Friday, August 15, 2008
STELLA(R)!
Today's NYTimes Best 1176 Film was Elia Kazan's film version of Tennessee William's
This is the directors cut restored after many years.
It is a powerful film and still has its effect. I still got a lump in my throat at the end as Blanche slides away.
Of course Brando and Leigh are emotional center of this play but, this time, I was really touched by Kim Hunter's portrayal of Stella. She steams around Stanley. I had never noticed that before. It is very sexy. Ebert points to this as the restored sections.
Brando. What can you say. At short lulls, one thinks of what became of this young man. A thick lumbering cartoon of himself. Still able to summon his muse in later years but only intermittently.
Here is a performance that changed male film acting forever.
This is a 5 out of Netflix5.
Labels: best films
