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East of Eden (film)
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East of Eden
East of eden poster.jpg
Theatrical release poster

Directed by
Elia Kazan
Produced by
Elia Kazan
Screenplay by
Paul Osborn
Based on
the novel East of Eden
 by John Steinbeck
Starring
Julie Harris
James Dean
Raymond Massey
Richard Davalos
Music by
Leonard Rosenman
Cinematography
Ted D. McCord
Editing by
Owen Marks
Studio
Warner Bros.
Distributed by
Warner Bros.
Release dates
March 9, 1955 (New York City)

Running time
115 minutes
Country
United States
Language
English
Box office
$5,000,000[1]
East of Eden is a 1955 film, directed by Elia Kazan, and loosely based on the second half of the 1952 novel of the same name by John Steinbeck. It is about a wayward young man who, while seeking his own identity, vies for the affection of his deeply religious father against his favored brother, thus retelling the story of Cain and Abel.
The film stars Julie Harris, James Dean (in his first major screen role), and Raymond Massey. It also features Burl Ives, Richard Davalos and Jo Van Fleet, and was adapted by Paul Osborn.[2]
Although set in early twentieth century Monterey, California, much of the film was actually shot on location in Mendocino, California. Some scenes were filmed in the Salinas Valley.
Of the three films in which James Dean played the male lead, this is the only one to have been released during his lifetime and the only one Dean personally viewed in its entirety.[3]


Contents  [hide]
1 Plot
2 Cast
3 Critical reaction
4 Themes and character motivations
5 Awards
6 References
7 External links

Plot[edit]
The story is set during 1917 and 1918, leading into American involvement in World War I, in the central California coastal towns of Monterey and Salinas. Cal (James Dean) and Aron (Richard Davalos) are the sons of a modestly successful farmer and wartime draft board chairman, Adam Trask (Raymond Massey). Cal is moody and embittered by his belief that his father favors Aron. Although both Cal and Aron had long been led to believe that their mother had died "and gone to heaven," the opening scene reveals Cal has apparently learned that his mother is still alive, owning and running a successful brothel in nearby Monterey.
After the father's idealistic plans for a long-haul vegetable shipping business venture end in a loss of thousands of dollars, Cal decides to enter the bean-growing business, as a way of recouping the money his father lost in the vegetable shipping venture. He is advised that if the United States enters the war, the price of beans will skyrocket. Cal hopes this will finally earn him the love and respect of his father. He goes to his mother Kate (Jo Van Fleet) to ask to borrow the capital he needs. Though she remains hostile toward Adam for inflicting his "purity" on her and her sons, Kate reluctantly lends him $5,000.
Meanwhile, Aron's girlfriend Abra (Julie Harris) gradually finds herself attracted to Cal, who seems to reciprocate her feelings.
Later on, Cal goes to the carnival and sees Abra alone, waiting for Aron. To accompany her, they soon go together on several rides and play games, increasing their ongoing attraction for each other. On a Ferris wheel, they kiss, but Abra in tears admits that she still loves Aron. Afterwards, there is a fight between the townspeople and Aron regarding the Germans. To help him, Cal breaks up the fight and helps Aron. Although his intentions were pure, Aron sees this deed as just an act to impress Abra, also noticing that Abra is holding Cal's jacket. In a fit of rage, Cal hits Aron, but Abra stops and reassures him.
Cal's business goes well, and he decides to give the money to his father at a surprise birthday party for him, which he and Abra plan together. As the party gets under way, Aron suddenly announces that he and Abra are engaged. While Adam is openly pleased with the news, both Abra and Cal are uneasy, having recently discovered their emerging mutual attraction despite their suppressed feelings.
Cal makes a surprise birthday present of the money to his father. However, Adam refuses to accept any money earned by what he regards as war profiteering. Cal does not understand and sees his father's refusal to accept the gift as another emotional rejection. When the distraught Cal leaves the room, Abra goes after him to console him as best she can with several kisses. Aron sees this and orders Cal to stay away from her.
In anger, Cal takes his brother to see their mother, then returns home alone. When his father demands to know where his brother is, Cal tells him. The shock drives Aron to get drunk and board a troop train to enlist in the army. When Sam (Burl Ives), the sheriff, brings the news, Adam rushes to the train station in an attempt to dissuade him, but can only watch helplessly as his son steams away from him, smashing the rail car window with his head and maniacally laughing at him.
Because of stress, Adam suffers a stroke, leaving him paralyzed and unable to communicate. Cal and Abra enter the bedroom. Cal tries to talk to him, but gets no response and departs the bedroom leaving Abra alone with Adam. Abra pleads with Adam to show Cal some affection before it is too late. She persuades Cal to go back into the room. When Cal makes his last bid for acceptance before leaving town, his father manages to speak. He tells his son to get rid of the annoying nurse and not to get anyone else, but to stay and take care of him himself. Cal cups Abra's face and they share a lovers' kiss, and he pulls up a chair to sit next to Adam. The film ends with Abra leaving the room and Cal sitting by Adam's bedside.
Cast[edit]
Julie Harris as Abra
James Dean as Cal Trask
Raymond Massey as Adam Trask
Richard Davalos as Aron Trask
Burl Ives as Sam the Sheriff
Jo Van Fleet as Kate
Albert Dekker as Will Hamilton
Lois Smith as Anne, Kate's servant
Timothy Carey as Joe, Kate's henchman
Harold Gordon as Gustav Albrecht
Barbara Baxley as Adam's nurse
Lonny Chapman as Car instructor
Critical reaction[edit]
Dave Kehr of the Chicago Reader praised the adaptation by Kazan and the "down-to-earth" performances of James Dean and Richard Davalos.[4] Bosley Crowther, writing for The New York Times, described the film as having "energy and intensity but little clarity and emotion"; he notes:

In one respect, it is brilliant. The use that Mr. Kazan has made of CinemaScope and color in capturing expanse and mood in his California settings is almost beyond compare. His views of verdant farmlands in the famous Salinas "salad bowl," sharply focused to the horizon in the sunshine, are fairly fragrant with atmosphere. The strain of troubled people against such backgrounds has a clear and enhanced irony.
For the stubborn fact is that the people who move about in this film are not sufficiently well established to give point to the anguish through which they go, and the demonstrations of their torment are perceptibly stylized and grotesque.[5]
Bosley Crowther calls Dean's performance a "mass of histrionic gingerbread" which clearly emulates the style of Marlon Brando.[5]
Fifty years later, film critic Kenneth Turan of the Los Angeles Times, was much more positive, saying East of Eden is "not only one of Kazan's richest films and Dean's first significant role, it is also arguably the actor's best performance."[6] The film's depiction of the interaction between Dean and Massey was characterized by Turan as "the paradigmatic generational conflict in all of American film."[6]
Themes and character motivations[edit]
The underlying theme of East of Eden is a biblical reference to the brothers Cain and Abel. Cal is constantly struggling to earn his father's approval. The relationship between Cal and his father is a stressful one and is not resolved until late in the story, after his father suffers a paralyzing stroke. In his paralyzed state and with the help of Julie Harris' character, Abra, Cal's father finally expresses his suppressed love for the boy.[7]
Other themes touched upon in the film include anti-German xenophobia, specifically as wrought against a local German immigrant as resentment about United States entry into World War I grew. The themes of young love and sibling rivalry are also present in the film, as Aron's girlfriend finds herself increasingly drawn to the more rebellious Cal.
Awards[edit]
WinsAcademy Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role: Jo Van Fleet
Golden Globe Award for Best Motion Picture – Drama: Elia Kazan
Golden Globe, Special Achievement Award: Given posthumously for Best Dramatic Actor: James Dean[8]
Cannes Film Festival, Best Dramatic Film: Elia Kazan[9]
NominationsAcademy Award for Best Actor: James Dean
Academy Award for Directing: Elia Kazan
Academy Award for Best Writing (Adapted Screenplay): Paul Osborn
BAFTA Award for Best Film from Any Source
BAFTA Award for Best Foreign Actor: James Dean
BAFTA Award for Most Promising Newcomer: Jo Van Fleet
References[edit]
1.Jump up ^ 'The Top Box-Office Hits of 1955', Variety Weekly, January 25, 1956.
2.Jump up ^ East of Eden at the American Film Institute Catalog.
3.Jump up ^ James Dean at the Internet Movie Database.
4.Jump up ^ Kehr, Dave. East of Eden. Chicago Reader. Accessed: August 4, 2013.
5.^ Jump up to: a b Crowther, Bosley (March 10, 1955). "The Screen: 'East of Eden' Has Debut; Astor Shows Film of Steinbeck Novel". The New York Times. Retrieved August 4, 2013.
6.^ Jump up to: a b Turan, Kenneth. Los Angeles Times, "Dean personifies anguished youth", film review, June 10, 2005. Accessed: August 4, 2013.
7.Jump up ^ "Pop Culture 101: EAST OF EDEN". TCM.com. Retrieved November 22, 2013.
8.Jump up ^ "Special Achievement Award(Previous Award Given)"http://www.imdb.com/event/ev0000292/1956
9.Jump up ^ "Festival de Cannes: East of Eden". festival-cannes.com. Retrieved August 4, 2013.
External links[edit]
 Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to: East of Eden (film)
 Wikimedia Commons has media related to East of Eden (film).
East of Eden at the American Film Institute Catalog
East of Eden at the Internet Movie Database
East of Eden at allmovie
East of Eden at the TCM Movie Database
East of Eden resource guide by Automation Librarian Terry Ballard
East of Eden film trailer at YouTube





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Categories: 1955 films
English-language films
1950s drama films
American drama films
Best Drama Picture Golden Globe winners
Cain and Abel
Films about dysfunctional families
Films based on works by John Steinbeck
Films directed by Elia Kazan
Films featuring a Best Supporting Actress Academy Award winning performance
Films set in the 1910s
Films set in the San Francisco Bay Area
Films set in California
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A Streetcar Named Desire(1951 film)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jump to: navigation, search



 This article's toneor style may not reflect the encyclopedic tone used on Wikipedia. See Wikipedia's guide to writing better articlesfor suggestions.(January 2013)

A Streetcar Named Desire
Streetcar original.jpg
Theatrical release poster by Bill Gold

Directed by
Elia Kazan
Produced by
Charles K. Feldman
Screenplay by
Tennessee Williams
Oscar Saul
Based on
A Streetcar Named Desire
by Tennessee Williams
Starring
Marlon Brando
Vivien Leigh
Kim Hunter
Karl Malden
Music by
Alex North
Cinematography
Harry Stradling
Editing by
David Weisbart
Distributed by
Warner Bros.
Release dates
September 18, 1951

Running time
122 minutes
Country
United States
Language
English
Budget
$1.8 million[1]
Box office
$8,000,000
A Streetcar Named Desireis a 1951 American film adaptationof the Pulitzer Prize-winning 1947 play of the same nameby Tennessee Williams. Williams collaborated with Oscar Saulon the screenplay and Elia Kazanwho directed the stage production went on to direct the film. Marlon Brando, Kim Hunter, and Karl Malden, all members of the original Broadway cast, reprised their roles for the film. Vivien Leigh, who had appeared in the London theatre production, was brought in for the film version in lieu of Jessica Tandy, who had created the part of Blanche DuBois on Broadway.
A Streetcar Named Desireholds the distinction of garnering Academy Awardwins for actors in three out of the four acting categories. Oscars were won by Vivien Leigh, Best Actress, Karl Malden, Best Supporting Actor, and Kim Hunter, Best Supporting Actress. Marlon Brando was nominated for his performance as Stanley Kowalski but, although lauded for his powerful portrayal, did not win the Oscar for Best Actor. Brando's performance has since been cited as one of the most influential performances in the history of American Cinema and has been widely credited for being one of the first performances to introduce Method actingto Hollywoodmoviegoers.
The film is also noteworthy for being the first film to honor actors in both the Best Supporting Actor and Best Supporting Actress category. It has since been labeled by the American Film Instituteas one of the greatest American movies of all timeand subsequently selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registryby the Library of Congressas being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant" in 1999.


Contents [hide]
1Plot
2Cast
3Production3.1Casting
3.2Locations and design
3.3Music
4Releases4.1Restoration
5Reception5.1Critical response
5.2Accolades
6In popular culture
7References
8External links

Plot[edit]
Blanche DuBoisis a fading but still attractive Southern belle, whose manners and pretension of virtue thinly mask her alcoholism and delusions of grandeur. She clings to the illusions of beauty, and her meager possessions, both to shield herself from reality and to attract new suitors. Blanche leaves her hometown of Auriol, Mississippito visit her sister, Stella Kowalski, in the French Quarter of New Orleans. She is told "to take a streetcarnamed Desire, transfer to one called Cemeteries and ride six blocks and get off at — Elysian Fields!" The steamy, urban ambiance is a shock to Blanche's nerves.
Stella is thrilled to see Blanche but dismayed at how her husband Stanleywill react when he learns that her family's plantation, Belle Reve, was lost due to the "epic fornications" of her ancestors, according to Blanche. Blanche says she has taken a leave from her job as an English teacher because of her nerves, but in reality she was fired for having an affair with a 17-year-old male student. An early marriage left emotional scars after the suicide of her husband, Allan Grey, and now she plans to stay with Stella and Stanley in their cramped apartment indefinitely.
Blanche comments freely on her perceptions of Stanley, and his relationship with Stella. He is a force of nature: primal, rough-hewn, brutish and sensual, who dominates Stella in every way, including physical and emotional abuse. When they fight she runs upstairs to the neighbors but she always comes back. Stella's attraction to him overwhelms her breeding and sensitivity, and is compounded by the knowledge that she is now pregnant. Blanche's prolonged presence in their home upsets their routine, and Stella's concern for her sister's well-being emboldens Blanche to hold court in the Kowalski apartment, infuriating Stanley. One of Stanley's buddies, Harold "Mitch" Mitchell, is smitten with Blanche and indulges her, accepting her stories at face value. But Stanley sets out to discover the truth behind her embellished tales, and cruelly confronts her after he learns what happened back in Auriol. He ridicules her marriage, her string of affairs with young men and students, and her conduct in the loss of the plantation.
Their final confrontation – a rape– results in Blanche's nervous breakdown. Stanley has her committed to a mental institution, and as the doctor takes Blanche away Mitch tries to assault Stanley. But Mitch is restrained by their other friends, and begins to weep. As the other men look on, Stanley claims he "never once touched her".
Devastated by her sister's fate, Stella rejects Stanley and pushes him away. She runs out to see Blanche off, but is too late, as the car has already gone. Stanley calls out for Stella, and as he cries her name once more ("Stella! Hey, Stella!"), she vows that she is never going back to Stanley, and runs upstairs again, with their baby, to seek refuge with her neighbors.
Cast[edit]




Vivien Leighas Blanche DuBois in A Streetcar Named Desire.Marlon Brandoas Stanley Kowalski
Vivien Leighas Blanche DuBois
Kim Hunteras Stella Kowalski
Karl Maldenas Harold "Mitch" Mitchell
Rudy Bondas Steve Hubbel
Nick Dennisas Pablo Gonzales
Peg Hilliasas Eunice Hubbel
Wright King as a Collector
Richard Garrickas a Doctor
Wright King is the last surviving cast member.
Production[edit]
Casting[edit]
Much of the original Broadway cast, Marlon Brando, Kim Hunter, Karl Malden, Rudy Bond, Nick Dennisand Richard Garrickrepeated their roles for the film.
Many big names were considered for the role of Blanche, including Olivia de Havillandand Bette Davis.
John Garfieldturned down the lead role of Stanley as he did not want to be overshadowed by the lead actress playing Blanche.
Jessica Tandy, who had originated Blanche DuBoison Broadway, was originally slated to play the role but was bypassed as not being well known enough. Vivien Leigh was cast, star of the London production, at the insistence of the producers. This was because her fame, from films such as Gone with the Windin which she had also played a Southern belle, provided the star power which they felt the film needed; Brando had originated the role of Stanley on Broadway but had not yet achieved the fame necessary to draw audiences, which is why in trailers and during the credits of the film he is credited after Vivien Leigh.[2]
Locations and design[edit]
Most of the filming was on studio sets in Hollywood, over the course of 36 days, but a few exteriors were filmed in New Orleans, most notably the opening scenes of Blanche's arrival. By the time the film was in production however, the Desire streetcar named in the play had been converted into a bus service and the production team had to gain permission from the authorities to hire out a streetcar with the "Desire" name on it. The streetcar visible in the film, Perley Thomas#922, was restored in 1998,[3]and is still in service in New Orleans.[4]
Vivien Leigh was viewed as an outsider by some of the cast, who already had met during the Broadway production, and Kazan told her to exploit her isolation in the role to reflect Blanche's.
Leigh was later diagnosed with bipolar disorder and was said towards the end of her life to have mistaken herself for Blanche at many times.[citation needed]
During studio shooting, Elia Kazan made the set walls movable so that, with each passing scene, the walls could close in on Blanche Dubois (thus mirroring her insanity).[citation needed]
Brando's iconic tight T-shirthad to be made specially, as one could not buy fitted T-shirts at the time; a regular T-shirt was bought, washed several times and its back was sewn in order to tighten it for Brando.[citation needed]
Music[edit]
The music score, by Alex North, was a radical departure from the major trend in Hollywoodat that time, which was action-based and overly manipulative. Instead of composing in the traditional leitmotifstyle, North wrote short sets of music that reflected the psychological dynamics of the characters. For his work on the film, North was nominated for an Academy Awardfor Best Music Score, one of two nominations in that category that year. He also was nominated for his music score for the film version of another play, Death of a Salesman, which also was composed with his unique technique. However, he lost to Franz Waxman's score for A Place in the Sun.
Releases[edit]
The play's themes were controversial, causing the screenplay for the film to be watered down to comply with the Hollywood Production Code. In the film, Stella denounces Stanley's rapeof Blanche, perhaps to the point of leaving the household. In the original play, the ending is more ambiguous, with Stella, distraught at having sent off her sister Blanche, mutely allowing herself to be consoled by Stanley. Williams, in his memoirs, describes the film as "marvelous performances in a great movie, only slightly marred by Hollywood ending".[5]
In the original play, Blanche's deceased husband, Allan Grey, had committed suicide after he was discovered having a homosexualaffair. This material was removed for the film; Blanche says only that she showed scorn towards Allan, driving him to suicide.
Some of these changes were in the screenplay. Other scenes were present but cut after filming was complete to conform to the Production Code and later, to avoid condemnation by the National Legion of Decency. According to the DVD's audio commentary, these cuts suggested by the Legion of Decency were made without the knowledge of the director.
While the film was originally distributed by Warner Brothers, it was mainly a production of Charles K. Feldman's company. Feldman (and eventually his estate) would gain all ancillary rights through 1993. Through the decades, the film was re-released and outsourced through different studios, first by 20th Century Foxfor a 1958 re-issue, and in 1970 through United Artists. UA would ultimately hold television syndication and home video rights (through what was then CBS/Fox Video) until 1992 when the Feldman estate sold their share of the film to the Motion Picture and Television Fund.
Restoration[edit]
Years later, the negatives, including the censored footage, wound up in the archives of Lorimar-Telepictures. Warner Bros. rediscovered said footage during a routine inventory of the Lorimar archives after Warners purchased the latter company. It was through this discovery that a reconstruction of the film restoring Kazan's original vision was sanctioned.[6]Editors used Kazan's autobiography A Lifeand Rudy Behlmer's Inside Warner Bros.– both of which went into great detail about the censored material – as a reference. Kazan himself was not involved with this version.[7]
The current cut has the following restored scenes:
Stella says "Stanley's always smashed things. Why, on our wedding night, as soon as we came in here, he snatched off one of my slippers and rushed about the place smashing the light bulbs with it...I was sort of thrilled by it."
The dialogue makes it clearer that Blanche's husband was homosexual and that she made him commit suicide with her insults.
Blanche's line explaining that she wants to kiss the paperboy "softly and sweetly" now has the words "...on your mouth" at the end.
When Stella takes refuge upstairs after Stanley punches her, her emotions are made clear as she is shown in close up.
Stanley's line, "Maybe you wouldn't be so bad to interfere with", and the ensuing rape scene.
Reception[edit]
The film earned an estimated $4,250,000 at the US and Canadian box office in 1951, making it the fifth biggest hit of the year.[8]
Critical response[edit]
The film drew very high praise from critics upon release. The New York Timescritic Bosley Crowtherpraised the film, stating that "inner torments are seldom projected with such sensitivity and clarity on the screen" and commending both Vivien Leigh's and Marlon Brando's performances. Film critic Roger Ebertalso expressed praise for the film, calling it a "great ensemble of the movies." The film currently has a very high 98% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, based on 50 reviews.[9]
Accolades[edit]
A Streetcar Named Desirewon four awards at the 24th Academy Awards.[10]The film set an Oscar record when it became the first film to win in three acting categories (this achievement was later equalled by Networkin 1976). The awards it won were for Actress in a Leading Role (Leigh), Actor in a Supporting Role (Malden), Actress in a Supporting Role (Hunter), and Art Direction.[11]

Award
Result
Notes
Best Motion Picture Nominated Charles K. Feldman, producer
Winner was Arthur Freed(MGM) – An American in Paris
Best Director Nominated Elia Kazan
Winner was George Stevens– A Place in the Sun
Best Actor Nominated Marlon Brando
Winner was Humphrey Bogart– The African Queen
Best Actress Won Vivien Leigh
Best Writing, Screenplay Nominated Tennessee Williams
Winner was Harry Brownand Michael Wilson– A Place in the Sun
Best Supporting Actor Won Karl Malden
Best Supporting Actress Won Kim Hunter
Best Art Direction–Set Decoration, Black-and-White Won Richard Dayand George Hopkins
Best Cinematography, Black-and-White Nominated Harry Stradling
Winner was William C. Mellor– A Place in the Sun
Best Costume Design, Black-and-White Nominated Lucinda Ballard
Winner was Edith Head– A Place in the Sun
Best Music, Score of a Dramatic or Comedy Picture Nominated Alex North
Winner was Franz Waxman– A Place in the Sun
Best Sound Recording Nominated Nathan Levinson
Winner was Douglas Shearer– The Great Caruso
In 1999, A Streetcar Named Desirewas selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registryby the Library of Congressas being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant".
American Film Instituterecognition
1998 AFI's 100 Years... 100 Movies#45
2002 AFI's 100 Years... 100 Passions#67
2005 AFI's 100 Years... 100 Movie Quotes: "Stella! Hey, Stella!" #45
"I've always depended on the kindness of strangers," #75
2005 AFI's 100 Years of Film Scores#19
2007 AFI's 100 Years... 100 Movies (10th Anniversary Edition)#47
In popular culture[edit]
In The Simpsonsepisode Secrets of a Successful Marriage, Waylon Smithershas a flashback to his love, with Mr. Burnsbelow his balcony yelling "SMITHERS!" the way Stanley called for Stella.
The Simpsonsepisode A Streetcar Named Margeis centered around a musical remake of A Streetcar Named Desirein which Marge plays Blanche Dubois. Marge's portrayal of Blanche is meant to mirror her relationship with her husband, Homer.
In The Princess and the Frog, when Naveen and Tiana had turned into frogs and accidentally disrupt a party, "Big Daddy" La Bouff calls for a dog named Stella, in the same manner, to get the frogs.
In Over the Hedge, when Tiger the Persian cat is separated from Stella the skunk, who is disguised as a cat, he calls for her as Stanley called for Stella.
In Wu-Tang Clan's song Triumph, Method Manreferences the movie: "Transform into the Ghost Rider / A six-pack and A Streetcar Named Desire."[12]
In Panic! at the Disco's song Memories, they refer to the play: "And it was beautifully depressing,Like a street car named Desire. They were fighting for their love that had started growing tired."
New Orleans rapper Curren$yreferences the film in his song Famous: "this morning staring down at the ocean, inspired, scribbling fire on a streetcar named Desire."
In Seinfeld episode The Pen, Elaine takes too many muscle relaxants and meets a woman named Stella at a function. She screams "Stella" repeatedly during the function.
In Saves The Day's song entitled Hot Times In Delaware, the track starts with an excerpt from the movie's script: "Oh, how pretty the sky is. I oughta go there on a rocket that never comes down. Which way do we go now, Stella, this way? Stella: No, honey this way."
References[edit]
1.Jump up ^Behlmer, Rudy(1990). Behind the Scenes. Samuel French. p. 231.
2.Jump up ^Manvell, Roger. Theatre and Film: A Comparative Study of the Two Forms of Dramatic Art, and of the Problems of Adaptation of Stage Plays into Films. Cranbury, New Jersey: Associated University Presses Inc, 1979. 133
3.Jump up ^"New Orleans Public Service, Inc. 832". Retrieved November 13, 2011.
4.Jump up ^"Newest Images Posted on 02/07/2011". Retrieved November 13, 2011.
5.Jump up ^Williams, Tennessee, Memoirs, 1977
6.Jump up ^Censored Films and Television at University of Virginia online
7.Jump up ^Weintraub, Bernard. "For a Less Restrained Era, a Restored 'Streetcar".The New York Times(September 16, 1993).
8.Jump up ^'The Top Box Office Hits of 1951', Variety, January 2, 1952
9.Jump up ^A Streetcar Named Desireat Rotten Tomatoes
10.Jump up ^"The 24th Academy Awards (1952) Nominees and Winners". oscars.org. Archivedfrom the original on 6 July 2011. Retrieved 2011-08-20.
11.Jump up ^"NY Times: A Streetcar Named Desire". NY Times. Archivedfrom the original on 25 January 2009. Retrieved 2008-12-19.
12.Jump up ^"Wu-Tang Clan - Triumph Lyrics". Retrieved 12 February 2013.
External links[edit]

Portal icon New Orleans portal
Portal icon Film in the United States portal
Portal icon 1950s portal
 Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to: A Streetcar Named Desire (1951 film)
 Wikimedia Commons has media related to A Streetcar Named Desire (1951 film).
A Streetcar Named Desireat the American Film Institute Catalog
A Streetcar Named Desireat the Internet Movie Database
A Streetcar Named Desireat the TCM Movie Database

Awards
Preceded by
First film to achieve this Special Jury Prize, Venice Succeeded by
The Lovers
tied with La sfida
Preceded by
Mrs. Miniver Academy Award winner for
Best ActressandBest Supporting Actress
 Succeeded by
The Miracle Worker
Preceded by
First film to achieve this Academy Award winner for
Best Supporting Actorand Best Supporting Actress Succeeded by
From Here to Eternity


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Categories: 1951 films
English-language films
1950s drama films
American films
American drama films
Films directed by Elia Kazan
Screenplays by Tennessee Williams
Black-and-white films
Films based on plays
Films featuring a Best Actress Academy Award winning performance
Films featuring a Best Supporting Actor Academy Award winning performance
Films featuring a Best Supporting Actress Academy Award winning performance
Films featuring a Best Supporting Actress Golden Globe winning performance
Films set in New Orleans, Louisiana
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Overboard (film)
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Overboard
Overboard film.jpg
Theatrical release poster

Directed by
Garry Marshall
Produced by
Roddy McDowall
 Nick Abdo
 Alexandra Rose
 Anthea Sylbert
Written by
Leslie Dixon
Starring
Goldie Hawn
Kurt Russell
Edward Herrmann
Katherine Helmond
 and Roddy McDowall
Music by
Alan Silvestri
Randy Newman (end title theme)
Cinematography
John A. Alonzo
Editing by
Dov Hoenig
 Sonny Baskin
Distributed by
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Release dates
December 16, 1987
Running time
112 minutes[1]
Country
United States
Language
English
 French
Box office
$26,713,187
Overboard is a 1987 American romantic comedy film starring Goldie Hawn and Kurt Russell.[2] It was directed by Garry Marshall, produced by Roddy McDowall, and loosely inspired by the 1974 Italian film Swept Away. In turn, Overboard was adapted into the 2006 South Korean television series, Couple or Trouble.


Contents  [hide]
1 Plot
2 Cast
3 Reception 3.1 Box office
4 Discography
5 References
6 External links

Plot[edit]
Wealthy heiress Joanna Stayton (Goldie Hawn) is accustomed to living the life of the idle and spoiled rich with her husband Grant Stayton III (Edward Herrmann). When their yacht gets stuck in the rural hamlet of Elk Cove, Oregon, for repairs, Joanna passes the time by hiring carpenter Dean Proffitt (Kurt Russell) to remodel her closet. Dean puts up with Joanna's rude and demanding attitude, only to have her refuse to pay him because she dislikes the type of wood he used. When he demands payment, she shoves him overboard along with his tools. That night, Joanna falls overboard while searching for her wedding ring on deck, develops amnesia, is rescued by a garbage scow and taken to the local hospital. Grant goes to get her, but after seeing her mental state and mistreatment of the staff, he denies knowing her and returns to the yacht as a bachelor to embark on a spree of parties with younger women. After seeing her story on the local news, Dean, a widower living in redneck clutter with four young sons, decides to seek his revenge and remedy his own domestic problems by taking advantage of the situation. He goes to the hospital and tells Joanna that she is Annie, his wife of thirteen years and the mother of his sons. He convinces the staff of his identity by revealing a small birthmark on her behind, which he saw during the remodeling when she was wearing a revealing swimsuit. Unwillingly convinced, she reluctantly goes with him to his home.
At first, Joanna has difficulty dealing with Dean's boys and the heavy load of chores, including cooking raw food, doing laundry in a tub, caring for pets, housekeeping, and only being able to sleep on the couch. She soon adapts to her new life as a housewife, and begins to fall in love with Dean and his children. Dean is secretly working two jobs and Joanna handles the boys' school issues, family issues and money challenges with considerable wisdom and grace. Seeing Dean struggle, she uses her untapped knowledge of things like the Seven Wonders of the World to draw up plans for a miniature golf course based on their shared designs. Although Dean has also fallen in love with Joanna, he fails to come clean with her being used as a mom in fear that she would leave them. Even when he tries to come clean when she discovers a pair of monogrammed panties from her former life, which cause her to think he's having an affair, a friend, Billy Pratt (Michael G. Hagerty), says they belonged to a girl he met to get Dean off the hook.
Meanwhile, giving in to the pressure of Joanna's inquisitive mother Edith (Katherine Helmond), Grant reluctantly returns to Elk Cove to retrieve his wife. Joanna's memory returns to her upon seeing him. She is shocked and hurt when she realizes that Dean has been using her for months. She returns with Grant to the yacht where her mother and Dr. Korman, the family's bumbling psychiatrist, are waiting. Joanna finds her old life stuffy and pretentious. One evening after doing shots of Tequila with the crew, Joanna turns to Andrew (Roddy McDowall), her loyal butler, and apologizes for her poor treatment of him after all the things he had done for her in the past. Andrew replies that he is both surprised and pleased with the apology. He observes that unlike most people, Joanna has been given an opportunity to see life from a different station than that to which she was born. He does not tell her what she must do, but merely states she is the one who can decide how to use the new perspective.
Realizing how happy she was with Dean and the kids, and how selfish and spoiled she was in her former life, she commandeers the yacht and turns back towards Elk Cove. When the neurotic and selfish Grant finds out, delusions of grandeur kick in and he accuses his wife of mutiny, admits he never loved her and commandeers the ship himself. Meanwhile, Dean and the boys go to get Joanna back with the help of Billy's friend in the Coast Guard. When they catch up to the yacht, Joanna and Dean both jump overboard and are reunited in the water. An incensed Grant actually attempts to shoot her with a bow and arrow, accusing her of mutiny for jumping ship, only to be unceremoniously booted over the side and into the water by Andrew, who then promptly gives his notice of resignation. Safely aboard the smaller vessel, Joanna, having left and unofficially divorced Grant, reveals to Dean that the yacht and the money are actually hers, not Grant's. Hours later, while the boys are making out their Christmas lists (due to their sudden wealth), Dean asks Joanna, "What could I possibly give you that you don't already have?" Joanna looks at Dean's boys and smiles, then replies, "A little girl."
Cast[edit]
Goldie Hawn as Joanna Stayton/Annie Proffitt
Kurt Russell as Dean Proffitt
Edward Herrmann as Grant Stayton
Katherine Helmond as Edith Mintz
Roddy McDowall as Andrew the butler
Michael G. Hagerty as Billy Pratt
Brian Price as Travis Proffitt
Jared Rushton as Charlie Proffitt
Jamie Wild as Greg Proffitt
Jeffrey Wiseman as Joey Proffitt
Henry Alan Miller as Dr. Norman Korman
Hector Elizondo as Garbage Scow Captain Tenati
Sven-Ole Thorsen as Olaf
Garry Marshall as Drummer
Reception[edit]
The film received a mixed reception from critics. Based on 21 reviews collected by Rotten Tomatoes, 52% of the critics enjoyed Overboard, with an average rating of 5.1/10.[3] Variety praised Hawn's performance, but called it "an uninspiring, unsophisticated attempt at an updated screwball comedy that is brought down by plodding script and a handful of too broadly drawn characters."[4] Rita Kempley of the Washington Post called it "a deeply banal farce" with "one-dimensional characters, a good long look at Hawn's buttocks and lots of pathetic sex jokes."[5] Roger Ebert liked it; while calling the film predictable, he wrote: "the things that make Overboard special, however, are the genuine charm, wit and warm energy generated by the entire cast and director Garry Marshall."[6] The Los Angeles Times' review of the film read: "The film tries to mix the two 1930s movie comedy strains: screwball romance and populist fable. But there's something nerveless and thin about it. Hawn and Russell are good, but their scenes together have a calculated spontaneity--overcute, obvious."[7] During the 2012 Academy Awards telecast, actress Reese Witherspoon admitted that Overboard is her all-time favorite movie.
Box office[edit]
The film was generally considered a mild success, grossing nearly $27 million domestically,[8] but returned to profit via cable television.[9]
Discography[edit]
The CD soundtrack composed by Alan Silvestri is available on Music Box Records label (website).
References[edit]
1.Jump up ^ "OVERBOARD (PG)". British Board of Film Classification. Retrieved 29 July 2013.
2.Jump up ^ "Revenge of the epic movie flops". London: Independent. 2010-04-12. Retrieved 2010-07-04.
3.Jump up ^ "Overboard". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved 2011-01-12.
4.Jump up ^ "Overboard". Variety. 1986-12-31. Retrieved 2010-12-26.
5.Jump up ^ "Overboard". Washington Post. 1987-12-16. Retrieved 2010-12-26.
6.Jump up ^ "Overboard". Chicago Sun Times. Retrieved 2010-12-26.
7.Jump up ^ Wilmington, Michael (1987-12-18). "MOVIE REVIEW : Hawn Keeps 'Overboard' From Sinking". The Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2010-12-25.
8.Jump up ^ Box Office Mojo
9.Jump up ^ "Revenge of the epic movie flops". London: Independent. 2010-04-12. Retrieved 2010-07-04.
External links[edit]
 Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to: Overboard (film)
Overboard at the Internet Movie Database
Overboard at allmovie
Overboard at Box Office Mojo
Overboard at Rotten Tomatoes


[hide]
v ·
 t ·
 e
 
Films directed by Garry Marshall


1980s
Young Doctors in Love (1982) ·
 The Flamingo Kid (1984) ·
 Nothing in Common (1986) ·
 Overboard (1987) ·
 Beaches (1988) ·
 The Lottery (1989)
 

1990s
Pretty Woman (1990) ·
 Frankie and Johnny (1991) ·
 Exit to Eden (1994) ·
 Dear God (1996) ·
 The Other Sister (1999) ·
 Runaway Bride (1999)
 

2000s
The Princess Diaries (2001) ·
 Raising Helen (2004) ·
 The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement (2004) ·
 Georgia Rule (2007)
 

2010s
Valentine's Day (2010) ·
 New Year's Eve (2011)
 

 


Categories: 1987 films
1980s romantic comedy films
American romantic comedy films
English-language films
Films about amnesia
Films directed by Garry Marshall
Films set in Oregon
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer films
Film scores by Alan Silvestri


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This page was last modified on 6 January 2014 at 23:49.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License; additional terms may apply. By using this site, you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
 Wikipedia® is a registered trademark of the Wikimedia Foundation, Inc., a non-profit organization.
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