Cat On A Hot Tin Roof (1984)

Set in Mississippi, a wealthy cotton tycoon (Rip Torn) is dying of cancer. His immediate family have temporarily withheld the information from him. Meanwhile, his son (Tommy Lee Jones) has taken to drink while his wife (Jessica Lange) struggles to save her marriage. Based on the play by Tennessee Williams and directed by Jack Hofsiss (I'M DANCING AS FAST AS I CAN). One of the most popular and performed of Williams' plays, this was the third filmed version of his play. The famous 1958 film version with Elizabeth Taylor was compromised by the censorship standards of the day. In 1976, Natalie Wood played Maggie The Cat in a British televised production with Laurence Olivier as Big Daddy. Here, there are some minor revisions to the original text made by Williams himself. It's a beautifully crafted play and well acted. Lange makes for an excellent Maggie although there's a bit of self consciousness in her performance. With Kim Stanley in an Emmy award winning performance, Penny Fuller and David Dukes.