Vivien Leigh gives a far more delicate and subtle performance of a far more difficult character than Brando had to do with Stanley. For me it is Vivien's Blanche that sticks in my mind far more than Brando's stanley.
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I agree. Vivien Leigh was an amazing actress. :)
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As great as Brando is, and I still feel it's his best performance, Vivien Leigh tops him. They both, though, give two of the cinema's most stirring performances.
"Now what kind of man are YOU dude?"
Vivien was a great actress, expecially in this movie but while she gave us a theatrical acting experience, Brando was just The acting. Anytime Brando is on the screen u forget about the other actors, not bcoz they are not good but simply bcoz Brando Charisma was never equalled.
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I agree Vivien was very good and definately one of the top 2 in this film, but Brando was electrifying! You couldn't not look, even though at times you wanted to. He was a horrid animal, but up until almost the end you felt for him. I almost felt like even though he was this big testostarone fueled caveman type, he still came across as the under dog to me.
Brando was as good as the hype, and was worth the baggage.
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She was mesmerizing! Brando was brilliant, just brilliant (he reminded me so much of someone I know - it was freaky!) but I feel that Blanche, as a character was much more complicated to portray, with so many layers. On the other hand, Stanley, well, I think we all know a Stanley in one way or another.imho
Watching the two of them on screen together was pure magic!
Completely agree. Vivien's character is more complicated and delicated than Brando's. And she could showed us her best ability so did Brando.
shareAccording to several sources, including an interview with Olivier, Vivien Leigh was having some mental/emotional problems before and during the making of this film. I think that added to her performances in a way that has never been equalled in the role of Blanche. Her real fragility only added to the brilliant performance.
"If I don't suit chu, you kin cut mah thoat!"
...Blanche...was much more complicated to portray, with so many layers.
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Reading some of these other posts that criticize Vivien's performance for being too theatrical or over the top, well I'm not sure they've read the play because everything vivien does couldn't be more appropriate to character described in Williams' pages...
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I don't think Leigh was better--Brando and Leigh were equally good. They both breathe amazingly realistic life into their respective parts and both performances are simply brilliant. Kim Hunter's saunter down the steps almost upstages them, imo--her Stella is just pitch-perfect.
"My place is all cleared up; you want me to clear yours?"
Hi ILoveMuggy,
I agree that everyone in tis film was at the top of their game. I must say that though I've seen several productions and good Blanches, I've never seen another actor touch Brando. When you see others do it, you realize how sparsely written the character is compared to Blanche, yet Brando is her equal in every scene. By the way, Kim Hunter rocked as Stella!
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Agreed. She gives one of the greatest performance out of any actor ever.
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