MOVIE REVIEW: Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (1958)

Ever since the passing of Dame Liz, it dawned on me that I had never actually seen any of her early work. My familiarity with her went only within the realm of her cheesy perfume commercials, the glut of news reports about her health, and The Flintstones. Since I had read Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, years ago in high school, it seemed perfectly fitting that this would be the one for me to check out. And hey...not only did Ms. Taylor happen to be a good actress, but BOY, was she gorgeous! She pretty much sizzles in this film alongside her equally talented co-star, Paul Newman. The color photography captures every nuance of soul through their piercing, lightly-colored eyes. But enough about them...

Brick Pollitt is an ex-football star-turned-alcoholic, who spends his spare time trying to drunkenly relive his glory days on the field by himself. Brick is married to Maggie - the "cat" - a sexually-frustrated sexpot who's become the black sheep of the family on account that she and Brick are childless. That problem is only one of many that encompasses the couple's turbulent relationship, and Maggie herself feels akin to the film's namesake, due to her undying loyalty to Brick and her lack of direction on "where to land" should she "fall off" the "roof". When Brick's father, Big Daddy's 65th birthday rolls around, and the family comes together once again, things begin to get really heated as the cracks in the Pollitt family begin to expose as well.

What was cool about stage-to-film adaptations in Golden Age Hollywood, is that many of the filmmakers took great strides not to mess too much with the original. Granted, there are some subtle changes and visual elaborations of off-screen activity, but for the most part, the film is pretty faithful to the play, from what I remember. The producers even managed to keep the supporting cast intact, which I thought was a nice touch. While I've already elaborated plenty on the acting, I will say for those of you who are wary towards watching old movies that this one is very dialogue-heavy. All of the action is pretty much confined to one set for the approximate hour-and-forty-minute runtime. However, I appreciate that kind of intimacy within a film. It's not very common, nowadays, but that's what makes Cat on a Hot Tin Roof stand out, in comparison to today's more flashier adaptations.

8/10

Peace,
- Jon