Cinema Style: "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof"

We continue our three part series exploring classic cinematic summer style with “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof,” the film adaptation of Tennessee William’s Pulitzer Prize winning play of the same name; one that has inspired decades of revivals on screen and live in theaters across the nation. The story focuses on the stormy relationship between Brick, played by Paul Newman, and Elizabeth Taylor as his wife Maggie (“The Cat”). Burl Ives is the cancer-stricken patriarch Big Daddy, a self-made business tycoon who has lavished his family with a life of comfort and privilege, but according to son Brick, little else. The layers of lies and repression that psychologically imprison the family are symbolically—in some cases, literally—buried in the cluttered basement which houses a cobweb blanketed collection of museum quality cast-offs accumulated during European holidays: paintings, sculpture busts, furniture and more.

Actors Paul Newman & Elizabeth Taylor In "Cat On A Hot Tin Roof' (Photo by MGM Studios/Courtesy of Getty Images)

The film is a complex study of a family, who physically occupy the same space, or as Maggie snarls,” the same cage,” yet cannot connect on emotional levels. Externally, the character’s pain is undetectable. Brick’s booze soaked sadness is neatly buttoned up in a two-piece silk pajama set or deep inside a belted, crested robe. Maggie, mired in chronic dissatisfaction and her desperate need for approval, is never without her diamond solitaire pendant and a flawless, snow-white piece of apparel including her now iconic silk slip and her deep-V Grecian inspired dress. Her coral lip color, even after a day spent running errands in the Mississippi summer sun, is spot on and fresh.

Like the characters, the interior spaces are impeccably finished, but with personal belongings tucked away, perhaps in a steamer trunk or an old hat box. French provincial furnishings, generally more white washed than gilded, comingle with wealthy Southern American staples such as wicker furniture for the yard and balconies, ceiling fans, shuttered windows and a Ford Fairlane convertible parked out front: possessions to combat the heat without sacrificing style. Seen in the film, camel back sofas and Louis XVI chairs have reemrged in a big way. The classic shapes enticed influential designer John Derian to reinterpret the original designs and update with beautiful, durable Belgian linens. Shabby chic has evolved and today decorators love combining those kinds of refined pieces alongside more rustic or modern designs. India Hicks has mastered the use of polished antiques to compliment her laid-back island interiors, always infused with personal collections and unexpected touches. The matchy-matchy vibe of the film may be passé but individually these are heirloom pieces that work with a variety of other periods and styles.

On eBay: White Wicker; Robe; Lipstick; Chandelier Sconce