The 1951 film adaptation of Tennessee Williams' acclaimed play, "A Streetcar Named Desire," faced significant challenges from censors, profoundly altering its narrative and thematic elements. The Hollywood Production Code, a self-imposed set of industry guidelines, began influencing the screenplay even before filming commenced. This early intervention, coupled with later demands from groups like the Catholic Legion of Decency, resulted in numerous
modifications that softened the play's more controversial aspects, particularly those related to sexuality, violence, and mental illness.
Pre-Production Censorship and Script Changes
Tennessee Williams, who co-wrote the screenplay with Oscar Saul, encountered censorship demands during the writing process itself. Certain elements from his Pulitzer Prize-winning play were deemed unsuitable for the screen. For example, the play explicitly states that Blanche's husband committed suicide after she discovered his homosexual affair. In the film's script, this was toned down, with Blanche merely implying that she drove him to suicide, omitting the specific reason for his death. This change was a direct result of the Production Code's restrictions on depicting homosexuality.
Furthermore, the film's ending was deliberately altered to align with Hollywood's moral standards, diverging from the play's original conclusion. In the stage version, Stella, after sending her sister to an institution, is comforted by Stanley. However, the film's ending portrays Stella leaving Stanley because of his assault on Blanche. This modification was mandated by censors who found it unacceptable for a woman in an American film to forgive such an act against a family member, reflecting the prevailing social and moral conservatism of the era.
Post-Production Cuts and Content Alterations
Even after the film was shot, censorship continued to impact its final form. Director Elia Kazan was reportedly unaware of some of the cuts made to the film. These included a dialogue between Blanche and Stella that explicitly revealed Blanche's husband was homosexual and that she had driven him to suicide. Another scene, where Blanche expresses a desire to kiss a newsboy on the mouth, was edited to remove the direct mention of the kiss, making it less suggestive.
A close-up shot of Stella's face, conveying desire as she flees Stanley after he hits her, was also removed. The depiction of the rape scene between Stanley and Blanche was significantly less explicit in the film compared to the play, showing only Stanley dragging Blanche onto the bed. In total, the censors demanded sixty-eight changes to the screenplay. The Catholic Legion of Decency further pressed for additional interventions, specifically targeting references to homosexuality and the portrayal of rape, underscoring the powerful influence of moral watchdogs on cinematic content during this period. These extensive alterations highlight the profound impact censorship had on shaping the 1951 film, ultimately presenting a version of Williams' story that conformed to the societal norms and moral codes of its time.
