The film opens similarly to Cool Hand Luke, with Paul Newman's character drunk and out of control. He's at a sports stadium and hears the roar of the crowd in his head. Trying to relive his glorious youth, he attempts to jump the hurdles on the track and ends up breaking his foot. There's something about Paul Newman in this time period where he's able to play the reckless youth so well as he does in here, Cool Hand Luke and The Hustler.
In Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, Brick (Newman) is deeply bothered by something. He has become a morose alcoholic because of it, but why? Why can't he stand his wife Maggie (Elizabeth Taylor) or his father Big Daddy (Burl Ives)? Something is amiss but nobody seems to be saying anything at all. There is a great deal of tension in the film to discover the secret that has destroyed Brick and Maggie's marriage. Maggie desperately wants to win back the approval of her husband, but what did she do so wrong? The rest of the film deals with Big Daddy who is coming home for his sixty-fifth birthday after a visit from the doctors. Big Daddy is dying of cancer but doesn't know it yet, but his children do. They have been squabbling over the estate in case of his death and Brick's brother's family has been circling around like vultures. Will Big Daddy learn of his inevitable fate and can he reconcile with Brick who is so cold and distant to him? What is it that he did so wrong?
The most remarkable thing about this movie is that every single character is deeply flawed or downright despicable. It is like when I tried to watch Grey's Anatomy, but couldn't because I found that I hated every single character. The characters in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof all seem like miserable human beings and yet you can't help but be engaged in their lives, to hear them bicker, to watch them loathe each other. It is almost satire on the concept of the all American family. It looks perfect from the outside, but as Big Mama sadly admits, "There wasn't a lot of love in this house."
The film is well acted and well written, as it should be being based on Tennessee William's famous play. The melodrama is at an all time high and near suffocating, kind of like 12 Angry Men. That is typically my impression on well adapted films from plays. The language and the dialogue come out in the forefront with little need for any fancy shenanigans. Here is a camera, here is your set, now go act your ass off. Paul Newman is of course Paul Newman and great. I think this is the first time I've seen Elizabeth Taylor in action and she can really act! While I don't think she is as beautiful or glamourous as some of her contemporaries, she has a certain presence about her that commands your attention. For instance, as beautiful as I think Grace Kelly was, there was once a movie I watched where I didn't even realize it was her until midway through the movie. I get the feeling that would never happen with Elizabeth Taylor.
Ironically some of the best qualities of the film can also be used against it. The melodrama is so thick, it's almost maddening. The first thirty minutes of film is so cryptic you know it will lead to a big revelation somewhere, but this slow roasting boiling tension had me in angst. I don't know if that's a good thing or a bad thing. Also, while the characters are interesting you have to get past the fact that you sometimes might want to just grab them by the shoulders and shake them violently, even Paul Newman.
Grade: B
I'm glad you were able to survive the angst!
ReplyDeleteIs ET in nightwear the whole time? I'd hope you'd mention something like that if it were the case...