although those (relatively) gentle endings for both Blanche and Norma seemed the norm for that time in cinema.

I'm currently pondering whether there this is because they're both women, or whether it's a gender-free thing. The only comparable male character I can think off is Willy Loman, and he kills himself when he can't maintain the illusion anymore.

Question: is the folie a deux of George and Martha in Who is afraid of Virginia Woolf in the 60s a reaction to that? I.e. lies and illusions are smashed, but they both survive?