A Streetcar Named Desire

...Blanche, who wanted so much to stay a lady...

1951 • 122 min • Drama · Thriller

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Synopsis

A disturbed, aging Southern belle moves in with her sister for solace — but being face-to-face with her brutish brother-in-law accelerates her downward spiral.

Our family guide

Best from age 16

Movie Knight Score

1506 reviews

50 Reviewers · 2 · 51%
76 Audience · 1504 · 49%

An aging Southern belle, Blanche DuBois, seeks refuge with her sister Stella in New Orleans after facing personal loss. Her delicate nature clashes violently with Stella's brutish husband, Stanley, leading to a tragic confrontation that unravels her fragile grasp on reality.

Violence & peril: 7/10
Language: 3/10
Drinking, drugs & smoking: 4/10
Romance & sensuality: 5/10
Scary moments: 6/10

Heads up

A central character experiences a significant mental health crisis.
Sexual assault is implied, though not graphically depicted.
Depicts domestic conflict and verbal abuse.

Talk about it after

Mental health challenges and societal pressures
The impact of abuse within a family
The complexity of coping with trauma

Written by the Movie Knight editorial team for A Streetcar Named Desire. Our own words, our own scoring — always double-check against your family's standards.

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Top billed cast

Director: Elia Kazan • Crew: Oscar Saul, Tennessee Williams

Trailers & clips

Stella! Stella!

New trailer - back in cinemas 7 February

Reviewer notes

RecommendedTrusted family reviewers
"I've always relied on the kindness of strangers." - Blanche Du Bois Blanche Dubois has had some problems back home. She rides into New Orleans on a streetcar to stay with her sister Stella and her brutish husband Stanley. It's an immediate clash of cultures as Blanche and Stanley butt heads. Though their ideology is different there is also an undeniable sexual tension around them as well.…
Cinema_Snobb, TMDB Community

Not recommendedTrusted family reviewers
_**Interesting themes, but an overrated melodrama**_ Released in late 1951 and directed by Elia Kazan based on Tennessee Williams play, "A Streetcar Named Desire" stars Vivien Leigh as the neurotic Blanche DuBois, who moves in with her sister (Kim Hunter) in the French Quarter of New Orleans where she is antagonized by her brutish brother-in-law, Stanley (Marlon Brando).…
Wuchak, TMDB Community