Die Katze auf dem heißen Blechdach

I was no stranger to Williams' whirlwind dialogue from the first time I saw the play in theaters, but the tight direction and engaging actors managed to make my knees buckle anyway. To elevate more than a hundred minutes of family dialogue in one house into a full-fledged cinematic fresco takes a serious piece of genius. Richard Brooks had it. (04.07.2008)

I search in vain in my memory for when I last saw such functional yet perfectly non-violent morality. And yet, when I looked into the unfolding story of seemingly vain Taylor and the inexplicably worn-out Newman, I surely did not expect the final emotional appeal to the viewer in the form of "It is important to be able to trust each other and genuinely love in the family." In this film, there are surprisingly many unpredictable things, and even though it actually only consists of long dialogue with changing actors and alternating attention for the main characters, I had no chance to take my eyes off the action on the screen. Thanks to Ives's charisma and Newman's drunken fervor in his eyes, this brilliantly developed plot earned points on all fronts. (04.05.2007)

I am reviewing Richard Brooks' film many years later, but even today I clearly remember most of the scenes and polished dialogues. The drama about crumbling family relationships and the pretense that must be played in the name of traditional conservative values of the Southern environment is built on the excellent acting of the central duo. Especially for Elizabeth Taylor, as it was her best performance on the movie screen, alongside the film Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? The film does not deny its theatrical roots, but Tennessee Williams is one of the best authors, making it an advantage. Overall impression: 95%. (30.11.2008)

Lizzy Taylor, Paul Newman und Tennessee Williams. Alles ist an seinem Platz. Übertriebenes Schauspiel der 1950er Jahre, buchstäblich theatralische Manierismen und der amerikanische Süden. Es ist eine Herausforderung, aber gleichzeitig auch sehr wichtig zu verstehen, wohin sich die Ästhetik und Qualität der vergangenen Jahrzehnte entwickelt haben. (20.10.2019)

If there was a ranking of films that only needed dialogue between a few characters and dreamlike performances to be perfect, this undying gem would probably be at the top. I'm sure that four years ago I would have had a hard time going through a whole 100 minutes of a captivating Newman, a charming Taylor and a sweaty Ives, but today, on the verge of adulthood, I can say that I had one of the most brilliant and smart experiences of my short career as a viewer. And I wonder what will happen when I watch this twenty years from now in the company of a childless wife with a glass of brandy at hand. It would be something that the star rating here has never seen. :)) 100% (02.03.2014)