The play and movie versions of A Streetcar
Named Desire have different endings, changing the purpose of the work
despite thematic similarities. At the end of the play, Stella and Stanley are
together, Stanley having defeated his wife. The movie show Stella running away,
preventing Stanley from conquering her.
Though both the play and movie suggest love is a gamble or game, the
former insinuates that the risk of partition is defeat, while the latter
suggests that the risk is that the game never ends. Between both mediums, the thematic content
remains the same. Despite this, each ending has a differing use of the thematic
content, giving the works different purposes.
In the play, the ending retains the power dynamic that
places Stanley hierarchically above Stella, reminding the audience that life is
a game of chance that Stanley is content to win. After Blanche leaves with the
doctor, Stella does not speak or move throughout the set again. Instead, she
sobs, crouching on the steps as others impose actions upon her. First, Eunice
places Stella’s child in her arms, imposing Stella’s role as a mother. Once
Eunice moves away, Stanley goes to Stella and proceeds to feel her up, speaking
to her in a “sensual murmur” as she continues to cry (Williams 142). Both
Eunice and Stanley are imposing roles onto Stella, making her into a mother and
sexual partner, respectively. Stella has lost control over her ability to
choose her roles as well as her ability to control her own body. Sobbing with
“inhuman abandon,” her only stage direction after taking the baby from Eunice
is “her complete surrender to crying” (Williams 142). Stella’s complete loss of
control fits within the thematic context of the rest of the play, bringing an
end to the power struggle between Stanley and the two sisters. He bests Blanche
through her rape and subsequent decent into madness, and then Stella by having
the doctor take away her sister. Stanley’s final line, “this game is a
seven-card stud” acknowledges the game-like nature of his relationship with
both women. Comparing their relationship to a poker game highlights that there
is a winner and a loser, and that Stanley is the victor within their power
struggle.
In the movie, the power dynamic
between Stanley and Stella is still prevalent, as well as the elements of
gaming. Though Stanley’s line relating their situation to a poker game is not
in the movie, its connotations still lurk in the background, Stanley’s friends
sitting around the poker table as Blanche leaves with the doctor and matron.
While the play uses the poker comparison to delineate Stanley as Stella’s
conqueror, the movie allows Stella to retain her autonomy despite the gaming
implications. After the doctor drives off with Blanche, Stella is not
immobilized. She is able to move throughout the set at her own volition, rather
than crouching down and sobbing. She picks up her child on her own, rather than
having Eunice hand him to her. As Stanley calls to her she tells their child
“no, I’m not going back there again. Not this time,” and ascends the staircase,
avoiding her husband (Kazan). Though Stanley may get close to beating her in
the metaphorical game by getting her sister taken away, Stella is not defeated.
By removing herself from him, Stella removes Stanley’s ability to have physical
control over her and cast her as his sexual partner as he does in the play.
Though this removal makes Stella seem victorious, the movie does not give a
clear indication of a winner in the power struggle between Stella and Stanley.
Stanley’s repetition of “hey Stella” from earlier in the movie suggest that
Stella may again return to Stanley, and they will fall back into the same power
dynamic as before.
While both the play and the movie
versions of A Streetcar Named Desire
deal with themes of games and the power dynamic between Stanley and Stella, the
purpose of these varies between the mediums. In the play, Stanley
"wins" the game, retaining the power within their dynamic. The movie
shows Stella undermining this power, removing herself from the situation, and
despite the connotation that it may happen all over again, she still prevents
him from gaining a clear victory. The play ending with Stanley defeating Stella
shows the risks of participating in the gamble of love and relationships. In
contrast, the movie demonstrates that participating in such games have no true
end, only a constant struggle for power and headway in a game governed by chance.
Cited
Kazan, Elia, director. A
Streetcar Named Desire. Warner Bros., 1951.
Williams, Tennessee. A
Streetcar Named Desire. Signet, 1951. http://visumbrasov.org/wp-
content/uploads/2015/04/A-Streetcar-Named-Desire-2.pdf
Hi! I thought the link you made between the poker games and the larger implications of the endings was really interesting. I also especially enjoyed your analysis of Stella's actions (or lack thereof) at the end of the play, where other characters are imposing their expectations upon her. The gaming analysis made me think of the phrase "the house always wins," which could have some interesting implications for Stanley, the man of the house. Great analysis!
ReplyDeleteHello,
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed reading your analysis between the play and the movie. I agree that there is significant differences once analyzing each ending. The play's ending highlights the domineering presence of Stanley while the movie seemingly provides an exception to the hierarchy between Stanley and Stella.
Though, while I initially saw the movie's ending as a sign of hope that Stella remains with control, I found it interesting on your claim of a more ambiguous ending. Though, I would agree that this ending relates more to the comparison of their relationship to the game of poker. Since it contains a mysterious ending, there is a gamble on the different ending possibilities.