in 2005- the film is definitely enough for those who 1) Want to see a definitive production of his play 2) Interested in the art of acting- the classical, fluttery style of Vivien Leigh's; with a little Method mixed into it; and of course, Marlon Brando's portrayal in which he reveals so many hidden layers and dimensions to Stanley, because of the Method approach.
Both are compelling performances, and it is always great to know that both Leigh and Brando respected and got on with each other- never letting either of their characters in the way of their eventual friendship.
Marlon Brando has gone on record to say that Ms. Leigh was perfect casting- and right he is, in my opinion. Like the great Scarlett O'Hara she played back in 1939, Blanche is also a Southern belle.
But unlike Scarlett who is an amoral tank who knows how to adapt to change, Blanche cannot which makes her all the more tragic and vulnerable. It is thanks to Vivien Leigh for having played both characters, both rewarded with Best Actress Oscars (1939, 1951).
PS- I bought this book ten years ago, and finally read it cover to cover.
Mr. Staggs has done an excellent job researching both Tennessee Williams' play and movie version both with an affection for camp, and a serious love of the art of theater and cinema.
From reconstructing the casting of original Broadway Blanche DuBois, Jessica Tandy; the discovery of the magnetic Marlon Brando, actors Karl Malden and Kim Hunter, and how it became a hit movie, with Vivien Leigh replacing Jessica Tandy as Blanche.
With Leigh having played Blanche in the original London production, Eliza Kazan and Jack Warner casting Ms. Leigh as Blanche would forever define her career, and her personal life as one tragic mold, with her intensity and manic depression constantly making her real life and the character of Blanche become one.
Staggs observes this with acute precision, and I wholeheartedly agree with him: Vivien Leigh gives one of the most unforgettable performances on film, and is rewarded with a second Oscar for her incredible bravery.
Most audiences remember Marlon Brando- the hyper masculinity, greasy t-shirts, shirtless showing off his body and the immortal screaming of Stella's name from down the balcony; but Mr. Staggs gives his research and dedication all back to Blanche.
Staggs also writes about other versions and revivals of the play, two other film adaptations, and an opera. But his heart remains with I feel, the film- for its the only recorded document in which we see four actors who had originated their parts on stage originally, then transferred them into film posterity.
Postscript:
How lucky am I to have seen a legendary stage version of Streetcar?!
I am reflecting on the 2009 Brooklyn Academy of Music production of "Streetcar" directed by Liv Ullman; and starring Cate Blanchett and Joel Edgerton as Blanche and Stanley.
In this version, with Mr. Williams' complete play intact without any cuts from censors, Ms. Blanchett delivered what I think is the most fully realized characterization I've seen on stage, and you cannot compare her portrayal to that of Vivien Leigh's haunted and broken woman. The ghost of Vivien Leigh is gently put to rest during the three hour duration of Ullman’s interpretation because Blanchett’s portrayal is so startlingly original and defiant.
Ms. Blanchett’s Blanche begins the play slow and steady, her mind intact, eventually dissolving into disillusion and madness, a harrowing process that makes her one of literature's greatest tragic women.
The production design was not of a New Orleans apartment, but garishly lit with the harshness and melancholy of an Edward Hopper painting.
With the film starring off with Blanche already broken and unsteady, it’s apparent that Leigh's personal life certainly factored in her acting choices around playing Blanche, drawing from her own tragic experiences.
Ms. Blanchett has created someone completely new, and gradually, you fall under her spell eventually with a different mindset. When I saw this version, Blanchett was given six encores and it was the hottest ticket in town, years before Hamilton was thought of.
Overall, though Mr. Staggs did not write about Cate Blanchett's version, since his book was published in 2005- the film is definitely enough for those who 1) Want to see a definitive production of his play 2) Interested in the art of acting- the classical, fluttery style of Vivien Leigh's; with a little Method mixed into it; and of course, Marlon Brando's portrayal in which he reveals so many hidden layers and dimensions to Stanley, because of the Method approach.
Both are compelling performances, and it is always great to know that both Leigh and Brando respected and got on with each other- never letting either of their characters in the way of their eventual friendship.
Marlon Brando has gone on record to say that Ms. Leigh was perfect casting- and right he is, in my opinion. Like the great Scarlett O'Hara she played back in 1939, Blanche is also a Southern belle.
But unlike Scarlett who is an amoral tank who knows how to adapt to change, Blanche cannot which makes her all the more tragic and vulnerable. It is thanks to Vivien Leigh for having played both characters, both rewarded with Best Actress Oscars (1939, 1951).
PS- I bought this book ten years ago, and finally read it cover to cover.
March 21, 2021
This book tells me everything, everything that I want to know and might want to know about various productions but mostly the Vivien Leigh-Marlon Brando-Kim Hunter movie production.
When I next read A Streetcar Named Desire, I wull remember this campy understanding and this rises-from-the-ashes Blanche DuBois. Not that Blanche is a phoenix as she just keeps getting up and going. Tennessee Williams said that he expected Blanche to get herself out of the mental institution and start again. This woman does not stop.
Next time I reread Streetcar, I will have a different understanding, a more fun, campy one.
Because I might want to reread oarts of this book upon a reread, I give 4 stars. (less)
When I next read A Streetcar Named Desire, I wull remember this campy understanding and this rises-from-the-ashes Blanche DuBois. Not that Blanche is a phoenix as she just keeps getting up and going. Tennessee Williams said that he expected Blanche to get herself out of the mental institution and start again. This woman does not stop.
Next time I reread Streetcar, I will have a different understanding, a more fun, campy one.
Because I might want to reread oarts of this book upon a reread, I give 4 stars. (less)
November 15, 2017
For the most part this is a detailed, and surprisingly witty, history of "Streetcar," from its earliest beginnings in Tennessee Williams' imagination through its Broadway run and, later, its classic movie. Every aspect of the production is covered, including detailed biographical sketches for even the walk-on parts (I love the apocryphal story of the actor playing one of the asylum attendants in the final scene, who describes the play as, "about a man who takes a woman to a loony bin"). Author Staggs brings just enough of his own opinion to keep things from becoming mere dry history. The book loses steam toward the end, when he covers subsequent productions in much less detail (although the history of the deaf theater production is fascinating). The best thing about the book is that Staggs places "Streetcar" in the context of its era, while at the same time detailing why it remains timeless.
August 1, 2012
Such a huge disappointment. My all time favorite piece of dramatic literature, one of my favorite movies, and the topic of my college thesis, I have long loved "A Streetcar Named Desire." I was so excited to find this book, a behind the scenes look at the original Broadway production, its transfer to film, and subsequent productions. But, in spite of amazingly interesting source material, this book is a complete snooze. And the writing is awful, in a pretentious way. The author actually gives opinions on performances he hasn't seen and second guesses the opinions of those who were in the audience! Best example of the awful writing was this line regarding a production of 'Streetcar' by a Deaf company; "Perhaps it's fair to say that American Sign Language is harder than Esperanto, but easier than Hungarian." The book is peppered with bizarre and arbitrary sentences like that.
I'm giving it two stars just because there are some really interesting bits of information here on one of the greatest plays of the 20th century.
I'm giving it two stars just because there are some really interesting bits of information here on one of the greatest plays of the 20th century.
April 20, 2008
From this book I learned more than any reasonable person could ever possible want or need to know about A Streetcar Named Desire The writing of it is interesting, so is the initial casting and the goal behind Elia Kazan's ground breaking direction that brought method acting into the mainstream of American performing arts.
The groundbreaking part aside, Stagg tends to gush more than I like. He writes, at times intentionally, like a gossip columnist for a rag newspaper of the times. This is an effective tool, but not compelling for those who don't really want to know about Vivien Liegh's mental state or Marlon Brando's libido.
Nevertheless, it's informative and a great tool to hold onto as you teach the original text to others.
The groundbreaking part aside, Stagg tends to gush more than I like. He writes, at times intentionally, like a gossip columnist for a rag newspaper of the times. This is an effective tool, but not compelling for those who don't really want to know about Vivien Liegh's mental state or Marlon Brando's libido.
Nevertheless, it's informative and a great tool to hold onto as you teach the original text to others.
May 12, 2009
Wonderful history of "A Streetcar Named Desire." Does not gloss over the backstage/backscreen bitchiness involved in bringing this to stage/screen in all incarnations and in all years. Interesting bits of trivia. What hath Tennessee Williams wrought?
November 4, 2013
Great backstory on the play and movie! a must read
August 1, 2018
Found this book very absorbing,I have read a few books that go into depth regarding the making of films.i have read others by this author as well as others.it goes into detail of every aspect of the film including some of the extras that appeared in the film.well worth reading.
November 27, 2016
I so very much enjoyed Mr. Staggs informative and amusing background story, "All About All About Eve," that I delved right into "When Blanche Met Brando: The Scandalous Story of "A Streetcar Named Desire." After slogging through hundreds of pages, I'm sorry I did.
There is nothing new here - every date of historical note regarding both the Broadway production and the film version of the play (and there are a LOT of them) are noted with numbing efficiency. Each of the tales, 'scandals,' gossipy backstage stories, and censorship troubles have been well documented before.
I believe literally every single piece of information has been reported upon more than once ... and being a fan of "Streetcar," I've read them all.
If you have no real background information on the play and you're interested, this might be a book to hold your attention (though do not expect any light moments - well - ONE - when there was a brief discussion about Shelley Winters playing Blanche and the author opines in would be the one time when Blanche was more masculine than Stanley).
For anybody who is a Tennessee Williams devotee, this will be a dry re-hash, I'm very sorry to say.
There is nothing new here - every date of historical note regarding both the Broadway production and the film version of the play (and there are a LOT of them) are noted with numbing efficiency. Each of the tales, 'scandals,' gossipy backstage stories, and censorship troubles have been well documented before.
I believe literally every single piece of information has been reported upon more than once ... and being a fan of "Streetcar," I've read them all.
If you have no real background information on the play and you're interested, this might be a book to hold your attention (though do not expect any light moments - well - ONE - when there was a brief discussion about Shelley Winters playing Blanche and the author opines in would be the one time when Blanche was more masculine than Stanley).
For anybody who is a Tennessee Williams devotee, this will be a dry re-hash, I'm very sorry to say.
December 20, 2019
There's a lot of impressive research behind Sam Staggs' history of Tennessee Williams' most famous play, particularly as he deals with the original Broadway production and the 1951 film version. However, he brings some definite prejudices to bear on his storytelling, so the library is open. Mr. Staggs has decided the Method is the way, the truth and the light. As a result, he trashes Jessica Tandy's performance as Blanche on the basis of having seen her perform a scene years later on TV and recorded some scenes for radio. He does even worse by Judith Evelyn, who played Blanche in one of the two touring productions. He apparently has no knowledge of her stage career (or he would know she was a major dramatic star whose casting was something of a coup), but rather focuses on her supporting roles in films and then reports entirely on a memo recounting her causing trouble during costume fittings. Those two actresses deserve a lot better, so be warned. If you know and admire their work, you're going to end up royally pissed off.
June 5, 2014
A history of Tennessee Williams' A Streetcar Named Desire, focused on the original 1947 Broadway production and the 1951 film, both of which helped shoot Marlon Brando to stardom. Hidden in the book are some interesting mostly gossipy tidbits, but the book is written in a personal, idiosyncratic style that, while fun in the beginning, wore me down by the halfway point. It feels like the author is trying for the style that Ethan Mordden uses in his series of books on Broadway history, but Mordden's books are a joy to read while this one became a bit of a chore; like a long, long Vanity Fair article that runs out of steam. Most irritatingly, he disses Jessica Tandy (the original Blanche on stage) even though he didn't see her in the role, based on a televised excerpt she appeared in years later.
February 10, 2017
Two and a half stars, rounded up because of how much I love the source material.
A Streetcar Named Desire is one of my favorite plays, so I was excited to finally read this book after owning it for so many years. There are some great tidbits of information here and at times keen insight into the kind of man Tennessee Williams was... but I couldn't stand the gossipy, overly catty tone of the writing. Honestly it ruined what could have been a four or five star book for me.
A Streetcar Named Desire is one of my favorite plays, so I was excited to finally read this book after owning it for so many years. There are some great tidbits of information here and at times keen insight into the kind of man Tennessee Williams was... but I couldn't stand the gossipy, overly catty tone of the writing. Honestly it ruined what could have been a four or five star book for me.
January 15, 2014
Aside from the fact that the author was completely enamored of Marlon Brando, it was clear that Sam Staggs had done extensive research on Tennessee Williams, and all of the players involved with bringing Streetcar to the stage and screen. Mini-biographies on nearly everyone (including costumers and bit-players) were interesting at times, but mostly tedious. Most interesting to me was the information on Vivien Leigh, whose health issues and ultimate breakdown were heartbreaking.
I suppose if I cared more about the work itself, this might have been a better read.....
I suppose if I cared more about the work itself, this might have been a better read.....
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August 1, 2019Staggs (also the author of books on the making of ALL ABOUT EVE and SUNSET BOULEVARD) does a fine job in this book (more complex than the other 2 because, of course, STREETCAR was a play before it was a famous film). One minor gripe: Staggs--who likes to camp it up, but usually not to the point where he gets annoying--never mentions Mary McCarthy's wrongheaded article, "A Streetcar Named Success." I would have enjoyed reading the bitchy response he'd have no doubt given MM's bitchy review.
November 4, 2016
This was just a fun read, keeping me up way later than I should have been on many nights. It's in many ways a breezy, bitchy gossip column from the Golden Age of Hollywood, but it's also mixed with a wealth of research and unexpected depths. It's not a scholarly book in any way, but an engrossing look at the making of Streetcar on stage and (mostly) on film. It's more delicious, delightful, and compelling than it has a right to be.
March 1, 2013
I love Staggs's gossipy, campy accounts of the production and reception of classic gay movies - the All About Eve book was incredible and this is almost as good. The hilarious story of Tallulah Bankhead's stage turn as Blanche was a definite highlight, but the book is packed with great anecdotes. Now I need to rescreen Streetcar.
February 20, 2008
Staggs is a lot of fun to read, but every now and then he gets quasi-academic with "camp" literary theory. He does the same thing in "All About All About Eve," but it somehow works a little better in this earlier book.
August 26, 2008
Essentially a biography of a great play turned great movie. Well researched and pretty well written.
June 16, 2011
Very interesting, especially to learn the back story of the play and more about Williams.
March 10, 2013
Kind of boring and dragged on. Seemed like a load of extraneous information that could have been cut out to make the book shorter and more informative without having to dig for the points.
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews