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:

Rainstorm | Love | Children | Family Secret | Will

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

Cinematography by
William H. Daniels		(director of photography) (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)
• CBS Television (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)
• Warner Home Vídeo (????) (Brazil) (DVD)
• Warner Home Vídeo (????) (Brazil) (VHS)

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 | 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:

Due to a musicians union strike, the movie lacks a traditional musical score composed especially for the picture. Instead, a "canned" score, comprised of pre-recorded pieces from the MGM music library, is used. Most of this music, including the evocative main theme, was originally composed by André Previn for MGM's _Tension (1950)_ .

Goofs:

Continuity: In the first scene of the film, when Brick is arranging the obstacles, his shadow is projected to the right side of the screen. After he approaches the car and drinks from the bottle, his shadow is projected to the left side.

Quotes:

Harvey 'Big Daddy' Pollitt: I've got the guts to die. What I want to know is, have you got the guts to live?

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Starfighters (#7.12)" (1994)

Soundtrack:

Soothe My Lonely Heart

Intense portrayal of love, sex, and truth in deep south

This is by far one of the most intense and well acted movies I have seen. Taylor, Ives, and Newman give EXCELLENT performances, but Newman's is definitely the stand-out. Very provocative movie for 1958, especially with the homosexual undertone between Brick and Skipper. A must see!