Tennessee Williams' 1955 play, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, explores the concepts of truth and illusion through a troubled family in Mississippi and the tensions that exist between the characters when faced with family crises. Richard Brooks' 1958 film adaptation simplifies, clarifies, and obscures Williams' ideas and thoughts about modern American society. Williams is highly critical of the lying and social restrictions of the 1950s, particularly those imposed on women. Brooks' adaptation bears clear similarities to Williams' play, but in order to appeal to conservative 1950s audiences, multiple themes and ideas are sidelined or blunted. Brooks simplifies the role of women and, in doing so, sexualizes Maggie and her relationship with Brick. Additionally, its Hollywood ending clarifies that the American Dream is achievable, departing from the ending open to Williams's interpretation and critique of the American Dream. In order to comply with the restrictions of the Hay Code, any allusion to Brick's homosexuality is blacked out from the film, focusing instead on the martial issues between Brick and Maggie. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why violent video games should not be banned"? Get the original essay The role of women is simplified in Brooks' film adaptation, vilifying Mae and sexualizing Maggie, to appeal to conservative audiences of the 1990s 50. Representations of femininity, even masculinity, evolve considerably from the play to the film. Williams introduces Maggie through unvarnished dialogue as she "screams above the roar of the water", displaying masculine traits not seen in women at the time. The opposite of Maggie's "mean" nature is Brick, who has a "cold air of detachment" and is significantly more submissive and indecisive than Maggie. This reversal of the gender text demonstrates the extent to which Brick, as the man in the relationship, is unable to measure up to his ideal, thus allowing Maggie to fulfill this role, deviating from society's expectations. However, this is not reciprocated in Brooks' film adaptation. Rather than exercising her masculinity, Elizabeth Taylor portrays Maggie as desperate and more submissive. This is demonstrated by Taylor's over-the-top acting, desperately clinging to Brick. In the film, Maggie relies more on Brick to help her repair their marriage, conforming her to the social ideals and expectations of the time. In the film, Maggie is informed by Brick of the news of Big Daddy's terminal cancer, thus taking away any power she had in the same scene in the play, where she was the one who broke the news to Brick . As this information is not communicated to her, Maggie is depicted as trying to reach the masculine plateau she had already reached in the play. Additionally, Brick and Maggie's relationship is heavily sexualized in the film, causing the audience to focus on their romance rather than Maggie's character, thereby diminishing her role. Brick's "hatred" for Maggie is a superficial romantic conflict intended to appease audiences of the time. This sexual tension is heightened by the discordant addition of sensual jazz between scenes of heightened tension and interaction, mitigating Maggie's villainous nature which is very powerful throughout the play. This sensual music, coupled with soft lighting placed on Maggie, particularly in her intimate scenes with Brick, eliminates any allusion to her masculine qualities. Therefore, simplifying Maggie as a character, focusing more on her relationship and sexual tension with Brick rather than her complexities as a character. The choice ofTaylor's casting as Maggie obscures the masculine, stubborn character she is trying to play, as the audience is distracted by her beauty, portraying her as a more feminine and sexual figure. The costumes emphasize this, because they are very typical of 1950s fashion; delicate and feminine. Taylor's costumes are very tight and the slip is very scandalous for the time. Newman is often seen standing in the foreground which places him in a position of dominance over Taylor who is positioned in the background. This places even more emphasis on Brick's masculinity and places Maggie in a more subservient position, reflecting the expectations and role of women in the 1950s. Moreover, we often see Maggie dressed in white, the color of purity , presenting her as a figure of femininity. Additionally, in Brooks' adaptation, Mae is mean and presented as an irritating character. Brooks highlights Mae's irritation with Gooper's constant but subtle rejection of her and her unattractive pink dress with a large protruding bow in contrast to Maggie's attractive, thin outfits. This contrasts with the play, as in the play Gooper does not show much irritation towards his wife and they are seen working closely together to prevent Big Daddy from placing the estate in "irresponsible hands". Madeleine Sherwood's loud, high-pitched voice in her portrayal of Mae exaggerates her irritation as a character. Therefore, Mae is simplified by Brooks to fit the Hollywood villain archetype. Overall, Brooks simplifies his female characters to fit more archetypal roles and presents them as female figures suitable for conservative audiences. Brooks makes it clear that the American dream is possible, contrary to Williams' criticism of the feasibility of the American dream. At the end of the play, Brooks presents a generally Hollywood ending, in which the characters reconcile, except for the "bad guy", Mae, who is defeated. By adding Hollywood glamor and drama, Brooks was able to appeal to 50s movie audiences. The ending of the film has an optimistic tone despite the knowledge of Big Daddy's cancer. The characters' reconciliation to repair their broken relationships overshadows this, leading to an overall positive Hollywood ending. In the play, Big Daddy is not present like everyone else for act 3, and his departure from act 2 is very unpleasant. He gets into an unresolved argument with Brick about lying and Skipper, when a child walks in with a firecracker, causing Big Daddy to chase the child and slap him, leaving Brick "motionless as the lights dim." ". At the end of the play, a "long cry of agony and rage" rings out from Big Daddy, leaving readers desperately aware of his impending death. However, in the film, Big Daddy is present in the final scenes, completely changing the ending. After Big Daddy and Brick make up in the basement, they help each other up the stairs; Brick abandoning his crutch. Additionally, Brick does not drink at all after emerging from the basement, with Big Daddy symbolizing that he is repairing his relationships and is no longer "broken" inside. The storm present at the film's climax recedes, paralleling the family's union. In the film, the relationships are reconciled after previously being at odds in the text of the play. Big Daddy and Brick mend their broken relationship with an extra scene in the basement. Big Daddy also reconciles with Big Mama, leaving the living room hand in hand, looking affectionately into each other's eyes. Despite Gooper and Mae's villainous actions, Gooper manages to redeem himself and repair his relationship with Brick. A close-up, wide-angle photo of Gooper and Maerushing to pick up documents from the floor highlights Big Daddy's looming presence as Gooper stares at him, signifying their defeat. However, Gooper later repairs his relationship with Brick, stating that he knows Brick didn't "tear him apart." However, Mae, like the film's titular villain, does not reconcile with anyone, instead being seen on the steps of the staircase, defeated. By the end of the film, Brooks' manipulation of the mise-en-scène – dim lighting, pink shades, sultry jazz music and blurry camera shots – creates an overall sensual and romantic atmosphere around Brick and Maggie's reconciliation. Williams' play forgoes a traditional resolution, bringing out the essence of lies and isolation until the end as Brick remarks that "it wouldn't be funny" if Maggie's love were "real". The bedroom setting elevates the importance of lies in what should be an honest environment, making the characters feel isolated in an intimate setting. Thus eliminating any prospect of possibility of the American dream, because the characters are always unhappy. Brooks argues that the American Dream is possible because of the overall unity of the family unit and Maggie's drive to conceive as well as the powerful portrayal of men. Williams, however, offers an open interpretation where the characters succeed but are unhappy. The play is unresolved in terms of the relationships between the characters, and Brick still remains a broken alcoholic. Brooks removes Bricks' homosexuality from the film, instead focusing on Brick and Maggie's marital problems. Brick and Big Daddy's monologues remain similar in both texts, however, due to the political climate of the 1950s and the Hays Code, the film rejects the homosexual subtext of the play. In the film, the idea of ​​"lie" only surrounds the family's actions and the alleged infidelity between Skipper and Maggie. In the play, Brick's lying monologue is further influenced by his relationship with Skipper and Big Daddy's assumption that Brick is homosexual. In Williams' play, Brick and Big Daddy's conversation includes more explicit references to Brick's homosexuality, with Big Daddy calling him "not quite normal". However, in Brooks' adaptation, this section of the conversation is deleted, retaining only Brick's comment to Big Daddy about him "dragging" his relationship with Skipper "through the gutter". The film removes Williams' allusions to Brick's homosexuality, refocusing their conversation on Brick's guilt for Skipper's death rather than his disgust at their relationship while he was alive. Additionally, in Williams' play, Big Daddy and Brick have this intimate conversation alone, focusing on Bricks' alcoholism and homosexuality. However, this is drastically altered in Brooks' film adaptation, as when Brick and Big Daddy reach the crux of their conversation regarding Skipper, Maggie is brought in and asked to reveal the truth. As a result, the conversation centers on Brick and Maggie's accusation of adultery and marital problems, shifting the focus away from Brick and Skipper's friendship which showed "rare tenderness". The acting choice of Paul Newman in the role of Brick presents Brick as the archetypal masculinity, allowing Brick's heteronormativity to be highlighted through the sexual tension and romance between Brick and Maggie. Sensual jazz music and soft camera lighting focus on the heterosexual relationship, making the film palatable to 1950s audiences. Consequently, the premise of the film is changed, as allusions to Brick's homosexuality are eliminated . This radical change in thematic elements highlights the.