loading loading...

Cat On A Hot Tin Roof Details

1958 DVD Certificate 15.gif
  • Rated:
  • 70
  • from 2559 members

This is the classic cinematic version of Tennessee Williams's breathtaking play about a crazed southern family torn apart by greed. Larger-than-life patriarch Big Daddy (Burl Ives) lays dying, and the members of his brood clamor for the inheritance. Paul Newman is Brick, the alcoholic son struggling in the shadow of his .. Read more

Starring Elizabeth Taylor, Paul Newman, Burl Ives, Judith Anderson
Director Richard Brooks
Genres Drama

loading loading...

Cat On A Hot Tin Roof

This is the classic cinematic version of Tennessee Williams's breathtaking play about a crazed southern family torn apart by greed. Larger-than-life patriarch Big Daddy (Burl Ives) lays dying, and the members of his brood clamor for the inheritance. Paul Newman is Brick, the alcoholic son struggling in the shadow of his powerful father, and Elizabeth Taylor is Maggie, Brick's lingerie-clad temptress of a wife who will do anything for the love of her cold husband. Brick's younger brother, Gooper (Jack Carson), and his wife, Mae (Madeleine Sherwood), strive for Big Daddy's approval, but even though they have children and a successful marriage, Big Daddy is dedicated to Brick, a former football star with his own personal demons. Tensions mount as the family is forced together under one roof, where secrets are revealed and relationships are lost and found. Elizabeth Taylor and Paul Newman's performances serve as cinematic icons; the heat and hatred between them ignites the screen, fueled by Tennessee Williams's insightful and brilliant dialogue.

Starring Elizabeth Taylor, Paul Newman, Burl Ives, Judith Anderson, Jack Carson, Larry Gates, Vaughn Taylor, Madeleine Sherwood
Director Richard Brooks
Studio WARNER HOME VIDEO
Run time DVD: 1 hr 48 mins
Certificate DVD Certificate 15.gif
Genres Drama
Language English
Dubbed French, Italian
Hearing-impaired English, Italian
Subtitles Arabic, Bulgarian, Dutch, English, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Romanian, Spanish
Released DVD: 15 May 2006
Production year: 1958
Format DVD
  • Critics' reviews (2) of Cat On A Hot Tin Roof

    View all
  • 2 stars out of 4

    Slightly bowdlerized version of Tennessee Williams's most straightforward melodrama, watchable for the acting but still basically a theatrical experience.

    • Halliwell's Film Guide
  • Overheated melodrama, based on Tennessee Williams' play about frustration, greed, lust and impotence wreaking havoc... read more on Time Out

    • Time Out
  • Most helpful member's review of Cat On A Hot Tin Roof

    View all
  • 5 out of 7 people found this review helpful

    Rated - 5 stars

    LA LIZ DOES IT AGAIN.

    PERHAPS THE FINEST PERFORMANCE IN A LONG AND AMAZING CAREER FROM LIZ TAYLOR.

    PAUL NEWMAN IS SUBLIME IN HIS PERFORMANCE OF A MAN COMING TO TERMS WITH HIS HOMOSEXUALITY, UNABLE TO SATISFY HIS BEAUTIFUL WIFE, WHILE OVERCOME WITH THE GUILT OVER THE DEATH OF HIS BEST FRIEND AND LOVER.

    A TRUE CLASSIC.

      • GARABALDI from UK
  • Most recent members' review of Cat On A Hot Tin Roof

    View all
  • 2 out of 3 people found this review helpful

    Rated - 5 stars

    Family Matters

    The inheritance of the family 'land' is being fought over by two sons. The elder son and his ambitious wife try to discredit the younger son Brick (Paul Newman). The sychophancy of the wife is sickening to the Father, Big Daddy (Burle Ives). Brick the younger son is tormented by the memory of 'skipper' an old football buddy. Skipper died, suicide perhaps after a late night hotel room meeting with Brick's wife who is played by Elizabeth Taylor. Big Daddy has tests to see if he has terminal cancer - the doctors and family members collude to hide the truth from Big Daddy. Brick wants no part of it. He doesn't want the land, he doesn't want to join in with Birthday celebrations he has contempt for his wife and is angry at the lack of love from his father. He wants the truth and he wants love. As the plot is resolved he gets the truth and the love and of course it is Brick, the brother pure in heart who inherits the land. Sharp script based on the Tenessee Williams play set in the Deep South. Southern rural values of women being good breeding stock and the menfolk ruling the roost are examined. It is easy to forget how good film acting was in the 1950s. This is as good as it gets!

      • RicardoMartinez from Avon
  • Image gallery

    View all
  • More like this

    View all

Rating breakdown

2,559 Member ratings
  • 100
404
  • 90
285
  • 80
588
  • 70
428
  • 60
366
  • 50
182
  • 40
104
  • 30
78
  • 20
83
  • 10
41

Related user collection

Must See's (30)

Average rating: unrated

by: S from W Yorkshire

Buy from the LOVEFiLM shop


    • Cat On A Hot Tin Roof
    • DVD: £5.43
      Free Delivery
    • RRP £7.99 (you save: 32%)
    • This is the classic cinematic version of Tennessee Williams's breathtaking play about a crazed southern family torn apart by greed. Larger-than-life patriarch Big Daddy (Burl Ives) lays dying, and ...