A Streetcar Named Desire (1951)
Marlon Brando: Stanley Kowalski
Photos
Quotes
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Stanley : Hey, STELLA!
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Stanley : Now that's how I'm gonna clear the table. Don't you ever talk that way to me. 'Pig,' 'Pollack,' 'disgusting,' 'vulgar,' 'greasy.' Those kind of words have been on your tongue and your sister's tongue just too much around here. What do you think you are? A pair of queens? Now just remember what Huey Long said - that every man's a king - and I'm the King around here, and don't you forget it.
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Stanley : Take a look at yourself here in a worn-out Mardi Gras outfit, rented for 50 cents from some rag-picker. And with a crazy crown on. Now what kind of a queen do you think you are? Do you know that I've been on to you from the start, and not once did you pull the wool over this boy's eyes? You come in here and you sprinkle the place with powder and you spray perfume and you stick a paper lantern over the light bulb - and, lo and behold, the place has turned to Egypt and you are the Queen of the Nile, sitting on your throne, swilling down my liquor. And do you know what I say? Ha ha! Do you hear me? Ha ha ha!
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Stanley : I am not a Pollack. People from Poland are Poles. They are not Pollacks. But what I am is one hundred percent American. I'm born and raised in the greatest country on this earth and I'm proud of it. And don't you ever call me a Pollack.
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Stanley : I never met a dame yet that didn't know if she was good-looking or not without being told, and there's some of them that give themselves credit for more than they've got.
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Stanley : Listen, baby, when we first met - you and me - you thought I was common. Well, how right you was. I was common as dirt. You showed me a snapshot of the place with them columns, and I pulled you down off them columns, and you loved it, having them colored lights goin'. And wasn't we happy together? Wasn't it all okay till she showed here? And wasn't we happy together? Wasn't it all OK? Till she showed here. Hoity-toity, describin' me like a ape.
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Blanche : Oh, Stanley! What sign were you born under?
Stanley : What sign?
Blanche : Astrological sign. I'll bet you were born under Aries. Aries people are forceful, dynamic, they dote on noise. They love to bang things around.
Stella : Stanley was born just five minutes after Christmas.
Blanche : Capricorn - the goat!
[long silence follows as Stanley stares at Blanche]
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Stanley : Hey, Stella!
Eunice : You quit that howling down there and go to bed!
Stanley : Eunice, I want my girl down here!
Eunice : You shut up! You're gonna get the law on you!
Stanley : Hey, Stella!
Eunice : You can't beat on a woman and then call her back, Because she ain't gonna come! And her going to have a baby.
Stanley : Listen, Eunice...
Eunice : I hope they haul you in and turn the fire hose on you like they did last time!
Stanley : Eunice, I want my girl down here!
Eunice : You stinker!
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Stanley : She is as famous in Laurel as if she was the President of the United States, only she is not respected by any party.
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Stanley : She moved to the hotel called Flamingo which is a second class hotel that has the advantages of not interfering with the private and social life of the personalities there. Now the Flamingo is used to all kinds of goings-on. But even the management of the Flamingo was impressed by Dame Blanche. And in fact, they were so impressed that they requested her to turn in her room-key for permanently. And this, this happened a couple of weeks before she showed here... The trouble with Dame Blanche was that she couldn't put on her act any more in Oriel because they got wised up. And after two or three dates, they quit and then she goes on to another one, the same old line, the same old act, and the same old hooey. And as time went by, she became the town character, regarded not just as different but downright loco and nuts. She didn't re. sign temporarily because of her nerves. She was kicked out before the spring term ended. And I hate to tell you the reason that step was taken. A seventeen-year-old kid she got mixed up with - and the boy's dad learned about it and he got in touch with the high-school superintendent. And there was practically a town ordinance passed against her.
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Stanley : You think I'm gonna interfere with you?... You know, maybe you wouldn't be bad to interfere with.
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Stanley : You know what luck is? Luck is believing you're lucky, that's all... To hold a front position in this rat-race, you've got to believe you are lucky
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Stanley : Now will you just open your eyes to this stuff here. Now I mean, what - has she got this stuff out of teacher's pay?... Will you look at these fine feathers and furs that she comes to bring herself in here. What is this article? That's a solid gold dress, I believe.
Stella : Oh, honest.
Stanley : This one here. What is this, Fox piece?
Stella : Stanley!
Stanley : A genuine fur fox a half a mile long... Where are your fox pieces? This is bushy snow-white ones, no less. Where are your white fox furs?
Stella : Those are inexpensive summer furs that Blanche has had a long time.
Stanley : Listen, I have an acquaintance who deals in this sort of merchandise and he's coming to make an appraisal.
Stella : Oh, don't be such an idiot, Stanley.
Stanley : Listen, Listen, I'm gonna bet you there's a thousand dollars invested in this stuff. Well, now, what is that? That's the treasure chest of a pirate?
Stella : Oh, Stanley! Would you...?
Stanley : That's pearls, Stella. Ropes of them. What is this sister of yours, a deep-sea diver? Bracelets, solid gold. Where are your pearls and gold bracelets?
Stella : Be still, Stanley.
Stanley : And here you are, Diamonds. A crown for an empress.
Stella : A rhinestone tiara, she wore to a costume ball.
Stanley : What is rhinestone?
Stella : Next to glass.
Stanley : Yeah.
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Stella : [Entering the room] Stanley! Stanley, you come on outside with me and left Blanche finish dressing!
Blanche : I've finished dressing honey.
Stella : Well you come out then.
Stanley : Your sister and I are having a little talk.
Blanche : Honey, do me a favor. Run to the drug store and get me a lemon coke with chipped ice. Will you do that for me, sweetie, please.
Stella : All right.
[she leaves to the drug store]
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[Blance enters into the spare bedroom and closes the curtain. She looks at her suitcase which is in complete disaray then she starts to undress and talks to Stanley who is sitting in the kitchen]
Blanche : I understand there's to be a little card party here tonight to which we ladies are cordially not invited.
Stanley : That's right.
Blanche : Where is Stella?
Stanley : She's out there on the porch.
[Blanche walks over to the window and looks out. Across the street Stella is talking to someone. Blanche starts walking back to the curtain]
Blanche : I'm going to ask a favor of you in a moment.
Stanley : Well, what's that going to be, I wonder?
Blanche : Well, some buttons in back.
[She opens the curtain]
Blanche : You may enter.
[Stanley stands up and walks into the bedroom]
Blanche : How do I look?
Stanley : You look okay.
Blanche : Many thanks. Now the buttons.
[He puts the buttons on Stella's back]
Stanley : [fumbles with them for a moment] I can't do no more with them.
Blanche : You mean with your big clumsy fingers. May I have a drag of your cig?
Stanley : Yeah, have one yourself.
[hands her a cigarette]
Blanche : Why thank you. It... It looks like my trunk has exploded.
Stanley : Me and Stella was helping you unpack.
Stanley : You certainly did a fast and thorough job of it.
Stanley : Well, It certainly looks like you raided some stylish shops of Paris, Blanche.
Blanche : Clothes are my passion.
Stanley : How much does it cost for a string of furs like that?
Blanche : Why, those were a tribute from an admirer of mine.
Stanley : He must have had a lot of admiration.
Blanche : Oh, in my youth I excited some admiration. But, look at me now. Would you think it possible that I was once considered to be attractive?
Stanley : Your looks are okay.
Blanche : I was fishing for a compliment, Stanley.
Stanley : I don't go in for that stuff.
Blanche : What stuff?
Stanley : Compliments to women about their looks. I never met a dame yet that didn't know if she was good-looking or not without being told, and some of them give themselves credit for more than they've got. I once went out with a dame who told me, "I'm the glamorous type," she says, "I am the glamorous type." I say, "So what?"
Blanche : And what did she say then?
Stanley : She didn't say nothing. That shut her up like a clam.
Blanche : Did it end the romance?
Stanley : Well, It ended the conversation, that was all. You know that some men are taken in by all this Hollywood glamour and some men just aren't.
Blanche : I'm sure you belong in the second category.
Stanley : That's right.
Blanche : I cannot imagine any witch of a woman casting a spell over you.
Stanley : That's right.
Blanche : You're simple, straightforward and honest, a little bit on the primitive side, I should think. To interest you a woman would have to...
Stanley : Have to lay her cards out on the table.
Blanche : Well I never did care for wishy-washy people. That was why when you walked in last night, I said to myself, "my sister has married a man". Of course that was all I could hope to...
Stanley : [yells] How about cutting the re-bop!
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Stella : You think you're going bowling now?
Stanley : That's right.
Stella : If you're not going bowling, why'd you do this to her?
Stanley : Let go of my shirt.
Stella : I want to know why. Tell me why?
Stanley : Hey, cool it! Listen, baby, when we first met, you and me, you thought I was common. Well, how right you was. I was common as dirt. You showed me a snapshot of a place with columns and I pulled you down off them columns and you loved it. Having them colored lights going. And wasn't we happy together? Wasn't it all okay till she showed here? Huh? Wasn't we happy together? Wasn't it all okay till she showed here? Hoity-toity, describing me like a ape.
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Stanley : Some canary bird...
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Stanley : How about cutting the re-bop?
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Blanche DuBois : My, but you have an impressive, judicial air.
Stanley : You know, if I didn't know that you was my wife's sister, I would get ideas about you... Don't play so dumb. You know what.
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Stanley : How about a few more details on that subject... Let's cop a gander at the bill of sale... What do you mean? She didn't show you no papers, no deed of sale or nothin' like that?... Well then, what was it then? Given away to charity?... Oh I don't care if she hears me. Now let's see the papers... Now listen. Did you ever hear of the Napoleonic code, Stella?... Now just let me enlighten you on a point or two... Now we got here in the state of Louisiana what's known as the Napoleonic code. You see, now according to that, what belongs to the wife belongs to the husband also, and vice versa... It looks to me like you've been swindled baby. And when you get swindled under Napoleonic code, I get swindled too and I don't like to get swindled... Where's the money if the place was sold?
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Stanley : Tiger, tiger. Drop that bottle top. Drop it.
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[Blanche turns on the radio and the music begins. She dances]
Steve : What do you say, Mitch?
[Mitch turns to Blanche]
Stanley : Come on, Mitch, are you in?
Mitch : What? No, I'm out!
Stanley : [to Blanche] Who turned that on in there?
Blanche : I did. Do you mind?
Stanley : Well, turn it off!
Steve : Come on, will you? Let the girls have their music?
[Stanley goes to their room, angrily and turns off the radio]
Blanche : Stanley!
[He turns to Blanche and goes back to Steve and Pablo at the Poker]
Stanley : There you are. I didn't hear your name it!
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Stanley : Hey, toots! Canary bird, will you get out of the bathroom!
[pounds on the door]
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Stanley : Be comfortable. That's my motto up where I come from. You gonna shack up here? Well, I guess I'm gonna strike you as being the unrefined type, huh?
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Stanley : Hello... Yeah, Mac... What?
Blanche : Take your hands off me, Stella. What's the matter with you?
Stanley : [turns to Blanche] Will you shut up!
[turns back to the phone]
Stanley : No, we got a noisy woman in place... Look, I told you I don't want to bowl at Riley's. I had a little trouble with Riley last week. I'm the team captain, ain't I? All right. Then we're not gonna bowl at Riley's. We're gonna bowl at the West Side or at the Gate, and I'll see you.
[hangs up the phone]
