Brick once was a football star and a sports announcer. Now he lives with his parents, big Mama and Big Daddy, his wife, Maggie, and with his brother and his family. He has begun to drink and withdrew from life. A broken ankle adds to his misery. Brick uses a crutch to move around in spite of his cast. 

Maggie openly talks about Big Daddy's illness: He has got cancer. Gooper, Brick's brother and his family are after the estate Big Daddy might leave to them. Maggie, too, does not want to see all go to that family, but also realizes that Brick's drinking will make Big Daddy consider seriously what to leave for them at all. And they do not have any children while his brother and wife expect their sixth child. Maggie suffers under the fact that Brick is not interested in her sexually. Brick even suggests to her to take a boyfriend. 

Bricks friend, Skipper, died because of heavy alcohol and drug abuse after Maggie had confronted him with his homosexuality. Desperately Maggie wants a child by Brick, but he keeps on rejecting her. Brick never shows that he blames himself as a failure and that he loves Maggie. To hide the truth he rejects her the more. Big Daddy wonders about the changes which have taken place inside Brick, who avoids him, hardly talks and withdraws more and more. To force Brick to talk to him, he takes away his crutch. Now Brick can't get away and soon Big Daddy realizes that Brick's drinking began right after the death of his friend Skipper. 

He becomes quiet and Brick becomes furious thinking his father believes he is homosexual, too. He shares with his father that Skipper had told him about his homosexuality just before he died. Now Big Daddy confronts Brick, saying that he has begun to drink because he could not handle the truth about Skipper. "Who can face the truth?" Brick asks and tells his father about the cancer – a fact Big Daddy was not aware of. 

When Big Mama learns about Big Daddy's condition she brakes down. Now the brother's family is ready to take over. This behavior has an unexpected effect on Big Mama: She regains her strength and turns to Maggie, expressing her wish to see her pregnant. Maggie sees the despair of both and tells them about the child she is expecting by Brick. Big Mama believes her, though she is accused of lying. Now Maggie talks to Brick very gently. She is decided to take away his crutch and the liquor until both have made the lie come true. Brick now tells her about his love and that he admires her. Maggie is sure: She will give him back his life with love – for "there is nothing more determined than a cat on a hot tin roof."