Father and child sit together smiling while looking at a smart phone.

Want more recommendations for your family?

Sign up for our weekly newsletter for entertainment inspiration

Parents' Guide to

Cat on a Hot Tin Roof

By Nell Minow, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 13+

Classics-loving teens will appreciate family melodrama.

Movie NR 1958 108 minutes
Cat on a Hot Tin Roof Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

Community Reviews

See all

There aren't any parent reviews yet. Be the first to review this title.

What's the Story?

Big Daddy's (Burl Ives) family is celebrating both his 65th birthday and his medical report, which shows his health problems have proven to be minor. He has two grown sons, Brick (Paul Newman), an alcoholic former athlete, and Gooper (Jack Carson), who is constantly trying to replace Brick as Big Daddy's favorite. Gooper has five children, and Brick's wife, Maggie (Elizabeth Taylor) knows that no matter how much Big Daddy loves Brick, he cannot inherit Big Daddy's property unless he provides an heir. Brick is angry at himself and at Maggie, and wants nothing more than to drink until he feels the "click" of peace when he is too drunk to feel anything else. But the "odor of mendacity" is too strong for Big Daddy, and all the lies come tumbling down like skeletons out of a closet.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say Not yet rated
Kids say (1 ):

This classic, powerfully acted film, based on Tennessee Williams' play, is about a family that has been damaged more by lies than by greed. They lie to Big Daddy about the results of his tests. Brick lies to himself about what really went on with Skipper. Gooper and his wife lie about their feelings for Big Daddy. And Maggie lies about being pregnant. It is worth discussing the different kinds of lies and the different motivations behind them, and the impact the truth has on the characters, when they are finally confronted with it. Compare this family's method of accomplishing its goals with the methods of some other movie families, to see which interactions make families stronger and which tear them apart.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the lies that the characters tell each other. Why does Maggie compare herself to a cat on a hot tin roof? What is the roof, and what makes it hot? Why won't Brick agree to get Maggie pregnant? Who is he mad at? Why? Why does Brick have such contempt for himself? What does Skipper's death have to do with it? What makes Brick change his mind?

Movie Details

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

See all recommended movie lists

Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.

See how we rate