--- title: "A Streetcar Named Desire: the reviews" canonical: "https://film.one/film/a-streetcar-named-desire/reviews" title_page: "https://film.one/film/a-streetcar-named-desire" critics_score: 79 critics_reviews: 12 licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # A Streetcar Named Desire (1951): what the critics said Critics' score 79 from 12 reviews: 11 positive, 1 mixed, 0 negative. ## Los Angeles Times — Kenneth Turan Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 26 September 1993. Turan hails the restored film as a landmark of American cinema and ensemble acting, praising how the recovered footage adds a more openly sensual tone and allows full appreciation of Brando, Leigh, Hunter, and Malden's performances. [Read the review](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1993-09-26-ca-39041-story.html) ## RogerEbert.com — Roger Ebert Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 12 November 1993. Ebert praises the 1993 restoration for revealing the full daring of Kazan's original cut and highlights Brando's raw, influential performance as Stanley as the standout element that shaped modern screen acting. [Read the review](https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/a-streetcar-named-desire-1993) ## The AV Club — Noel Murray Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 18 April 2012. The critic notes that despite censorship of its racier elements, the film still seethes with lust and retains much of Williams’ florid dialogue. Brando’s revelatory performance and the balance of naturalism with expressionism allow the movie to feel both exaggerated and true, offering what Blanche calls magic as well as realism. [Read the review](https://www.avclub.com/a-streetcar-named-desire-1798172425) ## Variety — Variety Staff Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 20 June 1951. The review calls the film an absorbing adult drama of frustration and tragedy, commending the excellent production values, Kazan's direction, and the compelling performances by Leigh, Brando, Hunter, and Malden. [Read the review](https://variety.com/1951/film/reviews/a-streetcar-named-desire-3-1200417045/) ## Empire — Kim Newman Fi1m's normalised score 85/100 (inferred from the text). 1 January 2000. Kazan adapted Williams' play for the screen with some changes to the ending, but kept the rape scene. Brando and Leigh deliver epic, atmospheric performances in a seedy New Orleans setting. [Read the review](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/streetcar-named-desire-review/) ## The Guardian — Peter Bradshaw Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 6 February 2020. The critic finds the toxic chemistry between Vivien Leigh and Marlon Brando compelling but notes Leigh's mannered performance goes too far into paranoia too quickly. Kazan controls the tense final scenes effectively in this re-release of the 1951 classic. [Read the review](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2020/feb/06/a-streetcar-named-desire-review-vivien-leigh-marlon-brando-elia-kazan) ## The New Yorker — John McCarten Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 22 September 1951. McCarten commends the faithful screen adaptation of Williams' play and the strong ensemble acting, especially Brando and Leigh, while complaining that the stage-bound setting and closeups make it less powerful than the original theatrical version. [Read the review](https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/1951/09/29/1951-09-29-101-tny-cards-000040551) ## The New York Times Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 16 September 1993. The piece discusses the restoration of censored footage from the 1951 film, noting how the added elements intensify Blanche's sexual history and the rape scene while underscoring the original controversy over its content. [Read the review](https://www.nytimes.com/1993/09/16/movies/for-a-less-restrained-era-a-restored-streetcar.html) ## The Times — Ed Potton Rating ★★★★☆. 7 February 2020. The film marks a changing of the guard with Brando's star-making performance as Stanley, while Kazan's close-ups capture the play's intensity despite some screen adaptations and censorship. [Read the review](https://www.thetimes.com/culture/film/article/a-streetcar-named-desire-1951-review-era-defining-brilliance-9w5v0nbtb) ## Time Out — David Jenkins Rating 3 out of 5 stars. 11 November 2008. The critic finds Kazan’s adaptation stirring but over-polite in its handling of the source material’s intensity. Brando’s hyper-realist performance as Stanley stands out amid an uneven cast and direction that simmers rather than boils. [Read the review](https://www.timeout.com/movies/a-streetcar-named-desire-1) ## Collider — Andre Dellamorte Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 18 May 2012. The critic finds that Marlon Brando's intense, method-acting performance as Stanley Kowalski overwhelms and elevates the film despite Vivien Leigh's strong work as Blanche DuBois. Brando's raw, naturalistic style, captured under Elia Kazan's direction, marks a turning point in American screen acting. [Read the review](https://collider.com/a-streetcar-named-desire-blu-ray/) ## Eye for Film — Jennie Kermode Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 13 November 2008. The critic praises how the film sustains tension between Blanche and Stanley through Tennessee Williams' writing and the lead performances, with Kazan gradually shrinking the set to heighten pressure. It is hailed as one of the finest pieces of cinema for its bold exploration of clashing worlds and human nature. [Read the review](https://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/review/a-streetcar-named-desire-film-review-by-jennie-kermode) --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Our review: https://film.one/film/a-streetcar-named-desire.md