'A Streetcar Named Desire' at 70 and the Best Director Nominees of 1951

Sophia and Nick are back with another Oscar Rewind, focusing on the Best Director nominees of 1951. First, they depend on the kindness of strangers as they celebrate the 70th anniversary of Elia Kazan’s steamy New Orleans classic, “A Streetcar Named Desire” (2:55). Then, they talk about the most beautiful couple to grace the screen, love triangles, and American tragedies in Best Director winner George Stevens’ film, “A Place in the Sun” (31:24). Next up, they share their thoughts on John Huston’s adventure film that finally won Bogart his Oscar, “The African Queen” (45:52).Why did Vincente Minelli’s “An American in Paris” beat two critically acclaimed dramas for Best Picture? We discuss this influential win and whether or not Minelli deserved to also win Best Director for his avant-garde finale (54:35). Finally, we tackle another William Wyler drama, “Detective Story” before answering some listener questions on the acting categories and deciding If The Academy Got It Right (1:05:39).Follow us on Twitter and Instagram @oscarwildpodMusic: “The Greatest Adventure” by Jonathan Adamich