This paper will compare and contrast the written form of Tennessee
Williams’ play $6WUHHWFDU1DPHG'HVLUH1 with the 1951 movie version.2 It
will explain and discuss the major differences between the two, focusing
on the issue of censorship as it was an important factor in the
development of the play from its Broadway form into a film. As this paper
will show this was due to the fact that during the 1940s and 50s the world
of theater in America was much more permissive than that of film. This
paper will also examine Williams’ concept of a ’plastic theater’, an
innovative approach by him which utilized music, sound effects, movement
and lighting to express abstract themes. His idea of a ’plastic theater’, was
closer to the world of film than to the traditional form of the stage and is
evident in $6WUHHWFDU1DPHG'HVLUH. It influenced the adaptation of the
play to the big screen.
[...]
Table of Contents
1.0 Introduction
2.0 Williams’ ’Plastic Theater’
3.0 Censorship
4.0 Changes
4.1 Opening Scene
4.2 Female Sexuality
4.3 Homosexuality
4.4 Rape Scene
4.5 Closing Scene
5.0 Impact
6.0 Conclusion
7.0 Bibliography
Objectives and Topics
This paper examines the adaptation of Tennessee Williams' play "A Streetcar Named Desire" into the 1951 film, focusing on how censorship and Williams' unique "plastic theater" concept shaped the transition from stage to screen.
- The impact of censorship on narrative and dialogue
- Tennessee Williams' innovative "plastic theater" technique
- Cinematic representation of Blanche DuBois and Stanley Kowalski
- Visual metaphors and lighting as psychological storytelling devices
- Structural differences between the original stage play and the film adaptation
Excerpt from the Book
2.0 Williams' 'Plastic Theater'
Williams was somewhat dissatisfied with what he saw as the realism of theater and wanted to create theatrical excitement in his plays. He envisaged a production in which all elements would serve his central concern with his characters, and also tried to find verbal equivalents for those characters inner selves. Being much influenced by poetry, particularly the works of Hart Crane, Williams avoided theatrical diction in his stage dialogue, instead using poetic language. He wrote speeches for his characters which are almost lyrical at times. Williams expressed abstract themes through the use of sound-effects, music, lighting and movement. These expressionistic techniques were an embodiment of a new dramatic form, what he termed his ’plastic theater’.
Summary of Chapters
1.0 Introduction: This chapter outlines the comparison between the stage play and the 1951 film, introducing the themes of censorship and the "plastic theater" concept.
2.0 Williams’ ’Plastic Theater’: This section explores Williams' unique dramatic approach, emphasizing his use of non-verbal expressions like music and lighting to externalize inner character states.
3.0 Censorship: This chapter analyzes the restrictive influence of the Motion Picture Production Code and the Catholic Legion of Decency on the film's content.
4.0 Changes: This section investigates specific alterations in the narrative, including the opening, character sexuality, homosexuality, the rape scene, and the ending.
5.0 Impact: This chapter discusses how the translation of the work to film affected audience perception and how the director maintained the play's thematic intensity.
6.0 Conclusion: The concluding chapter summarizes how the film successfully adapted the play while navigating severe external censorship constraints.
Keywords
Tennessee Williams, A Streetcar Named Desire, Elia Kazan, Plastic Theater, Censorship, Production Code, Film Adaptation, Blanche DuBois, Stanley Kowalski, Homosexuality, Expressionism, Cinematography, Drama
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary focus of this paper?
The paper performs a comparative analysis between the written play "A Streetcar Named Desire" and the 1951 motion picture adaptation, highlighting the differences enforced by Hollywood censorship.
What is the concept of "plastic theater"?
It is an innovative approach by Tennessee Williams using music, lighting, and sound effects to express abstract themes and internal character emotions rather than relying on traditional realism.
How did censorship affect the film adaptation?
Censorship required significant cuts and modifications, specifically regarding female sexuality, homosexuality, and the depiction of the rape scene, as well as mandating a more "penitential" ending.
Which research methodology does the author use?
The author employs a comparative literary and media analysis, examining original stage directions and dialogues against the finalized screenplay and cinematic choices made by Elia Kazan.
What is the central argument regarding the film's ending?
The author argues that while the film appears to satisfy the censors by showing Stanley being punished, this punishment is largely an illusion, as the characters remain trapped in their cycle of behavior.
How is Blanche DuBois characterized in the text?
She is presented as a delicate, fragile character ("a moth") who is fundamentally at odds with the coarse, masculine environment of the Kowalski tenement.
How does the film use lighting to replace theatrical techniques?
The film utilizes shadow, barred lighting, and close-ups to create a sense of claustrophobia and psychological distortion, effectively replacing the stage-based "plastic theater" effects.
What role does the "Varsouviana" polka play?
It acts as a sound-based motif that triggers Blanche's traumatic memories of her husband Allan's suicide and her accompanying feelings of guilt.
How does the author interpret the phallic symbolism of the hose scene?
The author suggests the street cleaner's hose serves as a visual pun that underscores the rape, representing Stanley's attempt to "cleanse" his world of Blanche.
- Quote paper
- Michael Grawe (Author), 1999, Tennessee Williams' "A Streetcar Named Desire" - Contrasting the play with the 1951 movie production, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/3437
