Simone Signoret edged out other contenders for the Oscar, though Liz Taylor did receive a Donatello recognizing her impactful performance in this divisive psychological drama. She portrays “Miss Catherine,” a young woman seemingly marked for a lobotomy. The reason? Her apparently kind-hearted and affluent aunt, “Violet” (Katharine Hepburn), is persuaded that she poses a risk to herself and others, offering a million dollars to the innovative doctor “Cukrowicz” (Montgomery Clift) in exchange for assessing her niece and then ending her life. Fortunately for the patient, this physician proves less compliant and instead decides to investigate her background further. This unearths a stifling atmosphere involving "Violet," her poet son "Sebastian," and the young woman who once accompanied him on travels before his sudden, largely unexplained death. What transpired then, and could it be responsible for the trauma experienced by both women connected to him? While this isn't among my preferred Tennessee Williams plays, it contains some of his finest writing, and the film is significantly enhanced by several powerful speeches delivered with skill by Hepburn, matched by equally emotionally intense moments from Taylor, with Clift fitting in as a key element within their respective portrayals. One character attempts to influence the doctor, but are both engaged in such maneuvering? The bond between the unseen son and his mother evokes an unsettling Greek myth, and that of the cousins is similarly disturbing—particularly as the film progresses toward a conclusion suggesting mysticism and questionable sexuality. This narrative confronts a relatively new area of medical practice with considerable directness, as demonstrated by those residing within the clinic, who visibly display the “calming” consequences of this procedure on previous patients. Regardless of whether one accepts her stated reasons, there's something relentless about "Violet’s" character that Hepburn embodies perfectly, and Taylor’s “Catherine” portrays a believable struggle against it. Who should we believe? I’ve always felt the ending was too unexpected and unsatisfactory, but all three actors deliver outstanding performances, supported by potent—and from Hepburn, quite sharp—dialogue; overall, I found this to be an absorbing cinematic experience.

Source on TMDB