I Watch Films: Cat On A Hot Tin Roof

 

Cat On A Hot Tin Roof

Brick Pollitt (Paul Newman) while drunk injures himself trying to recapture his athletics days. At the country estate of his father Big Daddy Pollitt, he hides in his room from what will be Big Daddy’s birthday party. Brick is estranged from his wife, Maggie (Elizabeth Taylor), after thinking she had an affair with his friend Skipper, who later killed himself; he’s now an alcoholic.

Meanwhile Big Daddy returns from a hospital visit, given a clean bill of health. This is something of a relief, especially to Big Daddy’s other son Gooper, and his wife Mae (aka Sister Woman). Despite having five children and Gooper working on Big Daddy’s business, Brick and Maggie are still Big Daddy’s favourites. Brick is indifferent to any possible inheritance; Maggie isn’t but more interested in getting the marriage back on track.

Based on a play be Tennessee Williams, this is a family drama about Brick coming to terms with his failures, and everyone’s secrets and unspoken feelings being revealed. Some very good performances. Williams apparently didn’t like the film, in part because in the play Skipper and Brick’s relationship was a bit gayer, something that couldn’t be put on film thanks to the Hays Code.

Watch This: Excellent adaption of a classic play, and good in it’s own way
Don’t Watch This: About lies and cheating and grasping