Elizabeth Taylor is gorgeous (besides giving some of her best adult acting) in this Richard Brooks/James Poe interpretation of Tennessee Williams's stunning play about days gone by and family power struggles. Director Brooks also got compelling performances from Paul Newman and Burl Ives. Newman, Taylor, Director & Writer Brooks, as well as the film and William Daniels's (The Naked City (1948)) Color Cinematography were all Oscar nominated. Jack Carson and Judith Anderson also play significant roles; Larry Gates & Vaughn Taylor also appear.

Brick (Newman) and Gooper (Carson) are sons of "Big Daddy" Pollit (Ives). Brick is the favored son, a former football star but now a drunk, who's married to "Maggie the Cat" (Taylor). Maggie caters to Big Daddy, and desperately loves her despondent husband. Gooper, the son that's actually made something of himself, has a chip on his shoulder. He and his wife Mae Flynn (Madeleine Sherwood) try to gain control of dying Big Daddy's estate. Big Daddy, married to Big Momma (Anderson), has "ruled" all the members of his family with an iron fist, manipulating events in their lives.