Cat on a Hot Tin Roof

A detailed Summary of Cat on a Hot Tin Roof

When literature is transformed into film, it goes through a process known as cinematic mutation. This process could not be more noticeable in the production of Tennessee William's Cat on a Hot Tin Roof. This playwright and later blockbuster film is based on the inner conflicts of honesty, love, and greed. There is a great deal of narrative refraction in the screenplay by Richard Brooks and James Poe. Some major thematic modifications in the film include: Brick Pollitt's sexuality issue, a transcreation of Big Daddy's character, and the addition of visual dimension. Cat on a Hot Tin Roof involves various crises during a time era where lack of communication leads to a lonely embarrassed society. The play plunges into a forbidden subject when main character Brick Pollitt is forced to deal with sexuality issues.

Brick Pollitt is an ex-football star drowning his self-pity in alcohol. He constantly repels his wife and everyone else for a number of obscure reasons. In the book, it is strongly implied that Brick had sexual relations with his deceased friend Skipper. He is disgusted with himself because he believes that anyone who is a pro football player should be masculine, and heterosexual.

Big Daddy is a crude, wealthy, stubborn bully in Williams' original version of the play. He has a much shorter role, and leaves his conflicts less resolved. The conversation between Brick and Big Daddy is private, shorter, and more open to the tender subjects at hand. They confront Brick's secret desires for Skipper, although he denies they existed.

A few new scenes were created in the film adding some visual dimension. These added scenes nicely compliment the new script, bringing more visual texture to theme. Scenes such as the high school track, the car in the mud, and the drama in the cellar were key elements in the production of the film.

Most importantly, the scene in the cellar was added. It was interesting that the men's deepest emotions were discussed in the deepest, darkest room in house. The addition of the cellar helped reduce the repetition of Brick and Big Daddy's many conversations, something that may have otherwise caused a problem in the film.

In the movie, Big Daddy is a much rounder character. A conversation similar to the one in original play takes place, but is followed by much more. Big Daddy flees to the basement angry with his family and himself. Brick appears later and tells Big Daddy that he has never felt any love from him. Big Daddy had tried to buy the love of his family with the green American dream. When Big Daddy hears this he questions his motives in life, hoping to find something positive. He even pretends to tolerate the love of Big Mama towards the end of the film, and says he will take care of all those on his monstrous plantation. These drastic changes in the screenp

Some common words found in the essay are:
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Approximate Word count = 1100
Approximate Pages = 4 (250 words per page double spaced)

Category: English