Cat on a Hot Tin Roof Page #4

Hey, everybody, you know the first time

Big Daddy kissed me, I fainted.

It's a fact. Ain't that so, honey?

Do you all know how he proposed to me?

I was four months swole with Gooper...

...and Big Daddy said,

"That's my kid, ain't it?"

It was kind of funny.

I'd never had a beau...

...till I met your father.

He said, "I want that kid.

"I need him.

"He ain't going to have nobody else's name

but mine. Let's get the preacher.

"That's what marriage is for. Family."

Children were mighty important

to Big Daddy, even then.

Ida, will you stop that yammering?

That's just his manner of talking.

He don't mean it.

I've been his one and only lover,

haven't I, sweetheart?

Ida, will you keep quiet?

Children, come on!

Here comes Big Daddy's birthday!

"Big Daddy's a jolly good fellow

"Big Daddy's a jolly good fellow

"And so is Big Mama, too

"Big Daddy's a jolly good fellow

"And so is Big Mama, too"

- Ida, what the hell's the matter with you?

- She's just so happy.

I'm so happy.

I've just got to cry or something.

Big Daddy's 100 percent...

...healthy!

Aren't you going to give Big Daddy

his birthday present?

- You can open up your birthday present.

- You open it. I want to talk to Brick.

Brick, come over here.

Big Daddy's calling you.

Big Mama, take them out for me.

- It's a cashmere robe!

- You sound surprised.

- I've never seen a cashmere robe before.

- That's funny!

What's so funny about it?

All my family ever had was family.

Quiet!

- You bought it yourself last Saturday.

- I said quiet!

The salesgirl that sold it to you

waited on me and she told me about it.

- Sister Woman!

- Quiet!

- Stork and the Grim Reaper, neck and neck.

- Deacon!

Deacon!

I'm not butting in on more talk about

memorial stained-glass windows, am I?

Not at all.

What do you get out

of this charity work, anyway?

I love humanity. That's my reward.

And if humanity returns your love,

you might get elected...

...councilman or mayor, hey, Deacon?

Don't start picking on Deacon.

- That's all right. I was...

- Good night, Deacon.

That's exactly what I was about to say.

I better go before it starts raining.

Good night, everybody.

Bless each and every one in this place.

They tell me you were indulging in

some athletics last night.

- I was trying to, yes, sir.

- At 3:
00 in the morning?

What were you doing on the high school

athletic field at 3:00 in the morning?

I was running and jumping the hurdles.

They've got too high for me now.

Because you were drunk!

Sober, I would not have tried

to jump even the low ones.

It's time to blow out the candles!

A toast to Big Daddy Pollitt...

...on his 65th birthday.

- To the biggest cotton planter...

- I told you, quit this bull!

I won't let you talk this way,

not even on your birthday.

I'll talk like I want to on my birthday,

or any other rotten day.

Anybody don't like it,

they know what they can do about it.

- I know you don't mean that.

- You don't know nothing, never did.

- You don't mean that.

- Yes, I do mean it.

I've put up with a lot of bull around here

because I thought I was dying.

That's when you started taking over.

Your loud voice and busybody butting in

here and there and everywhere.

Sashaying around here,

making a big noise like a boss.

I'm the only boss around here.

I built this place with no help from you.

And I'll run this place till the day I die.

Is that plain to you, Ida?

Is that perfectly clear to you?

I ain't going to die.

Ain't nothing wrong with me

but a spastic colon!

Made spastic, I reckon,

by all the lies and liars...

...I've had to put up with around here.

And all the hypocrisy I've had to live with

these 40 years I've lived with you.

Now blow out them candles.

Go on. Blow out them candles

on that stupid cake.

In all these years

you never believed I loved you.

And I did.

I did so much.

I did love you.

I even loved your hate and your hardness.

- Big Daddy should make plans.

- If he should die before...

Excuse me.

Son!

I was calling Brick.

I was just delivering him to you.

- What did you do that for?

- Do what?

Wipe off her kiss?

Did I?

Your woman's got a better shape on her...

...than Gooper's got on his.

- Is that the only difference you've noticed?

- Difference in shape is pretty important.

- But in a way, they're a lot alike.

- How's that?

They don't look peaceful. How's that?

They're a couple of cats...

...sitting in the middle of 28,000 acres

of land. That's a lot of land.

They're both squaring off, determined

to get a bigger piece whenever you let go.

Yeah, well, I've got a surprise

for them babies.

I ain't letting go for a long time yet,

if they're waiting for that.

You just sit tight and let them

scratch each other's eyes out.

You bet your life.

Gooper's wife, she's a good breeder.

You'll have to admit she's fertile.

Five head of them already

and more coming.

6-0. She'll probably drop a litter next time.

- Are you stuck out there?

- I was just passing by.

You were just sneaking and spying.

Do I have to lock all the doors around here

to have a private conversation?

- Why hurt those that really love you?

- Bull!

I'm going to move you and Gooper

out of that room.

It's none of your business what goes on

in here between Brick and Maggie.

I hate sneaking and spying!

It makes me puke!

They listen, do they?

Yeah, they listen.

They run and tell Big Mama

everything they hear.

They say Maggie sleeps on the bed

and you sleep on the sofa. Is that true?

If you don't like Maggie, get rid of her!

- What are you doing now?

- Freshening up my drink.

- You know you've a real liquor problem?

- Yes, sir.

- Is that why you quit sports announcing?

- I guess so. Yes, sir, that's it.

Don't guess!

It's too important!

So you quit.

- Some kind of a disappointment?

- I don't know. Do you?

I'm asking you.

How should I know if you don't?

Do you think a shot of that whisky

would injure my spastic condition?

No, sir.

It might do it some good.

The sky is open again, boy. It's open!

That's the way to feel.

I can breathe.

All my life I've been like a doubled-up fist...

...pounding and smashing and driving!

But now I'm going

to take things easy with them.

Do you know what I'm thinking?

What's that, sir?

Pleasure!

I'll tell you, I still have a feeling for women,

and I'm 65.

- That's mighty remarkable.

- Remarkable?

Admirable.

It's not only remarkable and admirable,

it's downright satisfying.

- I'm going to have me a ball.

- A ball?

I'm going to pick me a choice woman...

...and I'm going to smother her in minks

and choke her with diamonds.

I'm going to be happy!

Why are you so restless?

You got ants in your britches?

- Yes, sir.

- Why?

- Something hasn't happened yet.

- What's that?

- A click in my head.

- Did you say, "click"?

Yes, sir. That click in my head

that makes me feel peaceful.

Boy, sometimes you worry me.

Like a switch clicking off in my head.

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