When Blanche Met Brando: The Scandalous Story of "A Streetcar Named Desire" (Paperback)

~ (Author)
Key Phrases: flores para los muertos, house with women, white jazz, New York, Vivien Leigh, Tennessee Williams (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Tennessee Williams's 1947 masterpiece took Broadway by storm and made the brooding Marlon Brando a star. Blanche DuBois's last line, "I have always depended on the kindness of strangers," has become a cliché, but Staggs (All About All About Eve; Close-Up on Sunset Boulevard) argues that the whole play is a seminal work, which still "seduces with its disordered exoticism and its power to engulf." He has crafted an entertaining behind-the-scenes narrative of both the play and the film—from Williams's early drafts to the film's battles with Hollywood censors. Rather than dwell on academic interpretations of Streetcar, Staggs takes a more personal tack. He profiles everyone from director Elia Kazan to Jessica Tandy (Broadway's Blanche) as well as backstage personnel. The result is a comprehensive minihistory of 20th-century American stage and screen. And he doesn't stint on tabloid juice, either, noting that both Vivien Leigh and Kazan had voracious sexual appetites. He also incorporates playful trivia, such as a Jeopardy!-style quiz on actresses who've played Blanche. The inclusion of such lighthearted information balances Staggs's absorbing account of the creation of and continued fascination with this American classic. Photos.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

Review

"Opinionated, revealing, constantly entertaining account of the birth and growth of Tennessee Williams's most famous play."

--Kirkus Reviews

"A comprehensive minihistory of 20th-century American stage and screen and [Staggs] doesn't skimp on tabloid juice."

--Publishers Weekly

 

"With his infectious devotion to "Streetcar," Staggs surely will motivate many to revist the play and watch the film."

--Los Angeles Times

 

"as loquacious and overripe as Blanche herself and as hard to resist."

--Washington Post

“…a spellbinder…”—The Hollywood Reporter
 

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 432 pages
• Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin (July 25, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 031232166X
• ISBN-13: 978-0312321666
• Product Dimensions: 8.1 x 5.5 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #500,530 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

18 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Facts filtered through opinion..., July 7, 2005

By	Todd E. Babcock (Los Angeles, CA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: When Blanche Met Brando: The Scandalous Story of "A Streetcar Named Desire" (Hardcover)

The title of this book is by no means deceiving in it's pulp/tabloid style. The author, while having done much research, revels in his own streaming opinions about Williams, Brando, 'Streetcar' and more importantly, what he 'thinks' happened based on pure speculation. Theres no doubt the simple facts of this production and its titan creators is enough to be compelling material but I often found some of the belittling commentary irritating.
An entire paragraph on Brando's "bubble butt" or describing LAST TANGO IN PARIS as "limp-dick cinema" should give the reader some idea of the level of cattiness married to erudition you have here. If you are looking for less of a 'personal' contribution from the author I would recommend Donald Spoto's book on Williams and Peter Manso's on Brando (the latter cited repeatedly in this book).
If you are simply looking for an information-laden, STAR magazine read for the summer...you've come to the right place. Or, if you're like me, you want any kernal of wisdom not already covered in other tomes (i.e. Kazan's A LIFE) you may turn over a few stones between the speculation and hetero-phobic opinions.

11 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This book delivers magic!, June 6, 2005

By	Jett McRae "hollywood history lover" (United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: When Blanche Met Brando: The Scandalous Story of "A Streetcar Named Desire" (Hardcover)

This is a fantastic book; I devoured it in one sitting. It details everything you'd ever want to know about Tennessee Williams' famous play, and the resulting movie, as well as subsequent appearances on stage and TV. The intriguing anecdotes regarding Brando, Vivien Leigh, Kazan, and others connected with "Streetcar" will keep you engrossed for hours. I've read Mr. Staggs' previous books, and enjoyed them very much. I must say, though, that he really outdoes himself with When Blanche Met Brando. He delivers the definitive word on "Streetcar" in all its incarnations. I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in Broadway and Hollywood history!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars I Have Always Depended on the Kindness of Good Writing, July 30, 2007

By	J. Lamarre - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: When Blanche Met Brando: The Scandalous Story of "A Streetcar Named Desire" (Hardcover)

I was thrilled to discover a book dedicated entirely to the history of this seminal piece of theatre. Imagine my disappointment when I found the author constantly injecting himself into the proceedings and peppering his prose with cheesy "insights," mainly about Brando's sex appeal or catty tangents that don't further one's understanding of the play/film. The editors must have been asleep at the wheel on this one as the book hopscotches around and, sadly, gives short shrift to the actual writing of the play. Ultimately the title's promise of something "Scandalous" is never really delivered, aside from some scandalously bad writing. The upside to this book is that it is meticulously researched and does contain some revelatory moments, especially interviews with long-forgotten actors, designers and behind-the-scenes players that helped shape the legend of "Streetcar."