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?

Dj Buddy B's Happy Birthday Blog for the Divine Jessica Lange

Buddy Beaverhausen loves Jessica Lange. The 64-year-old actress celebrates her birthday today.

Lange certainly is as talented and accomplished as her contemporaries, Meryl Streep and Glenn Close, as far as I'm concerned, and is in the same league of modern leading ladies.

She started as a Wilhelmina model and debuted on-screen, in the Faye Wray role, in Dino De Laurentis' dubious remake of King Kong. (She was also a roommate, in New York and before her early success, with Grace Jones and Jerry Hall, incidentally.)

She began to be taken seriously when she assayed the role of Frances Farmer in 1982's Frances. She was nominated as Best Actress at the Oscars and, in the same year, as Best Supporting Actress for her role opposite Dustin Hoffman in Tootsie. She had arrived, as they say.

I've followed and adored her through the years, especially loving her as Patsy Cline is the biopic Sweet Dreams.  I saw her on Broadway in her unforgettable performance as Blache DuBois in A Streetcar Named Desire and was floored by her intensity in the role.

By 1998, she did her Crawford/ Davis-like descent into Grand Guignol with Hush opposite Gwyneth Paltrow. This flick was, unfortunately, marred by a bad ending despite its over-the-top, camp fun. A guilty pleasure of mine and I still recommend it.

Lange's Emmy Award-winning performance as Big Edie in HBO's wonderful Grey Gardens (opposite Drew Barrymore) impressed me to no end, especially her transformation from vivacious socialite to down-on-her-heels harridan.

I love Jessica Lange, who is now appealing to a younger audience via her campy, fierce performance in tv's American Horror Story. She has been Oscar-nominated 6 times, winning 2, and 14 Golden Globe nods, winning 5. She is magnificent and, in my opinion, can do no wrong. She is also a tireless AIDS activist.

So, Happy Birthday, Jessica Lange! We love you.

Below, the HBO trailer for Grey Gardens: