I have to be honest that I personally am not a fan when it comes to old classic movies that are made in black and white back in the 50's. However, after seeing the classic 1951 film A Streetcar Named Desire, directed by Elia Kazan and based on Tennessee Williams' 1947 play, my opinion changed. I would have to say that one big factor that kept me interested in this movie was Marlon Brando playing his role as Stanley. I am a big fan of Marlon Brando, which makes any movie that he is starring in one of interest to me. But Brando is not the only reason I like the film. I enjoyed the overall plot of the story.
Stella, Stanley's wife (Kim Hunter), informs him that her sister, Blanche (Vivien Leigh), has come to stay with them for a while. He initially] has no objections to it, and Blanche decides to stay. However, it is her unexpected lengthy stay that Stanley objects to. On top of that he has had to put up with her psychotic personality and crazy behavior. Then when he tries to explain to Stella that her sister is a lunatic, he gets ridiculed by Stella, who at first does not believe him.
This is the point that the viewer begins to see the dark side of Stanley. Any time Stella embarrasses him he gets angry and starts yelling at her, breaks things in the house, and at one point hits her. This destructive behavior is something he needs to work at, but having her crazy sister in the house is not helping the cause.
Any time someone comes prancing into someone else's home and expects to be treated on hand and foot at the touch of a button and then complains when she does not get something her way is going to and should be treated harshly. Stanley does a good job to sniff out the true side of Blanche and sees through her lies and deception that are ruining his home life. This is why I do not blame him for throwing her out of his home and into an asylum.
In conclusion, this film was one that caught my attention and kept me on the edge of my seat. The thing I enjoyed the most was seeing a young Marlon Brando play the role as Stanley. The only thing I was disappointed in was the ending. I believed that Stella should have stayed with him in the end, as she does in the original 1947 play by Tennessee Williams.