The family of “Big Daddy” Pollitt convenes at his and Big Momma’s vast 28,000 acre East Mississippi plantation for his sixty-fifth birthday, although it may as well be for his funeral on the belief that he is dying. Despite his latest medical report being clean, in reality he truly does have terminal colon cancer, something the doctor only tells Big Daddy’s two sons, Gooper Pollitt, a lawyer, and Brick Pollitt, who recently left his job as a sportscaster. Brooding Brick and his wife Maggie Pollitt, who have driven up from New Orleans for the occasion, are going through a long rough patch in their marriage. Brick wanted to split, but Maggie convinced him to stay married on the condition that she not pressure him for sex. In their troubles, Brick has turned to the bottle, leading to a drunken incident which has left Brick currently on crutches. Maggie believes Gooper and his wife Mae Pollitt are trying to orchestrate Brick out of Big Daddy’s will. Brick and Maggie’s saving grace is Big …
Awards: Nominated for 6 Oscars., Another 3 wins & 10 nominations.
Budget: $3,000,000 (estimated)
Worldwide Gross: $25,472,824
Soundtrack: Nice Layout (uncredited) Composed by André Previn
Richard Brooks
Elizabeth Taylor, Paul Newman, Burl Ives
17 Feb 1958 (USA)
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