The use of close-ups in the film A Streetcar Named Desire effectively captivates the increasing tension between Stanley (Marlon Brando) and his wife Stella (Kim Hunter.) As Stanley begins to ponder, the director transitions between a midshot and a medium close-up. Through this change, the audience is permitted to pay closer attention to the micro and macro movements displayed on the screen. Firstly, the combination of Stanley's sweat dripping on his shoulders, the frantic breathing, and the rapid eye fixations enunciate his guilt and desperation. Furthermore, as he places both of his hands on his head and yells "Hey Stella!" with his eyes closed and his mouth open widely, we observe Stanley's increasing angst and remorse. The use of a medium close-up in this context places an emphasis on the changes in Stanley's body language. The evolution of Stanley's nervous state demonstrates how motion in close-up shots preserves the attention of an audience. Rather than displaying a stationary shot, the increasing tension observed in Stanley immerses the audience by building anticipation as to how Stella will respond to his plea.

The use of motion in the dance battle between the "Jets" and the "Sharks" accentuates the transgression of tension between both groups. Let's place an emphasis on the time interval between 5:57 and 6:08. Within the first few seconds of this clip, the Jets are dancing in a graceful and soft manner- complemented by the high pitch and soft tune of the music. Although the male and female members of the Jets are assigned their own choreography, the mechanics of the footwork and arm movements allow them to dance in a cohesive manner. However, the male dancers lead their female partners onto the center of the dance stage shortly after. Likewise, the Sharks also lead their female dance partners onto the center of the dance stage, resulting in the female dancers from both groups making eye contact with minimal distance between them. This scene depicts an alternative argument for the use of motion within close-ups. Because the CU, in this context, is short-lasting, the development of tension in this clip is dependent on the actions taking place beforehand. The dance battle taking place in this scene represents the fusion of a graceful choreography alongside a tense rivalry between two groups. As the audience keeps the feud in mind, the close-up of the female dancers from opposing teams making eye contact with each other establishes a contrast in motion and tension. Rather than using choreography to depict violence between both groups, the director emphasized the dancers' squinting eyes and competitive smirks in the CU, prompting subtleness and mystery to guide the tension displayed on screen.