A constant critical complaint is that Hollywood emasculated the themes and endings of Tennessee Williams' works such as this one and Sweet Bird of Youth. But that certainly won't spoil your enjoyment of this powerful film. In this case, the theme that has been toned down is homosexuality and the alcoholism of Brick (Paul Newman), who prefers the bottle to his lovely wife (a glowingly beautiful Elizabeth Taylor), is played up accordingly. But the important thing is that the spirit and highly-charged atmosphere of the original have been retained. Burl Ives repeats his stage triumph as the dying Big Daddy, and the strong performances of Newman and Taylor were rewarded with Oscar nominations. But no one tops Jack Carson's brilliant supporting portrayal of the sneaky Gooper - a masterly piece of acting.

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