Filmography › Elia Kazan

All the book-based movies and TV shows adapted by Elia Kazan, ranked

Elia Kazan, known for works such as A Streetcar Named Desire or East of Eden, has adapted several stories from the pages of books and comic books to the screen.
Below, we present a ranked list, from best to worst, of 3 Elia Kazan movies and TV series based on existing source material. Revisit old favorites or discover hidden gems, whether books or film productions. We invite you to watch, read, and vote for any title, joining the debate of whether the book or the movie is better.
A Streetcar Named Desire. Poster of the 1951 movie and cover of the 1947 book
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A Streetcar Named Desire
Tennessee Williams, 1947
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A Streetcar Named Desire
Elia Kazan, 1951

Blanche DuBois, a middle-aged high school English teacher, arrives in New Orleans. She takes a streetcar named Desire to the French Quarter, where her sister, Stella, and her husband, Stanley Kowalski, live in a dilapidated tenement apartment. Blanche claims to be on leave from her teaching job due to her nerves and wants to stay with Stella and Stanley.

East of Eden. Poster of the 1955 movie and cover of the 1952 book
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East of Eden
John Steinbeck, 1952
movie vs book
East of Eden
Elia Kazan, 1955

The plot line is loosely based on the biblical story of Cain and Abel. After Adam’s idealistic plans for a long-haul vegetable shipping business venture end in a loss of thousands of dollars, Cal decides to enter the bean-growing business, as a way of recouping the money his father lost.

The Last Tycoon. Poster of the 1976 movie and cover of the 1941 book, The Love of the Last Tycoon
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The Love of the Last Tycoon
F. Scott Fitzgerald, 1941
movie vs book
The Last Tycoon
Elia Kazan, 1976

Set in Hollywood during the 1930s, the movie revolves around the life of Monroe Stahr, a talented and influential film producer loosely based on the legendary producer Irving Thalberg. Stahr faces various challenges, including studio politics, love affairs, and the struggles of the Great Depression, all while trying to create successful movies.