Better than Gigi. Should have won Best Picture of 1958.

I've never understood how "Gigi" won anything.

"If I don't suit chu, you kin cut mah thoat!"

I respectfully disagree.

"Gigi" excels in so many ways, set design, costume, cinematography, original score. Minnelli's "vision" is full realized, scene after scene. Paris of the 1890's provides the perfect romantic tableau.

The weakest part of "Cat" is Taylor herself. She is in over her head here. Her voice is reedy and lacks conviction. Newman is subtle while she's locked into histrionics. Her performance here can't compare to the one she turns in for "...Virginia Woolf."

Old thread here but this is one of my favorite films and 2015 Osacar noms just came out so I am replying.

I agree this should have won Best Pic and I think the argument can be made for at least 3 acting wins as well as directing.

I think a BIG reason this film got shunned is because 1958-59 was when Elizabeth Taylor stole Eddie Fisher from Debbie Reynolds. Mike Todd had died just as shooting began, then Liz marry's Fisher a year later. Her fourth marriage at age 27! And Reynolds/MGM did not take it lying down either. Reynolds launched a full PR campaign. Taylor was getting killed in the press. Taylor did not want to work for MGM anymore but Reynolds loved MGM. There was a bit of hostility between Taylor and MGM and she (Todd) had been threatening that she would not complete her last two pics under contract, this being one of them.

I am not old enough to have experienced first hand the enormity of her fame in the 50's and it might be difficult for younger generations to grasp how scandalous this all was in 1958. I really believe the Academy was punishing this film and Taylor in particular.

And then two years later when the tides had turned again, they make up for it by giving her an award for B8. But she should have won for Maggie.