<P> Late one night, a drunken Brick Pollitt (Paul Newman) is out trying to recapture his glory days of high school sports by leaping hurdles on a track field, dreaming about his moments as a youthful athlete . Unexpectedly, he falls and breaks his leg, leaving him dependent on a crutch . Brick, along with his wife, Maggie "the Cat" (Elizabeth Taylor), are seen the next day visiting his family's estate in eastern Mississippi, there to celebrate Big Daddy's (Burl Ives) 65th birthday . </P> <P> Depressed, Brick has spent the last few years drinking, while resisting the affections of his wife, who taunts him about the inheritance of Big Daddy's wealth . This has resulted in an obviously tempestuous marriage--there are speculations as to why Maggie does not yet have a child while Brick's brother Gooper (Jack Carson) and his wife Mae (Madeleine Sherwood) have a whole pack of children . </P> <P> Big Daddy and Big Mama (Judith Anderson) arrive home from the hospital via their private aeroplane and are greeted by Gooper and his wife--and all their kids--along with Maggie . Despite the efforts of Mae, Gooper and their kids to draw his attention to them, Big Daddy has eyes only for Maggie . The news is that Big Daddy is not dying from cancer . However, the doctor later meets privately with first Gooper and then Brick where he divulges that it is a deception . Big Daddy has inoperable cancer and will likely be dead within a year, and the truth is being kept from him . Brick later confides in Maggie with the truth about Big Daddy's health, and she is heartbroken . Maggie wants Brick to take an interest in his father--for both selfish and unselfish reasons, but Brick stubbornly refuses . </P> <P> As the party winds down for the night, Big Daddy meets with Brick in his room and reveals that he is fed up with his alcoholic son's behavior, demanding to know why he is so stubborn . At one point Maggie joins them and reveals what happened a few years ago on the night Brick's best friend and football teammate Skipper committed suicide . Maggie was jealous of Skipper because he had more of Brick's time, and says that Skip was lost without Brick at his side . She decided to ruin their relationship "by any means necessary", intending to seduce Skipper and put the lie to his loyalty to her husband . However, Maggie ran away without completing the plan . Brick had blamed Maggie for Skipper's death, but actually blames himself for not helping Skipper when he repeatedly phoned Brick in a hysterical state . </P>

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