 After 326 performances , Leigh finished her run , and she was soon engaged to reprise her role as Blanche DuBois in the film version . Her irreverent and often bawdy sense of humour allowed her to establish a rapport with her co @-@ star Marlon Brando , but she had an initial difficulty in working with director Elia Kazan , who was displeased with the direction that Olivier had taken in shaping the character of Blanche . Kazan had favoured Jessica Tandy and later , Olivia de Havilland over Leigh , but knew she had been a success on the London stage as Blanche . He later commented that he did not hold her in high regard as an actress ; " she had a small talent , " but , as work progressed , he became " full of admiration " for " the greatest determination to excel of any actress I 've known . She 'd have crawled over broken glass if she thought it would help her performance . " Leigh found the role gruelling and commented to the Los Angeles Times , " I had nine months in the theatre of Blanche DuBois . Now she 's in command of me . " Olivier accompanied her to Hollywood where he was to co @-@ star with Jennifer Jones in William Wyler 's Carrie ( 1952 ) . 
