Later that night Blanche and Stella get ready to go out, leaving Stanley to have his friends over and play Poker.
When the women return home, Stanley, Mitch, Pablo and Steve are still playing Poker. It is around 2.30am and Stella asks Stanley to called it quits after the next hand has been played. It is here that Blanche first meets Mitch, she is shocked that he is shy, quiet and gentlemanly. As Stanley is fairly drunk, he becomes violent and lashes out at Stella, resulting in him hitting her. Blanche ushers Stella upstairs to Eunice’s. Stanley, soon sobers up when he realises Stella has gone, and calls up the stairs to her for her to come back to him. Slowly she comes down to him and they go back into their home. This disgusts Blanche, yet Mitch is there to comfort her.
Next morning, Stella tries to explain to Blanche that she has forgiven Stanley and loves him no less. Blanche tries to make Stella think otherwise and tells her that the two of them could be living together with an old admirer of Blanches. Stanley arrives home and overhears some of this conversation however Stella greets Stanley affectionately and shows that her loyalties remain with her husband.
Whilst we hear Steve and Eunice arguing, Stanley questions Blanche about her knowledge of a man named Shaw, and of a hotel named the Flamingo, in Laurel where Blanche formally taught English. Blanche denies all knowledge, yet as soon as Stanley has left she asks Stella of any thing that she may have possibly heard about her. Stella claims she has heard nothing, and goes off to meet Stanley. Whilst Blanche is awaiting a date with Mitch, a young boy comes to the apartment collecting for a newspaper. Blanche flirts with the boy then ends up kissing him.
The following scene shows Blanche and Mitch arriving home after a disastrous date. Blanche talks a lot about Stanley and the way he behaves around her and Mitch tells Blanche of his unwell mother. They manage to get on to the subject of Blanches short-lived marriage, and she informs Mitch that the reason he is dead is because he killed himself, due to Blanche catching him with another man. Mitch comforts Blanche by kissing her.
On September 15th it is Blanches birthday. She is expecting Mitch over for tea and she is bathing whilst Stella is decorating a cake for her. Stanley comes home to tell Stella the truth about why Stella’s older sister is staying with them. He claims that Blanche has been living as a prostitute, staying in a cheap hotel whilst she taught at the local school. Stella learns that Blanche had been sacked from her job for having an affair with a seventeen-year-old pupil who went to the school. Stanley also tells Stella that he has informed Mitch of the very same information. Stella does not stand for this, but appears physically shocked when Blanche joins both Stanley and Stella at the dinner table.
The birthday dinner doesn’t go entirely to plan, and the atmosphere is somewhat tense. Stanley once again becomes angry when Stella criticises his manners. He gives Blanche a ticket back to Laurel for the following week, as her birthday present, however she leaves the table hurt and feeling sick. Stella becomes furious with Stanley, although soon starts to feel the first contractions of labour and is rushed to hospital.
Whilst Blanche is left alone in the house, Mitch arrives, slightly drunk. He is angry with Blanche as she lied to him, however Blanche does not deny this, instead uses her young husbands death and her grief for him as a way out. She wants stability from Mitch yet he only makes gestures of sex. Blanche objects and threatens to call Fire!
Blanche is dressed up and talking to herself when Stanley returns home from the hospital. She declares that she has received a message from an Oil Millionaire, inviting her on a cruise. Stanley becomes agitated by her lies and advances towards her sexually. She tries to warn him off with a broken bottle however he grabs her wrist. She collapses to the floor, he lifts her and carries her to the bed.
The last scene takes place some weeks later. Stanley and his friends are once again playing poker, Stella is packing Blanches suitcase. Blanche is unaware that a doctor from a hospital specialising in mentally ill patients is on his way to see her; Stella has reluctantly decided to commit her older sister to this hospital. Stella finds it hard to believe Blanches story about Stanley alleged assault and has therefore done what she feels is best. Blanche on the other hand thinks she is off on holiday with an old flame, Shep Huntleigh.
When the doctor arrives Blanche is somewhat shocked and confused. The doctor however speaks to her in a kind and civil manner and she willingly follows him out of the house leaving Stella in distress.
