Sunday, September 7, 2008

Blanche Brought to Life

This blog question isn't very difficult for me. The older version of the movie where Blanche is played by Vivien Leigh portrays the true character that Tennessee Williams was trying to create. I understand who Tennessee Williams was trying to create through his famous quote where he said, "I have found it easier to identify with the characters who verge upon hysteria, who were frightened of life, who were desperate to reach out to another person. But these seemingly fragile people are the strong people really."

I see this in Vivien Leigh as opposed to Jessica Lange. In the modern rendition of The Streetcar Named Desire, I didn't feel that Ms. Lange was involved in the emotional aspects of the character. She wasn't the least bit sincere or delicate. Now, I believe Vivien Leigh portrayed the character successfully, where Tennessee Williams would have been able to identify with her. She was emotionally involved in the character she portrayed through the scene where I truly saw her in a hystaric nature, and she was desperately looking to find someone to be by her side, (cough) (cough) Mitch.

Vivien Leigh truly looked frightened by life and fragile. Tennessee Williams would have appreciated her work in the 1951 version of the novel. I saw Blanche in Vivien Leigh, but saw just a phony actress in Jessica Lange.

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