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Rarely have I seen a character so in need of a slap to the face, or at the very least, a good telling off. Throughout the film, I was rooting for Mae to get her comeuppance. Sherwood had not only the acting chops for this type of role but also the face. It's the face of a woman who would instantly get on your bad side, which works perfectly for Mae.

Judith Anderson is probably the weakest member of the cast but still plays Big Mama fairly well. Big Mama is a bit of a stereotypical 1950s Southern housewife - she sides with her husband on everything and if he's not there, she's more than likely to follow the lead of her two grown sons, plus she's a bit of a harpy towards her daughter-in-law - but the character has moments of growth and rebellion.

Anderson goes over the top a little too often for my liking as her acting style is much more theatrical. I'm not sure of Anderson's background, but it wouldn't surprise me if she was a stage actress before moving into films. That's obviously not necessarily a bad thing, but for me, that style has the tendency to become too much at times. Anderson never made me really believe in her character, even though she has some very good moments throughout the film.

Jack Carson is yet another cast member who was totally new to me, even though he had acted in 90 films by the time Cat on a Hot Tin Roof was released. Since I'd never seen him in anything, I didn't have any preconceived notions about Carson as an actor and he really surprised me. Gooper, as the older brother, should have had the family business handed to him, but has spent his life being compared to Brick and falling short for his parents' attention and support.

Gooper is a good, kind man who only wants what's best for the family and its burgeoning company. Of course, maybe he's not that good. If Maggie's correct, Gooper will simply cut Brick out of the company if he takes over. Carson's performance and the writing allow the character to go both ways, but I'd like to think Gooper is on the good side of things.

Carson is charming and funny in his own peculiar way but carries heavy, emotional scenes just as well. There's a scene near the end where his performance had me near tears and the whole thing kind of snuck up on me. I think a lot of this has to do with Carson's work as Gooper - he is sneakily effective. He's never overly showy or dramatic, but instead just lets the character shine through. It's some very nice work, for sure.

Considering the film is an adaptation of a stage play, it's not surprising to find that Cat on a Hot Tin Roof isn't a very cinematic film. For the most part, the action takes place indoors, in Big Daddy's huge house, but only three or four rooms are used. There aren't any flashy camera tricks or editing techniques, either.

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