Cat on a Hot Tin Room (1958) - 9 stars out of 10

Cat on a Hot Tin Room (1958) - 9 stars out of 10

Wow.  Elizabeth Taylor.  Irresistible.  "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof" has a lot to offer, like an incredible story by Tennessee Williams, wonderful performances by Paul Newman and Burl Ives, and a dysfunctional family that keeps the film lighthearted while creating major conflict.  But the eyes of Elizabeth Taylor simply steal the show.  I don't know how anybody could watch this film without falling in love with her.  While I feel that the story falls short of "Streetcar," this slice of southern Americana shimmers with raw emotions and intense friction between characters.  Even though Tennessee Williams hated this adaptation because it eliminated the implied homosexuality of Brick, it is still an incredible film brought to life by two of cinema's finest.  You just have to experience the story for yourself, even though I'd likely watching "Streetcar" twice before watching this again once.