The movie revolves around Brick, a former alcoholic soccer player, as he fights with his reality in front of major challenges. Brick still resists his wife Maggie's emotions and tries to reunite him with his wealthy father, Big Daddy, who is slowly dying of cancer. There, Brick extends a collection of memories and true passion for nostalgia.
Burl Ives and Judith Anderson are highly entertaining as the nightmare parents, Big Daddy and Big Mama, and Jack Carson has one of his last good roles as Newman's competitive older brother.
Richard Brooks' screen version of Tennessee Williams' play is compromised (no mention of homosexuality), but it's well directed and deftly acted by Paul Newman and Liz Taylor, both at their sexiest.
The performances are the thing in this film version of the Tennessee Williams stage triumph, led by Ives, repeating his stage role like a force of nature.
As so often with adaptations of Williams, it frequently errs on the side of overstatement and pretension, but still remains immensely enjoyable as a piece of cod-Freudian codswallop.
What a pack of trashy people these accomplished actors perform!
Matt's Movie Reviews
July 06, 2010
It is a fine piece of acting by Paul Newman, the Southern gentlemen portraying his fragile and haunted character with an unparalleled amount of soul, which he had imbedded in many of his characters.
