MovieChat Forums > Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (1958) Discussion > WOW...Really not that good.

WOW...Really not that good.

posted 13 years ago by dalerulz_nascar
14 replies | jump to latest

I'm very disappointed. Newman's worst performance I've seen. The acting was just awful in this. Except for Ives. I watch a lot of older movies, Cary Grant is the shiznet! This was really bad. Love the story... Good screenplay... acting was just horrific. First time I've seen Taylor, never beleived she was so hot, damn! They (characters)just all seemed so fake to me...in most of it. There were a few good scenes. I just don't believe how disappointed I was in this. Are (were) people in the south really this fake? I'd still give it a 6/10. I was just expecting more I guess. Didn't live up to the hype. OK I'm done ranting....Go on ripe me a new one...

[–] weji 13 years ago

Well... I disagree with you... you have to take the time period into consideration. These people were acting just like how the Southerners acted. Especially the ones they played out. And when all of them got a lot of praise from critics back then, then you would get the hint that they DID act like that back then. Don't worry though, first time I watched the movie I didn't like it, but if you watch it a 2nd or a 3rd time you will like it a lot more.

I suggest you watch Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? Elizabeth is not that hot in that film, but that movie has the best acting I've seen on film by all the actors.

WARNING: I'M SEXY!

[–] athomed 13 years ago

Not every person can like every movie. I'm not sure what the exact gripe is except the acting. This movie can usually be touted as an exemplar of acting. Paul Newman and Burl Ives' performances are usually singled out for praise. I personally did like Paul Newman's acting in this movie. I'm a Newman fan and I think he does some of his best here. Going from the reserved, spiteful persona in the beginning and then gliding through multiple breakdowns as he navigates the murky waters of family.

_______
Stripping under the name Malcolm Sex, I pleased the ladies by any means necessary.

[–] jac91604 13 years ago

Judging by the OP's name and style of writing the film went over their head.

Probably enjoys Adam Sandler and Will Ferrel movies.

Not enough special effects in this one.

[–] dalerulz_nascar 13 years ago

Oh so a NASCAR fan has to be a backward a$$ hick from the deep south? I'm from Milwaukee and the last IQ test I took was 174. One point short of MENSA. Saying this movie was "over my head" is laughable...wasn't that deep. Adam Sandler sucks and Farrell (yes two l's,your on IMDB not hard to find how to spell Farrell)has a few good movies. Special effect based movies not really my thing either. As someone said before, not everyone loves every movie. I just didn't care for it. I had just finished the movie and a few drinks and just wanted to share my feelings while they were fresh and get others opinions. Well intelligent ones, guess I should have specified. Thanks to the others and maybe I'll take the one advice and give it another look. I talked with my mother about it and she said Gone With the Wind was in the same fashion southern acting. Never had interest or three and a half hours to sit and watch that one yet.

[–] Geechee 13 years ago

Why is it when someone writes a post and makes it clear they can't spell or form a readable sentence, he/she claims they have very high IQs? This seems to be the standard reply when someone points out a lazily written post.
"How dare you criticize me!! I am a genius!!"

Genius or not, just try, at least, to write coherently.

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

[–] 13 years ago

[deleted]

[–] heyuactor 13 years ago

If you are smart you will watch Gone With the Wind, eventually.
The stress on family tension in COAHTR turned me off the first time I watched this, but I've grown to like it after two more viewings.
The acting is a little stagey, but after all it is from a stage play.

"Did you make coffee...? Make it!"--Cheyenne.

[–] Clemencedane 11 years ago

I love this, but I think I may be the only person to have walked out of GWTW at the intermission. Just couldn't stand it. I'd recommend seeing (in person), reading or watching all of Tennessee Williams' plays, as well as the writings of Truman Capote and the novels of Faulkner (and seeing the films based on them.)

[–] OnlyAFan 9 years ago

the last IQ test I took was 174. One point short of MENSA.

Just for the record, Mensa accepts several tests, and the acceptable scores all fall around 130 - 132. http://www.us.mensa.org/join/testscores/qualifyingscores/

Back to your regularly scheduled discussion.

[–] dingduder 10 years ago

Yes. Should stick to Harry Potter.

[–] itscreamslove 13 years ago

To be honest, I didn't like Liz Taylor's acting..or her accent. I still enjoyed the play but it was kind of grating when she was on screen. I didn't enjoy Newman's acting in the beginning but by the time he and Burl Ives had their interactions, I started to love it.

[–] TANSD76 12 years ago

I agree with the OP to some extent. The acting feels like "play" acting. Sometimes I feel like actors are forced into that style when they adapt a play for film. The dialogue never comes across as all that realistic and they attempt to be extra dramatic about everything. Within that, I think there were some particularly strong moments from Taylor and during the final confrontation in the basement and afterwards. But if I were to just judge this as a film, without knowing it had been a play that was written by Tennessee Williams, I would probably consider it pretty mediocre at best.

[–] hka-3 9 years ago

At first I had a problem with it feeling too much like a play. Another problem was a specific moment early in the film when one of Liz Taylor's scenes started to grab me, but then there was an immediate switch to another camera and it appeared to be a different take than it was when I felt like the story was beginning to draw me in. It was distracting.

I stuck with it and eventually what really got to me was the look on Gooper's face when he talked about how he always did what Big Daddy wanted him to do with his life. I started to understand him a lot more. He wasn't necessarily a bad person, he just seemed to be doing what he could with the life-long family circumstances he was dealt with.

Eventually the scenes in the basement became just as powerful and I was relieved that multiple characters had breakthrough moments. A cloud was lifted to a certain extent and they were no longer just a bunch of people talking at each other.

Now it seems that it was fitting to show a contrast between how characters were in the beginning compared to the end.

Mag, Darling, you're being a bore.

[–] JPLogan54 9 years ago

I am going to respectfully disagree with every part of your post except for your description of Elizabeth Taylor's hotness, which I heartily agree with.

Of course much of our like or dislike for films is subjective so it's all taken with a grain of salt.
To me this is Taylor's second greatest performance behind Virginia Wolf. This may be my favorite Newman performance ever. That one is a little tougher to be certain of.

But if the academy gave an award for "Hottest Onscreen Chemistry", in my opinion, they would have to call it the Newman/Taylor award.

I also loved the way this film felt like a play. Far from being a detriment I thought that only added to the style of the film and in fact made it stronger.