Breakfast at Tiffany’s (film)
"Breakfast at Tiffany's" is a 1961 romantic comedy film that features Audrey Hepburn as the iconic character Holly Golightly, a young woman navigating her life as a party girl in New York City. The film explores themes of love, identity, and aspiration, as Holly forms a bond with her neighbor Paul Varjak, played by George Peppard. Hepburn's portrayal and her iconic fashion—most notably her little black dress—solidified her status as a style icon and had a lasting influence on women's fashion.
Despite initial concerns from the studio about the film's suggestive content and the character of Holly, the film received acclaim and became a significant cultural touchstone, often regarded as a precursor to the women's liberation movement. It garnered five Academy Award nominations, winning two for its musical score and the original song "Moon River," which became a timeless classic.
However, the film is not without controversy; it faced criticism for its portrayal of racial stereotypes and for straying from Truman Capote's original novella. Despite these issues, "Breakfast at Tiffany's" remains a beloved classic, reflecting both the glamour and complexities of its era. The film's legacy continues to resonate, celebrating themes of independence and the search for love amid life's challenges.
Breakfast at Tiffany’s (film)
- Release Date: 1961
- Director(s): Blake Edwards
- Writer(s): George Axelrod
- Principal Actors and Roles: Audrey Hepburn (Holly Golightly); George Peppard (Paul Varjak); Martin Balsam (O. J. Berman); Jose Luis De Vilalonga (José da Silva Pereira); Buddy Ebsen (Doc Golightly); Patricia Neal (Emily Eustace "2E" Failenson)
- Book / Story Film Based On: Breakfast at Tiffany's by Truman Capote
Breakfast at Tiffany’s, a romantic comedy, arrived with a splash, sparking controversy for its upfront portrayal of "racy" protagonist Holly Golightly, and launching actress Audrey Hepburn to stardom. As Golightly, Hepburn’s onscreen image—a waif-like creature in a black dress, large hat, and big sunglasses—became a timeless, iconic style.
Initially, Hepburn fretted about tarnishing her "good girl" image by taking the part of a party girl living alone in New York. Paramount was also concerned about how moviegoers might react to Holly Golightly’s racy character. Although contemporary viewers are used to suggestive, risqué content, audiences in the early 1960s had not yet been desensitized to sexy storylines and explicit images in major-market films. The studio campaigned hard to assure audiences that Holly was not really a call girl, but a fun-loving "kook." For his part, Truman Capote wasn’t thrilled with the choice of Hepburn as his protagonist, because he had written his book with Marilyn Monroe in mind. Despite reservations all around, Audrey Hepburn went on to make the role her own.
"Moon River," the movie’s theme song, also sparked disagreement among those involved in making the film. In fact, the studio head almost cut the song from the film. "Moon River," with music by Henry Mancini and words by Johnny Mercer, stayed in the film, winning one of the film’s two Academy Awards, the other going for best musical score. "Moon River" reached the top of the music charts and has remained a musical standard ever since.
Plot
Holly Golightly is sleeping in after a night on the town, when handsome Paul Varjak awakens her. Paul, a struggling writer, is about to move into Holly’s Manhattan apartment building. As it turns out, the two share more than a street address: Holly is a party girl who accepts payments from her dates, and her only attachment is an orange cat she calls simply, "Cat." Paul’s upkeep is paid by his rich, married "decorator," Emily Eustace Failenson, also known as 2E.
Holly and Paul become fast friends and details of their lives emerge. Holly’s brother, Fred, is in the Army, and she struggles—unsuccessfully—to save money to support him. As for Paul, he hasn’t published a book in five years. Inadvertently, Paul learns additional details about Holly’s past when he confronts a man who seems to be following him and 2E. The man is Doc Golightly, who Holly had married at age 13. Furthermore, her real name is Lula Mae. Doc wants Holly to return home, but she refuses, claiming their marriage had been annulled. Doc promises trouble for Fred, and Holly begins scheming to marry for money, so she can help her brother.
As Paul and Holly grow closer, Paul realizes he’s in love with Holly. By the time he breaks off his relationship with 2E, Holly has attached herself to a rich acquaintance from Brazil. Soon after, Holly learns that Fred has died. Paul leaves their apartment building, and they don’t see each other for months. On the eve of Holly’s flight to Brazil, where she expects to marry, Holly invites Paul to dinner. Holly’s plans for a wealthy marriage are thwarted when she is arrested for her association with a mobster and spends the night in jail.
The next day, during a downpour, Paul picks her up in a taxi along with Cat. Holly learns that her Brazilian love interest is jilting her because of her publicized arrest. Then Holly dumps Cat in the rain and Paul confronts her, leaving the cab to look for Cat. Remorseful, Holly goes after him, recovering both her cat and her true love. The movie ends as Holly and Paul kiss.
Significance
Breakfast at Tiffany’s predated women’s liberation and the sexual revolution, but many people saw the movie as a herald of coming changes. Some young career women found Hepburn’s free-spirited Holly Golightly a validating character. Letty Cottin Pogrebin, one of the founders of Ms. Magazine, said that Holly was her "formative prefeminist role model."
Breakfast at Tiffany’s received generally positive reviews, becoming a hit that elevated the reputations of Audrey Hepburn and her director, Blake Edwards. Andrew Sarris, one of the premier film critics of the day, included Edwards among the top directors in his book, The American Cinema: Directors and Directions 1929–1968. The film received five Academy Award nominations, including best actress for Audrey Hepburn. She became an even bigger star with the release of the film, and more complex roles opened up for her. Audrey Hepburn’s name has appeared at the top of "Greatest Stars" lists ever since. Hepburn’s opening scene, wearing a sleek black dress by the French designer Givenchy, large sunglasses, and an oversize stylish hat also secured her status as a fashion symbol and established her iconic image. First Lady Jackie Kennedy, soon followed suit, often dressing in Givenchy gowns and wearing big sunglasses.
The Little Black Dress, affectionately dubbed LBD, was another big winner, thanks to Hepburn’s elegant style in the film. Thousands of women bought their own LBDs after seeing Breakfast at Tiffany’s, and the Little Black Dress has remained a wardrobe staple.
Breakfast at Tiffany’s had its share of controversy. Andy Rooney’s comic portrayal of a Japanese man received the harshest criticism. Many viewers were deeply offended by the racist stereotype, and some critics saw it as the movie’s fatal flaw. Though Rooney and Edwards expected some backlash, they were surprised by its intensity. In time, both apologized for their part in bringing Mr. Yunioshi to life.
As the studio had anticipated, some critics panned the film for promoting immorality. Other critics noted that the film had sugar-coated and romanticized Truman Capote’s bleak tale. Capote himself was extremely disgruntled with the adaptation, accusing producers of treachery, claiming that they broke many promises when they took liberties with his story. Ironically, Capote’s novella is mostly ignored today, while the film is a classic that continues to attract many fans. To honor the fiftieth anniversary of the release of Breakfast at Tiffany’s in 2011, numerous books and articles focusing on the film were published.
Awards and nominations
Won
- Academy Award (1961) Best Score: Henry Mancini
- Academy Award (1961) Best Original Song: Henry Mancini, Johnny Mercer
Nominated
- Academy Award (1961) Best Actress: Audrey Hepburn
- Academy Award (1961) Best Screenplay (Adapted): George Axelrod
- Golden Globe (1961) Best Motion Picture (Comedy)
- Golden Globe (1961) Best Motion Picture Actress (Musical or Comedy): Audrey Hepburn
Bibliography
"AFI’s 50 Greatest American Screen Legends." American Film Institute. American Film Institute, 16 June 1999. Web. 20 July, 2015. <http://www.afi.com/100Years/stars.aspx>.
Churchwell, Sarah. "Breakfast at Tiffany’s, When Audrey Hepburn Won Marilyn Monroe’s Role: How Truman Capote’s Novella Became a Great Hollywood Film." The Guardian. Guardian News and Media, 5 Sept. 2009. Web. 20 July, 2015. <http://www.theguardian.com/books/2009/sep/05/breakfast-at-tiffanys-audrey-hepburn>.
Gristwood, Sarah. Breakfast at Tiffany’s: The Official 50th Anniversary Companion. New York: Rizzoli, 2011. Print.
Gwinn, Alison, ed. The 100 Greatest Stars of All Time. New York: Entertainment Weekly, 1997. Print.
Passafiume, Andrea. "Breakfast at Tiffany’s (1961)." Turner Classic Movies. Turner Entertainment Networks, 2015. Web. 20 July, 2015. <http://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/21936/Breakfast-at-Tiffany-s/articles.html>.
———. "Why Breakfast at Tiffany’s is Essential" Turner Classic Movies. Turner Entertainment Networks, 2015. Web. 20 July, 2015. <http://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/21936/Breakfast-at-Tiffany-s/articles.html>.
Sarris, Andrew. The American Cinema: Directors and Directions 1929-1968. New York: Dutton, 1968. Print.
Schilling, Mary Kaye. "Safe Sex: Audrey Hepburn, Breakfast at Tiffany’s, and the Fabulization of the Single Girl." New York Magazine. New York Media, 6 June 2010. Web. 20 July, 2015. <http://nymag.com/arts/books/features/66446/>.
Wasson, Sam. Fifth Avenue, 5 A.M.: Audrey Hepburn, Breakfast at Tiffany’s, and the Dawn of the Modern Woman. New York: HarperCollins, 2010. Print.