Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #3065 in DVD
• Released on: 2006-06-01
• Rating: Suitable for 15 years and over
• Aspect ratio: 1.33:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Formats: Anamorphic, Dubbed, Full Screen, PAL, Widescreen
• Original language: English
• Subtitled in: Arabic, Bulgarian, Dutch, English, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Romanian, Spanish
• Dubbed in: French, Italian
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 108 minutes

Amazon.co.uk Review
Cat on a Hot Tin Roof offers a smouldering, angry Elizabeth Taylor as Maggie, the feline in question. Paul Newman is her ex-athlete husband, Brick Pollitt, an alcoholic who frustrates and disappoints his wife and his overbearing father, Burl Ives, the vulgar patriarch of this positively Gothic Southern family whose children return to the nest like vultures when they learn he is dying of cancer. Infidelities, addictions, latent homosexuality, depression, unrequited love and mendacity are woven into this powerful adaptation of Tennessee Williams' Pulitzer Prize-winning play. Though it was somewhat whitewashed by Hollywood, the sentiment remains powerful due to the provocative performances. The film was nominated for several Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Actor and Actress for Newman and Taylor. --Rochelle O'Gorman, Amazon.com

Special Features
4:3 Full Frame
1.85 Anamorphic Wide Screen
DVD 10
French\Italian
English\Italian
English
Region 2
Dolby Digital Mono English French Italian
Dolby Digital Mono
Interactive Menus
Scene Access
Trailer
Arabic\Bulgarian\Dutch\English\French\German\Italian\Portuguese\Romanian\Spanish

Synopsis
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.

Customer Reviews

Orson Welles is great, but this is Burl Ives
In the film "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof" the part of Big Daddy is played by Burl Ives and not Orson Welles. The film is somewhat notorious, not only for its allusions to homosexuality, but because Tennessee Williams was "persuaded" to change the ending of the play. Hollywood could just not accept the idea that anyone would turn down sleeping with Elizabeth Taylor (Maggie).

A stunning piece of film making
Paul Newman at his laconic best, watching his somewhat dysfunctional family competing for the attentions of the dying patriarch, wonderfully played by Burl Ives. The film positivly throbs with emotion; frustration, desire,jealousy pain - you name it, this film has it in spades. An absolute classic.

Outstanding version
Seeing this film again recently reminded me just what a great film it is. It's a very powerful story and the film keeps closely to the original play. The acting couldn't be better. All of the actors are excellent. Elizabeth Taylor and Paul Newman are superb: he in the way he depicts his feelings of hopelessness and radiates such antipathy and tension; and she, in subtle glances and body language, her enduring love for him and disappointment that their marriage is childless and failing.

I don't think a better film version of the play could be made than this one.