Cat on a Hot Tin Roof Page #7

This pain...

...that keeps grabbing at me...

It's death...

...ain't it?

Answer me!

The truth!

You said it yourself.

Mendacity is a system we live in.

Brick, wait!

Look at us, Maggie.

The great Pollitt Enterprises...

...stuck in the...

I hurt him, Maggie.

I hurt him really bad.

What's the matter? What's happened?

- Why is Big Daddy...

- We've got to talk to you.

- Get Dr. Baugh!

- Where is he?

I don't know, just find him.

Doc!

I wouldn't go down to him right now.

Sweetheart!

Big Daddy, can you hear me?

What are you doing?

I'm coming down.

No need to, Ida.

We'll be coming up in a minute.

If that pain gets too bad...

...this is morphine...

...and a syringe.

The instructions are written out.

It's no use pretending anymore.

When that pain hits, it'll hit hard.

Make it easy on yourself.

Here.

You'd better take off those wet clothes.

Why?

You afraid I might catch cold and die?

Why can't I go down to him?

Well, he's...

His stomach's upset, Ida.

All he needs is a peppermint.

It's time we had that talk, Doc.

- It'll be painful.

- Painful things can't always be avoided.

So I've noticed. But there are times...

It's time we all had our talk.

What talk are you talking about?

- What were they fighting about?

- We didn't discuss it.

What's he doing in the cellar all alone?

Why can't Big Mama see him?

You heard why.

He's got the stomach upset.

It's made him irritable.

When couples have been together

as long as me and Big Daddy...

...they get irritable with each other

from too much devotion.

Isn't that so?

Of course that's so.

He loves his family.

He loves them around,

but it strains his nerves.

He wasn't himself.

I could tell he was all worked-up.

It's the party and the excitement.

He's probably just a little worn out,

that's all.

Did you notice how he ate?

He ate like a P-l-G hog.

I hope he doesn't regret it.

Who?

Big Daddy?

He helped himself twice to hopping John.

He just loves hopping John.

We had a real country dinner.

And candied yams.

That man put away

enough to stuff a field hand.

I hope he doesn't have

to pay for it later on.

What's that?

Gooper say he hopes...

Shoot! Gooper says!

There ain't nothing wrong

with Big Daddy but nerves.

Ain't that so?

He's as sound as a dollar.

And now he knows he is.

That's why he ate such a supper.

He had a load off his mind, knowing he...

...he wasn't doomed to...

...what he thought he was doomed to.

Nothing's going to hurt Big Daddy.

We won't allow anything to happen to him.

Doc, come here!

I don't need any doctor.

He's something to say about Big Daddy.

I want Brick.

He'll be down directly.

Sticky rain always makes me sick.

Give me something

to wash this tablet down with.

What's wrong?

You've all got such long faces.

Big Mama needs you.

They'll tell her without me.

Please, Brick.

I just can't stand the way

that Mae and Gooper are...

What? Trying to grab this place

for themselves?

Let them have it all.

If you want to fight for a piece

of his carcass...

...you go ahead,

but you'll do it without me.

I deserved that. But not this time.

This time you're wrong.

What I can't stand is...

It's not losing this place, it's Big Mama.

I know what it's like

to lose somebody you love.

Careful, your claws are showing.

Close that door.

Don't close that door.

Let a little air circulate.

We shouldn't risk Big Daddy

hearing this discussion.

What discussion of what?

- Maggie, Brick!

- Now, now, Big Mama...

There won't be a word said

in Big Daddy's house...

...that he can't hear if he wants to.

Brick, where are you?

Where do you think?

Gone to pieces, that's where!

Doc, ain't there a cure for drinkers?

- He don't need no cure.

- Of course not.

He'll just drink all the whisky in the state.

Stop that kind of talk!

Big Daddy takes a drink now and then.

I don't trust a man who don't drink.

Good for you!

Sit down and hold Big Mama's hand

while we talk.

What are you all surrounding me for?

I don't need anyone to hold my hand.

Are you all crazy?

- You calm yourself, sweetheart.

- You calm yourself, Sister Woman!

How can I calm myself...

...with everyone staring at me

as if blood was on my face?

What's all this about?

Sit down, Mae.

Big Mama wants to know the truth

about the clinic report.

Truth!

Everybody keeps hollering about the truth.

The truth is as dirty...

...as lies!

Is there something I don't know, Doc?

Well, Ida...

I want to know!

- Somebody must be lying.

- Sit down, Mama, please.

I want to know about my husband.

He had the most thorough examination

at the Oppenheim Clinic.

One of the best clinics in the country.

The best in the country, bar none.

They were 99.9 percent sure

before they even started.

Right, Doc?

Sure of what?

- Not now!

- The test was positive!

Shut up.

It's hopeless. He knows it, too.

Hopeless?

- Now, now, darling.

- You had to know.

Why didn't they cut it out of him?

- It's gone past the knife.

- He's dying, Big Mama.

You get away from me, Mae!

I want Brick.

Where's my Brick? Where's my only son?

Mama, please.

- I'm your son, too.

- Gooper's your firstborn.

- Now, listen to me!

- No!

- He'll be in pain.

- Gooper and I think...

Shut up!

Do you want to see him suffer?

Then he's got to be started on morphine.

Nobody's going to give

my husband morphine.

Why don't you give her a while

to adjust to the idea?

It's Maggie who's upsetting her.

Instead of the needle, haven't you got a pill

to make the pain disappear?

Sometimes I wish I had a pill

to make people disappear.

Thanks for everything, Doc.

We sure do appreciate...

Does Brick know?

You know, honey...

...we was never a very happy family.

There wasn't much joy in this house.

It wasn't Big Daddy's fault. It was just...

You know how some homes are happy.

I thought, coming home from the clinic

today, "Now we'll be happy here."

You and Brick will live with us

and have your children here.

And we'll help each other be happy.

Nothing's ever the way you plan, is it?

Margaret, honey...

...you've got to help Brick.

Make him pull himself together.

- He's going to take hold of things.

- What things?

The place.

Big Mama, you've had a shock.

We've all had a shock.

- Let's be realistic.

- Big Daddy wouldn't be foolish enough...

He'd never put this place

in irresponsible hands!

He ain't putting this place

in anybody's hands.

My husband is not going to die!

I want you to get that in your heads.

Both of you.

- We're hoping too.

- We intend to pray for him.

I won't let you persuade Big Daddy to...

Gooper is your firstborn!

He's always had to carry a bigger load

of the responsibilities than Brick.

Brick never carried a thing in his life

but a football or a highball.

Will you let me talk, please?

Yes, of course.

A 28,000 acre plantation

is a mighty big thing to run.

Almost single-handed.

You had your law practice in Memphis.

When did you run this place?

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