To the Editor,
I recently watched a black and white film on the classic movie channel and was quite spellbound by the storyline and quality of acting, even though I had seen the movie several years ago. It was “A Streetcar Named Desire,” made in 1951 and starring Vivien Leigh as Blanche DuBois and Marlon Brando as her younger brother-in-law, Stanley Kowalski.
The movie was mainly about their interactions inside a small rundown New Orleans tenement apartment where Stanley lived with Blanche’s sister Stella; only a few external locations were used in the entire film. Blanche came to stay with her sister, and soon became a thorn in the volatile Stanley’s side; the story followed circumstances that led to Blanche having a breakdown, and eventually being taken to a mental health institution.
After some research, I found that despite the movie having a dozen Oscar nominations with four wins, it was only fifth on the list of highest-grossing films for 1951, being topped by “Quo Vadis,” Show Boat,” “David and Bathsheba” and “The Great Caruso.”
In the seven decades that have elapsed, there have been some wonderful movies made from outstanding scriptwriters by very talented producers and directors, starring great female and male actors. There have been so many technical advances in the movie industry from 1951 to 2023 that it would be difficult to know where to start, and the money involved in all aspects of the industry is somewhat mind-blowing.
Quite unbelievably, the highest-grossing movie of 2023 was “Barbie,” a live-action fantasy about a plastic doll and her partner. Makes me wonder just how far we have really advanced in 72 years, despite all the high-tech components in Hollywood and in our everyday lives, for such fascinating literary characters as Blanche DuBois and Stanley Kowalski to be replaced by Barbie and Ken.
Bernie Smith,
Parksville
