BREAKFAST AT TIFFANY'S - 1961

 

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Breakfast at Tiffany's is a 1961 Academy Award-winning film starring Audrey Hepburn and George Peppard, and featuring Patricia Neal, Buddy Ebsen, Martin Balsam, and Mickey Rooney. It was directed by Blake Edwards. The portrayal of Holly Golightly as the naive, eccentric socialite is generally considered to be Audrey Hepburn's most memorable and identifiable role. She herself regarded it as one of her most challenging roles to play, as she was an introvert who had to play an extravert. Ms Hepburn's singing of "Moon River" helped garner an Oscar for Best Song for composer Henry Mancini and lyricist Johnny Mercer. The film also featured what was arguably George Peppard's greatest acting role and the high point of his career. The film is based on the novella of the same name by Truman Capote.

 

 

Breakfast at Tiffany's dvd movie cover

 

 Breakfast at Tiffany's - starring Audrey Hepburn and George Peppard

 

 

The screenplay

 

The Oscar-nominated screenplay was written by George Axelrod, loosely based on the novella by Truman Capote.

 

Truman Capote, who sold the film rights of his novella to Paramount Studios, wanted Marilyn Monroe to play the role of Holly Golightly in the film. Barry Paris references a quote by Capote: "Marilyn was always my first choice to play the girl, Holly Golightly." Screenwriter Axelrod was hired to "tailor the screenplay for Monroe." When Audrey was cast instead of Marilyn, Capote remarked: "Paramount double-crossed me in every way and cast Audrey."

 

A number of changes were made to the storyline to adapt the story to fit the medium of cinema. Capote's novella included language that was toned down for the film. The character of 2E (Patricia Neal) was invented for the movie. And the film changed the novella's unresolved, open ending to a more conventional "Hollywood" romantic happy ending.

 

 

Summary

 

The movie is about Holly Golightly, a young woman always on the run from herself. Lacking a stable childhood, she marries at the age of fourteen, has the marriage annulled, moves to Hollywood to start a film career, leaves Hollywood for New York (where she earns money as a call girl and by unknowingly carrying coded messages for an incarcerated mafia boss), and plans to leave New York for Brazil to marry one of the world's richest men.

 

The main plot of the movie is Holly's relationship with neighbor Paul Varjak, who has confidence problems of his own. The story explores the relationship between Holly and Paul, Holly and her other paramours, and the resolution that occurs within Holly's own mind and between Holly and Paul. The film includes Audrey Hepburn singing the original performance of "Moon River" and the famous closing sequence that shows Paul's "lecture" to Holly and Holly's self-discovery of who she really is and who makes her truly happy. The film ends with a famous scene in the rain.

 

Struggling writer Paul Varjak moves into a New York apartment building and becomes intrigued by his pretty, quirky neighbor Holly Golightly. Holly's lifestyle confuses and fascinates Paul; in public she flits through parties with a sexy, sophisticated air, but when they're alone she changes into a sweetly vulnerable bundle of neuroses

 

No film better utilises Audrey Hepburn's flighty charm and svelte beauty more than this romantic adaptation of Truman Capote's novella. Hepburn's urban sophisticate Holly Golightly, an enchanting neurotic living off the gifts of gentlemen, is a bewitching figure in designer dresses and costume jewellery. George Peppard is her upstairs neighbour, a struggling writer and "kept" man financed by a steely older woman (Patricia Neal). His growing friendship with the lonely Holly soon turns to love and threatens the delicate balance of both of their compromised lives. 

 

Taking liberties with Capote's bittersweet story, director Blake Edwards and screenwriter George Axelrod turn New York into a city of lovers and create a poignant portrait of Holly, a frustrated romantic with a secret past and a hidden vulnerability. Composer Henry Mancini earned Oscars for the hit song "Moon River" and his tastefully romantic score. The only sour note in the whole film is Mickey Rooney's demeaning performance as the apartment's Japanese manager, an offensively overdone stereotype even in 1961. The rest of the film has weathered the decades well. Edwards's elegant yet light touch, Axelrod's generous screenplay and Hepburn's mix of knowing experience and naivety combine to create one of the great screen romances and a refined slice of high-society bohemian chic.

 

It has been rumored that the film's on-location opening sequence, in which Holly gazes into a Tiffany’s display window, was extremely difficult for director Blake Edwards to film. Although it was simple in concept, crowd control, Hepburn's dislike for pastries, and an accident that nearly resulted in the electrocution of a crew member are all said to have made capturing the scene a challenge. However, Edwards, in an interview given for the 45th anniversary DVD, said that the sequence was captured rather quickly due to the good fortune of an unexpected traffic lull despite the location in the heart of Manhattan.

 

 

Audrey Hepburn and George Peppard - kiss, Breakfast at Tiffany's

 

Audrey Hepburn and George Peppard - kiss

 

 

Audrey Hepburn introduced the film's signature song, "Moon River", by Henry Mancini, with lyrics by Johnny Mercer. Sung by Hepburn herself, it was written to her singing range based on the vocal solos she had performed in 1957's Funny Face. According to Mancini and Edwards, a studio executive hated the song and demanded it be cut from the film; Hepburn, who was present when this proclamation was made, responded to the suggestion by standing up and saying, "over my dead body."

 

Wisp-thin Audrey Hepburn as Holly, carrying a cigarette holder, is considered one of the iconic images of 20th century American cinema. The film rejuvenated the career of 1930s movie song-and-dance man Buddy Ebsen, who had a small but effective role in this film as Doc Golightly, Holly's ex-husband. His success here led directly to his best-known role as Jed Clampett on The Beverly Hillbillies.

 

Some critics consider the film's sole blunder to be caucasian Mickey Rooney's "yellowfaced" performance as Holly's bucktoothed Japanese neighbor. In the 45th anniversary edition DVD release, producer Richard Shepherd repeatedly apologizes for this, stating "If we could just change Mickey Rooney, I'd be thrilled with the movie." Edwards does not apologize for the portrayal. He does, however, indicate that he would not have cast George Peppard in the lead male role of the film if he were to do it over again.

 

 

Academy Awards

 

Award

Person

Academy Award for Original Music Score

Henry Mancini

Academy Award for Best Song: "Moon River"

Johnny Mercer
Henry Mancini

Nominated:

Academy Award for Best Actress

Audrey Hepburn

Academy Award for Best Art Direction

Hal Pereira
Roland Anderson
Sam Comer
Ray Moyer

Academy Award for Writing Adapted Screenplay

George Axelrod

 

 

Award wins

  • Grammy Award for Best Soundtrack Album or Recording or Score – (John Addison)

  • WGA for Best Written American Drama – (George Axelrod)

 

Award nominations

  • DGA Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Motion Pictures – (Blake Edwards)

 

DVD availability

 

Breakfast at Tiffany's was one of the first Audrey Hepburn films to be released to the home video market in the early 1980s, and is also widely available on DVD. On February 7, 2006, Paramount released a 45th anniversary special edition DVD set in North America with featurettes not included on the prior DVD release. These include a widescreen-only restored print of the film, commentary track by producer Richard Shepherd, a tribute to Audrey Hepburn, a brief history of Tiffany & Co., and an accounting of Audrey Hepburn's letter to Tiffany & Co. on the occasion of the company's 150th anniversary in 1987. A featurette on the making of the film is also included, featuring interviews with Blake Edwards, Patricia Neal, the "laughing/crying" woman from the party scene, and Sean Ferrer (Hepburn's son).

 

George Peppard and Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast at Tiffany's

 

Audrey Hepburn and George Peppard in Breakfast at Tiffany's

 

 

Musical adaptation

 

In 1966, David Merrick produced a Broadway musical of the same name. The troubled production closed after four previews.

 

 

Tributes

 

In 1995, the Texas band Deep Blue Something had a hit with a song called "Breakfast at Tiffany's." The song was inspired by Audrey Hepburn's performance in the film Roman Holiday, but the author, Todd David Pipes, thought that one of Hepburn's other films would make a better song title. The song reached the top five in the United States and number one in the United Kingdom.

 

The band Jets to Brazil takes their name from the poster seen in Holly's apartment. 

 

The Japanese toy company Jun Planning produced a doll based on Holly Golightly, for the March 2006 Pullip doll.

 

 

Memorable Quotations:

  • "Poor old cat.  Poor slob.  Poor slob without a name.  The way I look at it, I don't have the right to give him one.  We don't belong to each other.  We just took up by the river one day." --Holly.

  • "I don't want to own anything until I find a place where me and things go together.  I'm not sure where that is, but I know what it's like.  It's like Tiffany's." --Holly.

  • "Listen...you know those days when you get the mean reds?" --Holly.
    "The mean reds? You mean like the blues?" --Fred (Paul).
    "No... the blues are because you're getting fat or because it's been raining too long. You're just sad, that's all. The mean reds are horrible. Suddenly you're afraid and you don't know what you're afraid of. Do you ever get that feeling?" --Holly.
    "Sure." --Fred (Paul).
    "When I get it the only thing that does any good is to jump into a cab and go to Tiffany's. Calms me down right away." --Holly.

  • "If I could find a real life place to make me feel like Tiffany's, then I'd buy some furniture and give the cat a name." --Holly.

  • "Thursday!  Oh no, it can't be!  It's too gruesome!" --Holly.

  • "You can always tell what kind of a person a man really thinks you are by the earrings he give you... I must say, the mind reels!" --Holly.

  • "You don't have to worry.  I've taken care of myself for a long time." --Holly.

 

Trivia

 

  • In the original novella Mag Wildwood, a model with a stuttering problem, moves into Holly's apartment after Holly falls out with the novelist upstairs. The true nature of the relationship is not detailed in the book although both characters are described as heterosexual and both engage in subsequent heterosexual relationships later in the story. Wildwood still appears briefly in the film, a guest at the party at Holly's, with her stutter intact.

  • One of three dresses designed by Givenchy for Audrey Hepburn for possible use in the movie sold at auction by Christie's [1] on December 5, 2006 for £467'200 (~US$800,000), about seven times the reserve price. [2]

 

 

Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast at Tiffany's

 

Audrey Hepburn

 

 

LINKS and REFERENCES

 

 

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  • Format: Anamorphic, Dubbed, PAL, Widescreen

  • Language English, French

  • Region: Region 2 (This DVD may not be viewable outside Europe. Read more about DVD formats.)

  • Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1

  • Number of discs: 1

  • Classification: PG

  • Studio: Paramount Home Entertainment

  • DVD Release Date: 6 Nov 2000

  • Run Time: 109 minutes

  • DVD Features:

    • Main Language: English

    • Available Audio Tracks: Dolby Digital 5.1, Dolby Digital Mono

    • Sub Titles: Danish, Dutch, English, Finnish, French, German, Greek, Italian, Norwegian, Portuguese, Spanish, Swedish, Turkish

    • Dubbed Language(s): French, German, Italian, Spanish

    • Hearing Impaired: English

    • Disc Format: DVD 9

    • Theatrical Trailer

  • ASIN: B00004Y3NN

 

 

George Peppard signed photograph

 

George Peppard

 

 

CAST

 

Audrey Hepburn

Holly Golightly

George Peppard

Paul 'Fred' Varjak

Patricia Neal

2-E (Mrs. Failenson)

Buddy Ebsen

Doc Golightly

Martin Balsam

O. J. Berman

José Luis de Villalonga

José da Silva Pereira (as Vilallonga)

John McGiver

Tiffany's salesman

Alan Reed

Sally Tomato

Dorothy Whitney

Mag Wildwood

Beverly Powers

Nightclub Stripper (as Miss Beverly Hills)

Stanley Adams

Rusty Trawler

Claude Stroud

Sid Arbuck

Elvia Allman

Librarian

Orangey

Cat

Mickey Rooney

Mr. Yunioshi

 

 

 

A - Z FILMS INDEX

 

 

 

13 GOING ON 30

A PERFECT STORM

ALIEN

AUSTIN POWERS

BABE

BACK TO THE FUTURE

BATMAN

BRAVEHEART

BRIDGET JONES' DIARY

CAST AWAY

CATWOMAN

CHRISTINE

CON AIR

CROCODILE DUNDEE

DEAD CALM

DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER

DIE HARD

DIRTY ROTTEN SCOUNDRELS

DISCLOSURE

DOLORES CLAIBORNE

DR. NO

ERIN BROCKOVICH

FIRE ON THE AMAZON

FREE WILLY

FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE

GLADIATOR

GOLDFINGER

HARRY POTTER

HORNBLOWER

JAMES BOND

JAWS

JURASSIC PARK

KING KONG

MAN ON FIRE

MASTER and COMMANDER

MEAN GIRLS

MEDICINE MAN

MEN OF HONOUR

MISERY

MISS CONGENIALITY

MUMMY RETURNS

 

 

 

MUTINY ON THE BOUNTY

NAKED GUN

NATIONAL TREASURE

OVERBOARD

PARENT TRAP

PAYBACK

PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN

PSYCHO

P2 DEAD MANS CHEST

RACE THE SUN

RAMBO

ROB ROY

ROXANNE

SCOTT OF THE ANTARCTIC

SEABISCUIT

SPEED

SPIDERMAN

STAR GATE

THE 39 STEPS

THE AVIATOR

THE COUNT OF MONTE CHRISTO

THE DAMBUSTERS

THE FLY

THE MATRIX

THE PATRIOT

THE SILENCE OF THE LAMBS

THE SOUND OF MUSIC

THE TERMINATOR

THE THING

THE WORLD IS NOT ENOUGH

THE WORLDS FASTEST INDIAN

THUNDERBALL

TITANIC

TOP GUN

TREASURE ISLAND

TROY

TRUE GRIT

UNFORGIVEN

YOU ONLY LIVE TWICE

WAR OF THE WORLDS  

WATERLOO BRIDGE

ZULU

 

 

 

 

 

A - Z ACTORS INDEX

 

 

 

Angelina Jolie

Anthony Hopkins

Arnold Shwazenneger

Arnold Vosloo

Brad Pitt

Brendan Fraser

Bruce Willis

Catherine Zeta Jones

Charlize Theron

Chris Cooper

Clint Eastwood

Daniel Craig

Demi Moore

Denzel Washington

Eric Bana

Eva Green

George Clooney

Gerard Depardieu

Goldie Hawn

Gregory Peck

Halle Berry

Harvey Keitel

Humphrey Bogart

Ian Holm

Ingrid Bergman

Jack Black

Jack Nicholson

James Cromwell

Jean Reno

 

 

Jeff Bridges

Jim Carrey

Joaquin Phoenix

John Hurt

John Travolta

John Wayne

Johnny Depp

Judi Dench

Julia Roberts

Julie Andrews

Kate Winslett

Keanu Reeves

Keira Knightley

Kevin Spacey

Kirsten Dunst

Kurt Russell

Leonardo di Caprio

Liam Neeson

Linda Kozlowski

Lindsay Lohan

Mads Mikkelsen

Marlon Brando

Matthew McConaughey

Mel Gibson

Michael Cain

Michael Douglas

Michael J Fox

Michael Keaton

Morgan Freeman

 

 

Naomi Watts

Nicholas Cage

Nicole Kidman

Orlando Bloom

Paul Bettany

Paul Hogan

Pierce Brosnan

Rachel Weisz

Richard Gere

Robert de Niro

Roger Moore

Russell Crowe

Sam Neil

Samuel L Jackson

Sandra Bullock

Sean Connery

Sharon Stone

Sigourney Weaver

Stanley Baker

Steve Martin

Steven Segal

Slyvester Stalone

Tim Roth

Tobey Maguire

Tom Cruise

Tom Hanks

Tommy Lee Jones

Uma Thurman

Willem Dafoe

 

 

 

 

 

 


 

 

 

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