Rita Giunta
Professor Mignano-Brady
English 102
3/15/2018
A Streetcar Named Desire Soundtrack
In the development of a movie, music is very fundamental for many reasons. Music establishes setting and creates atmosphere. During scenes that are important to the plot, music can give meaning to character’s actions and feelings, while also translating the character’s thought to the viewer. The right choice of songs to accompany a movie is one of the best ways to draw the most attention to detail. This movie soundtrack for “A Streetcar Named Desire” will contain nine songs that will connect with the characters and their emotions, as well as important events in the plot.
The first song on the soundtrack opens scene one of the movie. It starts off loud and progressively lowers to transition into background music. The song is called “Four Deuces” by Alex North. The song is instrumental and has no lyrics. The melody fits perfectly with the opening of the film being a mixture of jazz and blues, introducing the setting of where the plot takes place. It represents the music that is played in New Orleans and its lifestyle, and being that the club “Four Deuces”, that is mentioned multiple times in the plot, is located just around the corner from Stella’s apartment, the melody can also be interpreted as music coming from the club.
After Stanley is drunk and very aggressive with Stella, she runs away only to come back again and sleep with Stanley even after he had put his hands on her. Scene five begins with Blanche in a rage, she cannot believe that Stella went back to him. The song that is attached to this scene is “Bleeding Love” by Leona Lewis. It best describes Stella’s love for Stanley even though he causes her physical pain. Stella is listening to Blanche, who is trying to convince her to get out of the relationship with Stanley, but Stella continues to tell her “I am not in anything I want to get out of” (Stella, 1194). A verse in the song that says “I don’t care what they say, I’m in love with you, they try to pull me away” describes this scene perfectly, amplifying to the viewers that Stella does not care what Blanche has to say about Stanley. (Lewis) “But nothings greater than the rush that comes from your embrace”, this verse in the song also relates to the physical attraction between Stella and Stanley, how his embrace was the spark that made her forget the troubles they had had just moments before.
Stella is pouring Blanche a drink when Blanche lets out a loud cry that startles Stella, causing her to spill the drink on Blanche. The third song on the soundtrack starts playing in the background, “I Want You” by The Beatles, as Stella asks Blanche what is bothering her. Blanche tells her sister she is nervous due to the fact that Mitch is coming to see her. She has not been very honest with Mitch about her age. Blanche is worried because she feels that she lacks the young beauty she once had. She explains to her sister that she has not yet been intimate with Mitch because she wants his respect, but she also has a fear that the man will lose interest in her. The chorus of the song plays a little louder. “I want you, I want you so bad, babe” (The Beatles). Blanche confesses to Stella her desire for Mitch, “Yes – I want Mitch … very badly!” (Blanche, 1203). The song expresses a strong desire for another person, similar to the desire that Blanche has for Mitch. Audible in the background, the viewer can comprehend how much Blanche really wants Mitch.
During Scene 6, Mitch and Blanche start to get cozy in Stella’s apartment. Mitch asks Stella questions about herself, and Blanche deflects the questions by talking about his mother instead. At one point, Blanche tells Mitch that he will be lonely when his mother passes and she understands being lonely very well because she has loved and lost someone before. The fourth song of the soundtrack “Damaged” by Danity Kane starts playing as Blanche tells Mitch about Allan, the man she loved who committed suicide. The song is about a woman wanting to love, but was so hurt by the one she had before. The song plays a strong role in the scene because it expresses what Blanche isn’t fully saying. When she finishes up telling the story of how Allan committed suicide, she ends with saying “And then the searchlight which had been turned on the world was turned off again and never for one moment since has there been any light stronger than this-kitchen-candle” (Blanche, 1212), expressing how much pain Allan had caused her. “But the one before you left me so damaged, I thought that I should let you know, that my heart is damaged, so damaged.” (Kane) The song helps the viewers understand that Blanche is very damaged by what happened with Allan, and what she is not saying is that she wants Mitch to help fix the damage and put her back together again.
Stanley has found out the truth about why Blanche has come to visit. She has told many lies, she did not leave school because of her nerves, but because she had an intimate relationship with a young boy and had a bad reputation in Laurel. Stanley reveals all this truth to Stella while Blanche is bathing. The song that is heard in the background of scene 7 is “Paper Moon” by Natalie Cole. The song is also sung throughout the scene by Blanche as she bathes. It relates to Blanche in that she told these lies because, in reality, she wanted them to be truths. “Say, It’s only a paper moon, sailing over a cardboard sea, but it wouldn’t be make-believe, if you believed in me” (Cole). Blanche does not want to face the truth, so she would rather tell lies and hide behind a make-believe world. Just as the song states, she hopes they believe her, because if they do, maybe it wouldn’t be quite so make believe after all.
In scene eight, Stanley pushes all his dishes to the floor and goes on a rant about the way the ladies speak to him. The song that plays throughout this part of the scene is “I Am The King” by James Meyers. Stanley is telling Stella and Blanche that they have spoken to him in a way that they shouldn’t and he never wants to hear them speak to him like that again. “I am the king around here, so don’t forget it” (Stanley, 1218). The song is upbeat and repeatedly says “I am the king!” (Meyers), emphasizing Stanley’s reaction, which is to make it clear to the ladies that he is the one “in charge”. Stanley’s behavior is due to many factors around him. He has had enough of Blanche’s presence in his house, he believes that she is the destruction of his marriage with Stella. He will not listen to Stella’s objections on the matter any longer, his only concern is to make sure Blanche leaves his home so that, he and his wife, can return to their happy life together.
Mitch confronts Blanche about her lying in scene nine. The song that plays in the background is “White Liar” by Miranda Lambert. Mitch first hears about the lies from Stanley, but then gets the story confirmed by other people. “I called him a liar at first. And then I checked on the story. First I asked our supply-man who travels through Laurel. And then I talked directly over long-distance to this merchant” (Mitch, 1224). The song lyrics “Hey white liar, the truth comes out a little at a time, and it spreads just like fire” closely relates to the fact that the truth comes out slowly at first with Stanley, but then as Mitch started investigating, the whole truth was confirmed and spread like fire. Blanche pours herself another drink and starts spilling out all the information about her past. As the song continues to say in reference to the truth “slips off of your tongue like turpentine”, which is exactly what is happening with Blanche.
The eighth song on the soundtrack is attached to the climax of the movie, when Stanley takes advantage of Blanche. This will not be the first time that the song is heard because it is audible throughout the movie as the song that continues to play in Blanche's head every time she remembers the horrific moment of when her former husband commits suicide. This song represents pain for Blanche and what has broken her, being the song that was playing at that very tragic moment. Being taken advantage of by Stanley is just another moment of excruciating pain for her. The song, “Varsouviana” by composer Alf Clausen, starts playing at the beginning of the scene and it grows louder and louder as the scene progresses to the climax where Blanche no longer has control and Stanley gets his way.
The last scene to the movie consists of Stella sending Blanche away to the asylum. Stella is very sad and is wondering if she is doing the right thing. “I did the right thing” by Johnny Paycheck starts playing as Stella and Eunice re talking. Stella Tells Eunice “I couldn’t believe her and go on living with Stanly (Stella, 1232). This relates very much to the verse in the song “But I did what was right, and it hurts me every night now that she’s gone, and all my friends are proud, ‘cause I gave her up to save my home” (Paycheck). Stella loves Blanche, but if she believed her story that would mean she couldn’t go on living with Stanley, therefore destroying her marriage. Instead, she saves her home by sending Blanche to the asylum, and her friend, Eunice, encourages her to believe that she is doing the right thing. “What else could you do?” (Eunice, 1232).
The songs on the soundtrack contain verses or melodies that go along with the scenes, either emphasizing moments, or giving the viewer a more in-depth meaning of the plot. Whether upbeat or gloomy, each song has its own way of helping the viewer aware of what is going on in each scene. The songs on the soundtrack serve the purpose of their role, to enhance the narration of the story, translate the thoughts of each character and create emotion.
Works Cited
Williams, Tennesse. “A Streetcar Named Desire.” The Norton Introduction To Literature, 10th ed., W.W. Norton & Company , Inc, 2006, pp. 1165–1238.
Lewis, Leona. “Bleeding Love”. Spirit, Syco Music, J Records, 2008.
North, Alex. “Four Deuces”. Harlem Nocturne.
Beatles, The. “I Want You”. Abbey Road.Apple Records, 1969.
Kane, Danity. “Damaged”. Welcome To The Dollhouse. Bad Boy Records, Atlantic Records, 2008.
Cole, Natalie. “Paper Moon”. Unforgettable... with Love.Elektra Records, 1991.
Meyers, James. “I Am The King”. I Am The King. 2016.
Lambert, Miranda. “White Liar”. Revolution.Sony Music Nashville, 2009.
Clausen, Alf. “Varsouviana”.
Paycheck, Johnny. “I Did The Right Thing”. 2002.
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