A Trip to Illusion.

"They told me to take a streetcar named Desire, and then transfer to once called Cemeteries and ride six blocks and get off at Elysian Fields"

- Blanche DuBois

True story: when I visited New Orleans in 2001, I spent an entire afternoon looking for the place where A Streetcar Named Desire takes place.

Deep inside I knew that I would never find the exact same house where Blanche DuBois loses her mind. I knew it was a set.

Yet the illusion of finding a place I cherished in my mind, defied my better judgment and I ended up circling and circling the city - Williams' play in hand- until I arrived at the exact destination pointed out in the play.

Not so surprisingly I reached a dead end, Elysian Fields after all, was the resting place of the gods. The address in the book led me to a place filled with square grey buildings, devoid of any personality and most definitely not the place where Stanley Kowalski screamed his legendary "Hey Stella!".

Reflecting on the experience, I'd taken the trip Blanche DuBois (Vivien Leigh) took. She arrived to an unknown place, carrying nothing but hope and left filled with disappointment and loss of illusion.

This doesn't stop her, however, from taking on this very journey each and every time the play is performed, or whenever the movie is played somewhere.

Blanche's is condemned to try and find her world of enchantment .

This is beautifully expressed in Elia Kazan's film through the use of mirrors. When we first meet Blanche, she's quite keen on looking glasses.

The camera often catches her near a mirror in Stella's house, and said object takes on a significant role whenever the heroine has to confront herself.

Yet as the movie unfolds, Blanche's reflection is seen less and less. Other characters are framed on the mirror while Blanche loses her mind and stops looking at herself.

During one of the film's crucial scenes, her lover Mitch (Karl Malden), arrives drunk at her house asking for explanations to the stories he'e heard about her.

Before opening the door, Blanche takes a look in the mirror, but we are not allowed to see what she sees. Perhaps her reflection has become too distorted for us to watch.

When Mitch confronts her and demands to see her face up close, we are given that "privilege", but Blanche isn't. Mitch grabs her and throws her, but the mirror is now beside her.

She closes her eyes in horror. She refuses to see what she's become and she's also afarid to see what Mitch sees- the eyes being a mirror of sorts.

This leads us to my favorite shot in the movie.

Here Blanche has completely lost her mind. She dresses up in her best clothes and pretends she's at one of the balls she used to attend during her prime.

Blanche never looks more lovely than in this scene and through the composition, Kazan lets us know what will become of the tragic heroine.

Notice how Blanche looks lovingly to the right, convinced that she's in the presence of something divine (she even asks this space if she can rest her head on its shoulder).

In western spirituality, the right symbolizes the power of God, and more than that: his authority.

We understand then why Blanche declares "suddenly there is God" (in that scene she's in the right, Mitch stands to the left). The left then would come to symbolize, the antithesis of God.

Even in Buddhism, the right represents compassion, the left embodies emptiness.

The mirror to the left tells us that Blanche has let go of the earthly influence and has surrendered to the power of her own version of god. The one that shall grant her happiness and kindness, in the midst of chaos.

This illusion is lost when Stanley enters the scene and turns on the light.

In the bible, eating from the tree of knowledge sent Eve spiraling towards perdition. In Streetcar, the light makes Blanche aware of her insanity.

Next time the mirror comes up she's in the middle of a quarrel with her brother in law. She holds a white handkerchief in front of the mirror, as if asking for a truce.

The mirror refuses her and as Stanley attacks her, even turns its back on Blanche. She turned her back to reality and now reality is making its own justice.

As Blanche falls victim to Stanley's attack, the mirror shatters.

Reality is no longer an option for Blanche.

The last time we see the mirror, we see it behind a curtain that serves as a filter between the camera and the reality of the film.

We understand now that Blanche isn't part of our world at all, the mirror-which has conspicuously been put back together-reflects Blanche's split personalities. Now there's two of her: the one in the physical world and the one that has gone to the actual limbo of Elysian Fields.

Notice how neither has a complete face.

She no longer knows who she is and neither do we.

Illusion has prevailed, even as hope has completely vanished.

- This post is part of The Film Experience's "Hit Me With Your Best Shot".

Here to Stay.

The greatest film ever made turns 70 today.
Join me in the celebration by clicking on the picture to read a piece I wrote about it.

A Century of Brilliance.

Elia Kazan (1909-2003) would've turned one hundred years old today. Born Elia Kazanjoglous in Istanbul in 1909 to Greek parents, he migrated to the United States where he became one of the greatest, most versatile, theatrical and film directors that ever lived (that slight bias you're detecting must be because he's one of my Holy Trinity of movie directors).
Despite his infamous involvement in the HUAAC name-naming which made him a polarizing figure in Hollywood (yet inspired "On the Waterfront"...) his contributions to the craft are undeniable.
He practically discovered Marlon Brando and James Dean. Both of them received Best Actor Oscar nominations for their very first movies with Elia-which also happened to be their debuts of sorts-and Brando was nominated for every movie he did with him (he led 21 actors and actresses to Oscar nominations and 9 of them won the award).
He also funded the Actors Studio in 1947 which revolutionized the way movie acting was conceived.
His ability to use the Studio System to treat such diverse, and controversial, topics as racism, rape, antisemitism, sexual disorders and homosexuality brought him acclaim and made him a unique voice in Hollywood.
Somehow though his legacy has been a bit muddled not only by that HUAAC mess but also because his subtle directorial efforts are seen by today's audiences more as actors' achievements.
Yes, Brando and Vivien Leigh were extraordinary in "A Streetcar Named Desire" and nobody
can forget Dean in "East of Eden", but their performances would've stayed at a base level if it wasn't for Kazan.
His latter filmography is also a vault of hidden treasures including a definitive Robert de Niro performance in the all-star adaptation of "The Last Tycoon".
But don't take my word for it, go out and watch how with a mere camera Kazan could create enchantment.

Ride It.

A.O. Scott over at the NY Times, does a wonderful analysis of my favorite film of all times.
Go to it by clicking on the pic!

Here's Looking at You Mitch. (1912-2009)

Academy Award winning actor Karl Malden has passed away at the age of 97.
The prolific actor starred in dozens of movies, television shows and plays. It was his performance in a "A Streetcar Named Desire" (perhaps my favorite film of all time) that earned him an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor being part of what is perhaps the greatest ensemble work captured on film.
He played Mitch, the kind, pure hearted overachiever wooing Vivien Leigh's not so pure Blanche DuBois. Mitch could've been played as a silly character, but Malden brought to him an integrity that is only more impressive when he unleashes his beastly side (in one of the most electrifying scenes ever).
He did great work with directors like Alfred Hitchcock, Franklin J. Schaffner, Norman Jewison, John Frankenheimer and Elia Kazan, who arguably gave him his greatest acting challenges in movies like "Streetcar", "Baby Doll" and "On the Waterfront" in which he played a hard fighting priest looking for justice within the corruption of dock union bosses.
Ironically more than four decades later he ended up "reprising" his role as he became an advocate of awarding Kazan with an Honorary Oscar. Kazan had become controversial and polarizing after "naming names" before the HUAAC.
But just like his character in "On the Waterfront" does with Brando's Terry Malloy, Malden saw beyond the "stool pigeon" labeling and reminded the world that Kazan after all had been an artist.
Malden served as President of AMPAS from 1988-1992. May he rest in peace.

Southern Belles.

In this corner we have Bette Davis in "Jezebel".
In the other corner we have Vivien Leigh in "Gone With the Wind".
Hollywood history has always places these characters against each other. And it seems kind logical they would.
After all they have some similarities.

"Jezebel" 1938
Julie Marsden: a spoiled New Orleans belle engaged to Preston Dillard (Henry Fonda) who spends most of the film acting with no regard for the consequences or for others; in the process causing death, breakups and more gossip than a plantation can handle.
By film's end she discovers she is not who she thought she was and is forced to take a hard decision that completely changes the course of her life.
Scandal dress: a red gown she wears to the Olympian Ball. She was supposed to wear white...
Time conscious phrase: "This is 1852 dumplin', 1852, not the Dark Ages. Girls don't have to simper around in white just because they're not married. "
Cute ironic moment: "Why do you treat me like a child? "
Epiphany: "I'm askin' for the chance to prove I can be brave and strong and unselfish. Help me, Amy. Help me make myself clean again as you are clean. Let me prove myself worthy of the love I bear him. "
Best Actress Oscar: Yes.

"Gone With the Wind" 1939
Scarlett O'Hara: a spoiled Southern belle who spends her days lusting over Ashley Wilkes (Leslie Howard) and goes around flirting with everyone with no regard for the consequences or for others; in the process she causes deaths, breakups and more gossip than a small town bazaar can handle.
By film's end she discovers she is far from being who she thought she was and is forced to take a hard decision that completely changes the course of her life.
Scandal dress: a black mourning gown she wears to the Atlanta bazaar. She wasn't even supposed to be there...
Time conscious phrase: "War, war, war; this war talk's spoiling all the fun at every party this spring. I get so bored I could scream. Besides... there isn't going to be any war. "
Cute ironic moment: "Ooh, if I just wasn't a lady, WHAT wouldn't I tell that varmint. "
Epiphany: "As God is my witness, as God is my witness they're not going to lick me. I'm going to live through this and when it's all over, I'll never be hungry again. No, nor any of my folk. If I have to lie, steal, cheat or kill. As God is my witness, I'll never be hungry again. "
Best Actress Oscar: Yes.

Truth be told, despite these things in common, each of the performances is a unique work of art, but Hollywood loves its feuds, especially those that never even happened and a legend has been built around the idea that "Jezebel" was made because Bette made a tantrum after she lost the part of Scarlett.
People have called it Davis' "Gone With the Wind" and while that idea inspires catfight fantasies in movie lovers, the real deal is that it was nothing like this.
When "Jezebel" was made Scarlett was still the role everyone was dying for. Bette Davis was always top choice and if anything in "Jezebel" has something to do with "Gone With the Wind" you might say perhaps that "Jezebel" is the most expensive audition tape in Hollywood history.
Bette didn't get the role, but she got her second Oscar and entered the history books.
Not so bad for a "second place" huh?