A scene from Cat on a Hot Tin Roof 1958
Big Daddy

But it's always there in the morning, ain't it - the truth? And it's here right now. You're just feelin' sorry for yourself. That's all it is - self-pity. You didn't kill Skipper. He killed himself. You and Skipper and millions like ya are livin' in a kid's world, playin' games, touchdowns, no worries, no responsibilities. Life ain't no damn football game. Life ain't just a bunch of high spots. You're a thirty-year old kid. Soon you'll be a fifty-year old kid, pretendin' you're hearin' cheers when there ain't any. Dreamin' and drinkin' your life away. Heroes in the real world live twenty-four hours a day, not just two hours in a game. Mendacity, you won't...you won't live with mendacity but you're an expert at it. The truth is pain and sweat and payin' bills and makin' love to a woman that you don't love anymore. Truth is dreams that don't come true and nobody prints your name in the paper 'til you die...The truth is, you never grow'd up. Grown-ups don't hang up on their friends...and they don't hang up on their wives...and they don't hang up on life. Now that's the truth and that's what you can't face!

Brick

Can you face the truth...?

Big Daddy

Try me!

Brick

You or somebody else's truth?

Big Daddy

Bull. You're runnin' again.

Brick

Yeah, I am runnin'. Runnin' from lies, lies like birthday congratulations and many happy returns of the day when there won't be any...
Big Daddy [realizing that Brick is telling him he is dying] I'll outlive you. I'll bury you. I'll buy your coffin...It's death, ain't it?

Brick

You said it yourself, Big Daddy, mendacity is a system we live in.

In this scene

More from Cat on a Hot Tin Roof

Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (1958) poster
Cat on a Hot Tin Roof 1958 · 38 quotes · 4 characters All Cat on a Hot Tin Roof quotes →
All Cat on a Hot Tin Roof quotes →