MovieChat Forums > A Streetcar Named Desire (1984) Discussion > Best Version of the 3 fillms

Best Version of the 3 fillms

posted 13 years ago by dedoc1967
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Having seen all three film versions (and a Broadway mounting with Blythe Danner and Aidan Quinn long ago), I can honestly say that this production surpassed the others. To me it was just dripping with humanity and truth, while the others felt like arch museum-pieces, authentic but lifeless and cold. I saw it on TV way back in 1984 and now, nearly 30 years later, still remember how mesmerizing the performances and the language were. This, and the Elizabeth Taylor/Richard Burton film version of Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? are the two best movies-from-plays I've ever seen. And I've seen most of them. LOL.

I didn't know Ann-Margret much when I saw the movie. I just remembered her a little bit from Tommy and as an entertainer my parents kind of liked. But wow. What a performance. Just simply amazing. She made Blanche seem like she could actually exist and sound natural in that fantastical Williams prose. This production remains truly a must-see and it is such a horrible, shameful disappointment that it remains unavailable on DVD -- likely to fade into obscurity. What a pity.

[–] jillian.diamond 10 years ago

Watching this made me realize that I had underestimated Ann-Margret as an actress. The whole cast was good, even the smaller parts.

I have heard some people gripe that AM did not have Leigh's fragility, but considering the part was supposedly originally written for Telluluah Bankhead I am not certain that fragility is what Willams had in mind.

My only issue with this production is that while I like both AM and D'Angelo's performances I just don't buy them as sisters.