Cat on a Hot Tin Roof by Tennessee Williams

Relationship.


If there is one word to sum up the focus of this play, that is it. The scene begins and ends in the bedroom and the hot-and-cold, cat-and-mouse marriage relationship of Brick and Margaret (also known as "Maggie the Cat") in this play by Tennessee Williams. But it isn't just about the two of them.  Virtually every relationship between the main characters is put under the microscope to be examined and explored, pulled taut and set on fire as "Maggie the Cat" on the simmering hot tin roof of her marriage, pushes and pulls and strategizes to save them both and revive her ever-cool and stoic, alcoholic Brick. Whether reading the original script or watching the film version, you'll have to make it a glass of ice cold tea to make it through this one.

This story touches deep and close to human nature, and uncomfortably so. In fact, this is one of the very rare cases in which I would recommend the movie version over the book version. Why? Because the movie suavely conveys every bit of intensity and every degree of heat, and does so without the excessive use of vulgarity and sexual innuendo. There is a surprising amount of muck in the original script that was thankfully tossed out in the movie: several occurrences of "the F word", using the Lord's name as a swear word, and sexual explicitness. So, I am basically reviewing the story within both the book and the movie version.

However, it is worth noting that there are a couple of major differences between the two:

1.  In the original script, the entire drama takes place in the bedroom, where as in the movie version, the story moves from the high school athletic field to the airport to the front yard to the bedroom to the living room, then outside and back into the living room, in the basement and at the stairwell, finally ending back in the bedroom. While I recognize that the decision to confine all of the explosive drama in the bedroom was very much intentional on the part of Williams, I actually prefer the movement within the film. In fact, when watching the film, the story successfully felt confined enough to compliment and amplify the electric intensity of the dialog and the tension within the relationships. When reading the script, the decision to keep everything in one room felt forced, unrealistic, and a bit on-the-nose, as they say. The bedroom is symbolic. We get it. But I felt that we got that in the movie when the drama largely took place in and ended in the bedroom, as well. Not only that, but keeping everything within Big Daddy's house (or just outside of it) felt symbolic, as well. The house is the scene for the household issues. Plus, the movement within the film allowed for more artistic freedom, as seen in the storm that broke out when Brick finally reached his own breaking point (gothic dualism?) and was immersed in the downpour outside.

2. In the original script, more was explained and less was resolved. For instance, we actually got to the bottom of Brick's relationship with his best friend Skipper. You see, (SPOILER ALERT:) Maggie seduced Skipper to prove that he had impure feelings for Brick. Skipper complied to prove her wrong, but afterwards felt so guilty, he called Brick and not only confessed to the adultery, but also his romantic love for Brick. Brick hung up on him, compelling Skipper to kill himself. So not only can Brick not forgive Maggie for killing his best friend and tricking his best friend into thinking he was in love with him, but he also cannot forgive himself for forsaking his best friend during his time of need.

And, I will say that the script makes it quite clear that Brick regards homosexuality as an impure thing. While he does allude to the culture's intolerance of it, he in no way indicates that he disagrees. He insists, rather, that he and Skipper had a pure, true friendship above reproach.

 And as far as resolution goes, the movie is leaps and bounds more conclusive than the script. In the film, there is an entire new scene in which we go down into the basement with Big Daddy where he is surrounded by his material wealth- all kinds of collected souvenirs from his world travels which symbolize the very wealth he has accumulated which ironically still cannot buy immortality or love. But while this idea is alluded to in the script, it is explored in the movie to the point of unearthing Big Daddy's real fears and even hinting at his genuine love for his wife (whom he constantly disrespects during the earlier movie scenes and throughout the entire original script). He not only faces his fear of death, but also comes to realize that the love his materially poor father had for him as a child added up far and beyond the love he has shown his own family by giving them material gifts all their lives. He comes face to face with that which is most satisfying in life- true, sincere, simple love. And he makes the conscious choice to live, even after he knows he is going to die. This resolution is profound- almost spotlight stealing in the way it is played out between father and son. And sadly, none of this occurs in the original script at all. (Note: This could be because Williams did not believe that real heart change should take place in a drama, as he insisted that this was unrealistic. He felt that the story would be truer if it ended without that particular satisfaction, but rather exhibiting that the characters remain in their self-conflict and maintain their too-deeply-rooted-to-resolve issues.)

 Furthermore, we see some real resolution and even glimpses of forgiveness and changed hearts between Brick and Maggie in the movie, who are uniting at last to "make the lie true"- that is, the lie that Maggie is pregnant. While this last act is hinted at in the original script, it is only done so against Brick's conscious will (he has heard the mechanical click, but Maggie informs him that she has stolen all his liquor until he will sleep with her), and ends with his last cynical, bitter yet resigned remark that (echoing what Big Daddy said to Big Mama) only if it were true that she really did love him.

Read the quote below to get the full impression:

"(Maggie:)
I do love you, Brick, I do!

Brick [smiling with charming sadness]:
Wouldn't it be funny if that were true?"

 Not only does it end with the profoundly sad statement that both Brick and Big Daddy do not believe they are loved, but we also realize that Brick is given up entirely to his alcoholic lifestyle.

 Thankfully, the movie ends on a much more positive and less ambiguous note. We are left with the impression that Big Daddy really does love Big Mama (despite his constant verbal abuse of her), that Brick and Maggie really do love one another, and that Brick is most likely going to give up alcohol and get his life together. The result is SO much more satisfying.

I first watched the movie version played by Paul Newman (Brick), Elizabeth Taylor ("Maggie"), and Burl Ives (Big Daddy) many years ago, and have seen it many times since. I was able to enjoy the same rich southern dialog and the same emotional intensity when I read the script. In fact, in many ways, it was like watching the drama in slow motion, and thus being able to pick up on more to appreciate the depth of the story.

Here are a few favorite excerpts:


"[There are sounds of croquet on the lawn below: the click of mallets, light voices, near and distant.]

(Margaret:) Of course, you always had that detached quality as if you were playing a game without much concern over whether you won or lost, and now that you've lost the game, not lost but just quit playing, you have that rare sort of charm that usually only happens in very old or hopelessly sick people, the charm of the defeated.-You look so cool, so cool, so enviably cool." Act I, pg 30
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"Margaret:
-What's the victory of a cat on a hot tin roof? -I wish I knew...

Just staying on it, I guess, as long as she can..." Act I, pg 31
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"Brick:
Why can't exceptional friendship, real, real, deep, deep friendship! between two men be respected as something clean and decent without being thought of as-

Big Daddy:
It can, it is, for God's sake.

Brick:
-Fairies...

[In his utterance of this word, we gauge the wide and profound reach of the conventional mores he got from the world that crowned him with early laurel.]" Act II, pg 123
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This play explores immortality, materialism, hypocrisy, and social norms, in addition to the dynamic relationships between father and son, mother and son, man and wife, best friends, and in-laws. Additionally, it deals with one central topic I didn't even mention- "mendacity" or, "lies and liars," which is also at the root of Brick's disgust and alcoholism. So, let me just say that there is still much to savor in Williams' masterpiece which I did not even go into.

Read the play- but better yet, follow up with watching the stunningly well-made movie. You will be captivated, challenged, and emotionally moved up to the very end.

Have you read a book and movie of the same story, and found that you actually preferred the movie version?

Natasha W.