Buddy Beaverhausen's Random Thoughts on the Changing Face of Blanche Dubois

When they decided to make Tennessee Williams' hit Broadway show, A Streetcar Named Desire, into a film, they brought Marlon Brando, Kim Stanley and Karl Malden along but ditched its original Blanche Dubois, Jessica Tandy in favor of a big name at the time. Hollywood decided on Vivien Leigh. I think they wanted audiences to see Blanche as sort of Scarlett O'Hara going mad.

Vivien does a bang-up job as Blanche in the 1951 film and, clearly, is the Blanche most people remember and the one against whom all others will be compared. Elia Kazan, who directed the show on the Broadway stage, also directs the film with style and great dramatic flair.

I saw Streetcar on Broadway in 1982. Jessica Lange was a fabulous Blanche Duboise and put amazing physicality into her performance, especially into her mad scene at the end. She threw herself to the floor and proceeded to crawl around on all fours. It must have been exhausting for her. especially on days when she had a matinee and evening performance to do. Alec Baldwin made a great Stanley and Amy Madigan was equally engaging as Blanche's sister Stella.

Ann-Margret was in a 1984 tv-movie version. While she wasn't half bad as Blanche, Treat Williams was all wrong for the role of Stanley. He just did not have the brute physicality required of the role.

A Streetcar Named Desire is a now-iconic work and a marvel, a masterpiece of American theater. It was withstood the test of time. I'm sure we'll see more revivals in the future. But which actresses today could assay the coveted role of Blanche? And can a musical or operetta be in the works?

Video Beaverhausen: Ann-Margret Is a Kitten with a Whip ~ a Camp Classic

Kitten with a Whip was released in 1964 and became an instant camp classic. Why, Ann-Margret actually parodies her sex kitten image in this flick  -- unintentionally, of course.

John Forsythe co-stars, long before he was known as family patriarch Blake Carrington on tv's Dynasty, and somehow manages to lend some dignity to this trash.

A-M plays a juvenile delinquent who escapes from a home for wayward girls after stabbing a matron and attempting to burn the place down.

Forsythe is a gullible politician who takes her in. Pretty dumb; I can only imagine he's a Republican. Before you can say "scandal," he finds himself on a nightmare ride with Annie and her j.d. friends, on their way to Mexico to escape the law at gunpoint.

"Every man who sees her digs her... but she digs kicks of a very special kind," reads one of the film's taglines. Forsythe is typically stalwart and the cast manages to keep straight faces throughout the outrageous proceedings. Kitten with a Whip bears plot resemblances to Lady in a Cage, all of which are apparent upon viewing.

Available on dvd via Amazon.com on Uiniversal's Vault Series.

H.B., A-M!

Happy Birthday to Sixties sex kitten (with a whip!) Ann-Margret, 71! The iconic redhead got famously vivacious with Elvis in Viva Las Vegas, taunted as Tommy's tart of a Mom, came well-versed in Carnal Knowledge, and even made a mean Blanche Duboise in the tv-movie version of Streetcar Named Desire.

But, for Dj Buddy B, I'll always recall her fabulous '70s disco number:



No doubt, she'll best be remembered for her Bye Bye, Birdie debut. I present the "Telephone Hour" production number:



Happy Birthday, Ann-Margret!