Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (1958)

Director:

Richard Brooks

Writers:

Tennessee Williams (play)
Richard Brooks (screenplay) ...
(more)

Release Date:

20 September 1958 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Tagline:

Just one pillow on her bed ... and just one desire in her heart!

Plot:

Brick, an alcoholic ex-football player, drinks his days away and resists the affections of his wife, Maggie. His reunion with his father, Big Daddy, who is dying of cancer, jogs a host of memories and revelations for both father and son.

Plot Keywords:

Alcoholic | Cancer | Birthday | Marriage | Obsession

Awards:

Nominated for 6 Oscars. Another 2 wins & 8 nominations

Cast

Elizabeth Taylor	...	Margaret 'Maggie the Cat' Pollitt
Paul Newman	...	Brick Pollitt
Burl Ives	...	Harvey 'Big Daddy' Pollitt
Jack Carson	...	Cooper 'Gooper' Pollitt
Judith Anderson	...	Ida 'Big Momma' Pollitt
Madeleine Sherwood	...	Mae Flynn Pollitt
Larry Gates	...	Dr. Baugh
Vaughn Taylor	...	Deacon Davis
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Zelda Cleaver	...	Sookey - Servant (uncredited)
Brian Corcoran	...	'Boy' Pollitt (uncredited)
Hugh Corcoran	...	Buster Pollitt (uncredited)
Patty Ann Gerrity	...	Dixie Pollitt (uncredited)
Bobby Johnson	...	Pollitt Groom (uncredited)
Walter Merrill	...	Party Guest (uncredited)
Deborah Miller	...	Trixie Pollitt (uncredited)
Robert 'Rusty' Stevens	...	Sonny Pollitt (uncredited)
Vince Townsend	...	Lacey - Servant (uncredited)
Jeane Wood	...	Party Guest (uncredited)

Directed by
Richard Brooks

Writing credits
Tennessee Williams		(play "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof")
Richard Brooks		(screenplay) and
James Poe		(screenplay)

Produced by
Lawrence Weingarten	....	producer

Original Music by
Charles Wolcott		(uncredited)

Cinematography by
William H. Daniels		(as William Daniels)

Film Editing by
Ferris Webster

Art Direction by
William A. Horning
Urie McCleary

Set Decoration by
Henry Grace
Robert Priestley

Makeup Department
Sydney Guilaroff	....	hair stylist
William Tuttle	....	makeup artist

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
William Shanks	....	assistant director
Hank Moonjean	....	assistant director (uncredited)

Sound Department
Wesley C. Miller	....	recording supervisor (as Dr. Wesley C. Miller)
Van Allen James	....	sound editor (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Lee LeBlanc	....	special effects

Stunts
Dean Smith	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Bill Johnson	....	camera operator (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Helen Rose	....	wardrobe: Elizabeth Taylor

Editorial Department
Charles K. Hagedon	....	color consultant

Other crew
Merguerite Lamkin	....	dialogue coach (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)
• Avon Productions (II)

Distributors

• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1958) (USA) (theatrical)
• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1958) (France) (theatrical)
• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1966) (USA) (theatrical) (re-release)
• Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) (1967) (USA) (TV) (original airing)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (1991) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (1994) (USA) (VHS)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (1997) (USA) (DVD)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (1997) (USA) (VHS)
• Warner Home Video (1997) (USA) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (1997) (USA) (VHS)
• Warner Home Video (1999) (USA) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2000) (USA) (VHS)
• Warner Home Video (2001) (Germany) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2004) (USA) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2006) (USA) (DVD) (special edition)
• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1959) (Finland) (theatrical)
• Seven Films (2008) (Greece) (theatrical) (re-release)
• Living Colour Entertainment (2009) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Mainostelevisio (MTV3) (1981) (1986) (Finland) (TV)
• Sandrew Metronome Distribution (2001) (Finland) (DVD)
• TV3 (1992) (Finland) (TV)
• Warner Home Video (1992) (Finland) (VHS)
• Warner Home Video (2007) (Finland) (DVD)
• Warner Home Vídeo (????) (Brazil) (DVD)
• Warner Home Vídeo (????) (Brazil) (VHS)
• Yleisradio (YLE) (1969) (1998) (2000) (Finland) (TV)

Runtime:

108 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Certification:

Portugal:M/12 (re-rating) | Spain:18 | Finland:K-3 (2007) | South Korea:15 (DVD rating) | Brazil:14 | Argentina:13 | Australia:PG | Canada:PG | Chile:14 | Finland:K-12 | Netherlands:AL | Portugal:17 | Sweden:15 | USA:Not Rated | West Germany:18 (original rating) | UK:12A (re-rating) (2005) | UK:X (original rating) | UK:15 (video rating) (1987) | UK:15 (video rating)

Filming Locations:

Coleman Estate, Muttontown, Oyster Bay, Long Island, New York, USA

Company:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Trivia:

When Paul Newman agreed to play the role of Brick, he was under the impression the film would simply adapt the original script into a screenplay. When the screenplay deviated wildly from the stage text over Tennessee Williams' objections, Newman expressed his disappointment.

Goofs:

Continuity: After Brick tries to drive away and gets stuck, Maggie goes out to him and helps him into the house through the pouring rain. Her hair is soaking wet, but the next time we see her, it's perfectly dry and styled.

Quotes:

Dr. Baugh: Sometimes I wish I had a pill to make people disappear.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Unearthly (#4.20)" (1991)

Soundtrack:

Nice layout

It isn't the play, but it is a very good film

I first encountered "Cat" in a fine National Theatre production in 1988 with Lindsay Duncan as Maggie, Ian Charleson as Brick, Eric Porter as Big Daddy, Paul Jessons as Gooper and Alison Steadman as Mae.

The film is not the play, but you don't often get an opportunity to see a fine cast perform this amazing play, and it needs a fine cast.

The movie has a fine cast. The movie grips you from start to finish. The movie even adds a little; the basement scene works wonderfully in the movie in ways that would be hard or impossible to reproduce on stage.

Yes, the play has been bowdlerised to make it into a movie, but what do you expect in 1958. The reality is, this film is a piece of cinema and drama history. You'd need to be a "Williams Fundamentalist" to hate the movie for its toned-down-ness. To the balanced Williams fan, it is gripping, well acted and nicely-paced.

Once every 10-15 years there is a truly fine production of this play in a world-class theatre. If you get the chance, go see a great production in the theatre. In between times, this movie is a very good second.