In a movie, besides the original plot and script that are required, the other component that a film needs to be successful is, of course, the ability of the actors to bring their characters to life in a way that is appealing to their audience.
In the 1951 adaptation of Elia Kazan's A Streetcar Named Desire, Marlon Brando truly became his character and succeeded in his role. He had a controversial role to play of a man who is brutal and cruel but in need of affection from his wife, Stella (Kim Hunter), even though many times he proceeded to hit and abuse her although she was pregnant.
Marlon Brando did a fantastic job. He truly was his character all throughout the movie, and not once did he let his audience miss out any internal emotions or have a doubt about the power of his character that needed to be shown.
Especially during the scenes of rage and anger, we could see his expressions change, making us believe that he had fooled us so far and that he was not the husband that we had thought he was. Those scenes only last seconds but enough to show his brilliance.
Through the movie we are misled to believe that his character was the one that was being wrong about his wife's sister and her delusional state of mind. At the table scene in which he burst out in anger and smashed the plates, he showed that his character possessed a power over the rest as his wife and her sister, Blanche (Vivien Leigh) lower their heads in fear.
Marlon Brando was spectacular in A Streetcar Named Desire, and his career shot through the roof after that, so that people would come to know about his magnificent work.