Fending off a date from the night before, Holly Golightly visits the Tiffany & Co. flagship store but her date finds her at her apartment building. Holly, who cannot find her keys, buzzes her landlord, Mr. Yunioshi, to let her in. Holly meets her new neighbor Paul Varjak as she readies to leave for her weekly visit to incarcerated mobster Sally Tomato. Tomato's lawyer pays her $100[a] a week to deliver "the weather report". Holly meets Paul's "decorator" Emily Eustace Failenson, a wealthy older woman, whom Paul nicknames "2E". That night, when Holly crawls out onto the fire escape to elude an over-eager date, she sees 2E leaving Paul money and kissing him goodbye.
Holly visits Paul and learns he is a writer who has not had anything published in five years, and has no ribbon in his typewriter. Holly explains she is saving money to support her brother, Fred, after he completes his Army service. The pair fall asleep but are awakened when Holly has a nightmare about Fred. When Paul questions her about this, Holly chides him for prying. Holly buys Paul a typewriter ribbon to apologize, and invites him to a party at her apartment. There, he meets her Hollywood agent, Berman, who describes Holly's transformation from a country girl into a Manhattan "socialite", along with wealthy Brazilian politician José da Silva Pereira and the wealthy American Rusty Trawler.
Some time later, 2E enters Paul's apartment, worried about someone loitering outside the building. Paul confronts the man who explains he is Holly's husband, Doc Golightly. Doc informs him that Holly ran away and he has come to bring her back to rural Texas. After Paul reunites them, Holly informs Paul the marriage was annulled and she declines to return with Doc. After drinking at a club, Paul and Holly return to her apartment, where she tells him she plans to marry Trawler for his money. A few days later, Paul learns a short story inspired by Holly will be published. On the way to tell Holly, he sees a newspaper headline stating that Trawler has married someone else.
Holly and Paul agree to spend the day together, taking turns doing things each has never done before. At Tiffany's, he has the ring from a box of Cracker Jack engraved as a present for her. After spending the night together, Paul awakens to find Holly gone. 2E arrives and calmly accepts when he ends their affair, realizing he loves Holly. Returning from a date with José, Holly learns Fred has been killed and trashes her apartment.
Months later, Holly readies to move to Brazil and marry José but is arrested in connection to a drug ring run by Sally Tomato. Berman pays her bail and Paul picks her up in a cab with all her things, including Cat and a breakup letter from José. Holly decides to go to Brazil anyway, breaking bail, as Paul declares that he loves her. Resistant to being in a relationship, Holly chastises him and releases Cat into an alley. Paul storms out of the cab, leaving the engraved ring with Holly. After she puts it on, Holly runs back to the alley, where Paul is looking for Cat. After Holly finds Cat, she cradles it in her coat and, smiling, walks into Paul's embrace.
After Paramount producers Martin Jurow and Richard Shepherd optioned the film rights to Capote's novella, they hired Sumner Locke Elliott to write its screenplay. Although generally faithful to the source material, Jurow and Shepherd disliked Elliott's screenplay and he was replaced by George Axelrod. Axelrod, who previously made structural changes to the source material while adaptingThe Seven Year Itch (1955), worked with Jurow and Shepherd to deviate from Capote's novella. This included altering its plot and tone to be a romantic comedy, replacing its unnamed gay narrator with a named, heterosexual male love interest, adding new characters, and reducing gay subtext present in the source material.[3]
Capote wanted Marilyn Monroe to play Holly Golightly: he considered Monroe to best reflect the character,[4] with Axelrod required to "tailor" the screenplay to accommodate Monroe. Monroe declined to star in the film, opting for The Misfits (1961), after theatre director Lee Strasberg advised her that playing a "lady of the evening" would be bad for her image.[5] The role was then offered to Shirley MacLaine, who turned it down in favor of starring in Two Loves (1961),[6] and Kim Novak also turned down the role.[7]
Capote was angry at the studio's eventual decision to cast Hepburn, remarking, "Paramount double-crossed me in every way and cast Audrey".[8][9][10] Hepburn was hesitant to star in the film, citing difficulty playing an extroverted character.[11][12]Steve McQueen was offered the role of Paul Varjak, but declined the offer due to being under contract with United Artists,[13] and Jack Lemmon was also approached, but was unavailable. Robert Wagner was also considered.[14] The film's original director, John Frankenheimer, worked with Axelrod for three months on the project before he was replaced by Edwards after Hepburn's agent requested a higher-profile director.[15] Edwards also supported Axelrod's changes to the novella, stating the changes made were for "audience approval".[16]
According to one report, the film's on-location opening sequence outside Tiffany & Co. was extremely difficult to shoot, due to issues related to crowd control, Hepburn's dislike of pastries, and an accident that nearly resulted in the electrocution of a crew member. However, another report claims the sequence was captured rather quickly, owing to an unexpected lull in city traffic.[19]
It took me time to figure out what Holly Golightly was all about. I don't drink much, but I was sipping and it came to me one night. I wrote [the song] in half an hour.
During the film, Hepburn sang the film's signature song, "Moon River", written by Henry Mancini and Johnny Mercer. The song was tailored to Hepburn's limited vocal range and its sequencing was inspired by songs she performed in Funny Face (1957).[21] On the Anniversary Edition home media release featuring audio commentary by Shepherd, he stated that after the film's test preview in San Francisco, Martin Rankin, Paramount's head of production, wanted "Moon River" replaced with music sung by somebody else. Shepherd claimed he and Jurow refused to replace it – a response attributed to Hepburn herself in another account.[22][23]
According to Time, Mancini "sets off [the] melodies with a walking bass, extends them with choral and string variations and varies them with the brisk sounds of combo jazz. "Moon River" is sobbed by a plaintive harmonica, repeated by strings, hummed and then sung by the chorus and finally resolved with the harmonica."[20] The soundtrack featured a score composed and conducted by Mancini, with several unreleased musical compositions not featuring in the final film. One piece, "Carousel Cue", appears in a deleted scene, while another piece titled "Outtake 1" also appears in a deleted scene. In 2013, Intrada Records released the complete score in its original film performance: as with many soundtrack albums from the time period, the album initially released alongside the film was a re-recording.
Release
Breakfast at Tiffany's was theatrically released by Paramount Pictures on October 5, 1961.
Home media
The film was first released on home media in the 1980s, on VHS and DVD, and was one of the first films featuring Hepburn released on home video. On February 7, 2006, a 45th anniversary special edition DVD was released in North America, containing featurettes not included on the prior releases. These included a photo gallery, the film's theatrical trailer, a history featurette on Tiffany & Co., audio commentary by Shepherd, a making-of featurette with interviews from Edwards and Neal, and a tribute to Hepburn, which contained a letter written by Hepburn to Tiffany & Co. for their 150th anniversary in 1987.
On January 13, 2009, a remastered Centennial Collection version of the film was released, which added several new featurettes, including interviews by the cast, a documentary discussing the controversy regarding Rooney's portrayal of I.Y. Yunioshi, an interactive tour of the Paramount Studios lot where filming took place, and a tribute to Mancini. On June 29, 2011, the film was digitally restored in high-definition and released on Blu-ray to commemorate its 50th anniversary.[24][25]
Reception
Box office
Breakfast at Tiffany's was a commercial success, grossing $14 million on a $2.5 million budget.[26] The film was screened at Radio City Music Hall before its theatrical release, where Variety called it "a bright box office contender".[27]
On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 88% of 56 critics' reviews are positive, with an average score of 7.5/10. The website's consensus reads, "It contains some ugly anachronisms, but Blake Edwards is at his funniest in this iconic classic, and Audrey Hepburn absolutely lights up the screen."[28]Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned the film a score of 77 out of 100, based on 13 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".[29]
Time magazine noted "[Hepburn's portrayal] is not much different from Capote's [character]. She has kicked the weed but she is still jolly Holly who runs away to find some of the finer things of life." It also pointed out the differences to Capote's novella, stating "after that out-of-Capote beginning, Edwards goes on to an out-of-character end."[30] Hepburn's performance received rave reviews, with it considered to be one of her most memorable and identifiable roles.[21] Almost a half century later, Richard Corliss of Time emphasized the level of Hepburn's performance, stating, "Breakfast at Tiffany's set Hepburn on her Hollywood course" and argued her performance in the film influenced her later roles.[31]
Tinee Mae of the Chicago Tribune also gave a positive review, saying, "In the wrong hands, the unconventional, disorganized, sophisticated, innocent, utterly contradictory [lead] character could be a tiresome idiot. Audrey makes her as sweet as she is silly, as appealing as she is affected, a playgirl without scruples, a moth who doesn't quite deserve to die in a flame." Mae also praised the "slick" and "perceptive" screenplay and the "fine" supporting cast, singling out Peppard, Ebsen, Balsam and Rooney.[32] Henry T. Murdock of The Philadelphia Inquirer wrote, "Breakfast at Tiffany's shines like a gem. Much of the iridescence comes from the richly impulsive performance by Hepburn as the scatterbrained, pathetic, fiercely independent lead. [Peppard] plays with understanding. Ebsen appears briefly, but to good effect [and] Rooney is too slapstick as the Japanese photographer. Edwards keeps things moving with a lilt."[33] The film helped rejuvenate Ebsen's career, as it helped him land the role as Jed Clampett on The Beverly Hillbillies (1962–1971).[34]
A.H. Weiler of The New York Times called the film a "completely unbelievable but wholly captivating flight into fancy composed of unequal dollops of comedy, romance, poignancy, funny colloquialisms and Manhattan's swankiest East Side areas captured in the loveliest of colors". Weiler called Hepburn "a genuinely charming, elfin waif who will be believed and adored when seen" and further praised the performances of Peppard, Balsam, Rooney, Neal and Ebsen.[35] Capote infamously disliked the film and Hepburn's performance for deviating from his novella. Capote's biographer, Gerald Clarke, characterized the film as a "valentine to free-spirited women, [not] a cautionary tale about a little girl lost in the big city". He later labelled the film "a sugar and spice confection" and claimed Capote praised it as an independent work, but not as an adaptation.[36] In later years, American Film Institute ranked the film No. 61 in 100 Years ... 100 Passions and "Moon River" as No. 4 in 100 Years ... 100 Songs. The film was also ranked No. 486 on Empire's The 500 Greatest Movies of All Time list.[37]
The image of Hepburn with her hair in a high chignon and carrying an oversized cigarette holder is considered one of the most iconic images of 20th century American cinema.[48] The sunglasses worn by Hepburn, another popular item, were designed and manufactured in London by Oliver Goldsmith. In 2011, the sunglasses were re-released to mark the film's 50th anniversary.[49] One of three dresses designed by Givenchy for Hepburn to use in the film sold at auction by Christie's on December 5, 2006, for £467,200 (~US$947,000), about seven times the reserve price.[50][51]
The little black dress designed by Givenchy and worn by Hepburn is cited as one of the most iconic clothing items of the twentieth century and was described by Glamour as the most famous little black dress of all time.[52][53][54][55] A second little black dress by Givenchy, which was styled with a wide-brimmed hat, influenced the comic book design for Catwoman by artist Adam Hughes and later inspired the costume for the character in The Dark Knight Rises (2012).[56]
A diamond necklace at Tiffany's that Hepburn's character scorns as too flashy was the Tiffany Yellow Diamond, which Hepburn wore in publicity photos for the film. Tiffany and Co.'s established profile as a pre-eminent luxury retailer was further boosted by the popularity of the film.[57]
Since the 1990s, Rooney's portrayal of I. Y. Yunioshi, which featured makeup and a prosthetic mouthpiece, has been subject to controversy and labelled as a caricatured approximation of a Japanese man. In the Bruce Lee biopic Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story (1993), Breakfast at Tiffany's is used as an illustration of Hollywood's racist depiction of East Asians: it is implied that Lee and his future wife, Linda Lee Cadwell, walked out of a screening of the film upon viewing Rooney's performance.[58]
Promotional materials released by Paramount for the film between October and December 1960 did not reveal Rooney to play Yunioshi, with press releases stating that an upcoming Japanese comedian named "Ohayo Arigatou" ("hello" and "thank you" in Japanese) would play the character. Other press releases featured false quotes, written in phonetically broken English, attributed to the fake comedian. Rooney eventually revealed his involvement in Breakfast at Tiffany's in a statement while wearing the makeup and prosthetic mouthpiece seen in the film.[59]
Mickey Rooney wore makeup and a prosthetic mouthpiece to portray a Japanese character.
Shepherd later claimed that he wanted to cast a Japanese actor to portray Yunioshi, but that Edwards overruled him. He also stated he did not believe "[Rooney] didn't play the part well".[60] Shepherd later apologized for Rooney's casting and performance, saying, "If we could just change Mickey, I'd be thrilled with the [film]."[61] Although Axelrod expanded the role of Yunioshi in the screenplay compared to the novella, Edwards sought to use the character for comic relief and hired Rooney, his old roommate. Axelrod clashed with Edwards regarding the placement of Yunioshi in the film and convinced Hepburn to reshoot scenes for free in the hope that scenes featuring Yunioshi could be edited out, but was overruled by Edwards.[62] Edwards later stated he "would give anything to recast [Rooney]" and he "wished [he] had never done it" but stressed it was not something he could "undo".[61]
In a 2008 interview, Rooney said he was "heartbroken" regarding the criticism, saying, "Edwards wanted me to [portray] the character because he was a comedy director. We had fun doing it. Never [since] we made it [has] there been [any] complaints. Every place I've gone in the world people say [I] was so funny."[63] Rooney later said that he would not have taken the role if he thought it was offensive.[63]
The film continues to draw criticism for the character, with film historian Robert Osborne calling it "such a racial slur. I blame Edwards. The caricature was totally embarrassing".[64] It has also been the subject of censorship and petitions against its contemporary screening or labelling as a "classic". In 2011, a group of viewers opposed a screening held by SyFy and the Brooklyn Bridge Park Corporation to commemorate the film,[65] and in 2022, the broadcaster Channel 5 (a wholly-owned subsidiary of Paramount Global) aired the film in the UK with the scenes featuring Rooney removed.[66]
George Peppard was an American actor. He secured a major role as struggling writer Paul Varjak when he starred alongside Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast at Tiffany's (1961), and later portrayed a character based on Howard Hughes in The Carpetbaggers (1964). On television, he played the title role of millionaire insurance investigator and sleuth Thomas Banacek in the early-1970s mystery series Banacek. He played Col. John "Hannibal" Smith, the cigar-smoking leader of a renegade commando squad in the 1980s action television series The A-Team.
Audrey Kathleen Hepburn was a British actress. Hepburn had a successful career in Hollywood and was recognised as a film and fashion icon, she was ranked by the American Film Institute as the third-greatest female screen legend from the Classical Hollywood cinema and was inducted into the International Best Dressed Hall of Fame List.
Buddy Ebsen, also known as Frank "Buddy" Ebsen, was an American actor and dancer. One of his most famous roles was as Jed Clampett in the CBS television sitcom The Beverly Hillbillies (1962–1971); afterwards he starred as the title character in the television detective drama Barnaby Jones (1973–1980).
"Moon River" is a song composed by Henry Mancini with lyrics by Johnny Mercer. It was originally performed by Audrey Hepburn in the 1961 film Breakfast at Tiffany's, winning an Academy Award for Best Original Song. The song also won the 1962 Grammy Awards for Record of the Year and Song of the Year. In 1999, Mancini's recording was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame.
Sacrebleu is the debut studio album by French electronic music producer Dimitri from Paris. It was first released on 11 June 1996 by Yellow Productions in France and later released by Atlantic Records in North America and EastWest Records in Europe and Japan.
Carol Grace was an American actress and author. She is often referred to as Carol Marcus Saroyan or Carol Matthau.
The Audrey Hepburn Story is a 2000 American biographical drama television film based on the life of actress and humanitarian Audrey Hepburn. Covering the years 1935 to the 1960s, it stars Jennifer Love Hewitt, who also produced the film. Emmy Rossum and Sarah Hyland appear as Hepburn in her early years. The film was shot in Montreal, Canada, and premiered on ABC on March 27, 2000.
Breakfast at Tiffany's may refer to:
Breakfast at Tiffany's is a novella by Truman Capote published in 1958. In it, a contemporary writer recalls his early days in New York City, when he makes the acquaintance of his remarkable neighbor, Holly Golightly, who is one of Capote's best-known creations. In 1961 it was adapted into a major motion picture of the same name.
Holly is an English-language surname and given name.
Breakfast at Tiffany's is a musical with music and lyrics by Bob Merrill and a book originally by Abe Burrows but rewritten during pre-Broadway tryouts by Edward Albee. It is based on the 1958 Truman Capote novella and 1961 film of the same name about a free spirit named Holly Golightly.
Breakfast at Tiffany's: Music from the Motion Picture is the soundtrack from the 1961 movie Breakfast at Tiffany's starring Audrey Hepburn. The tracks were re-arranged parts of the film music composed and conducted by Henry Mancini. At the 1962 Academy Awards, Mancini and lyricist Johnny Mercer won Oscars for Best Original Song for "Moon River", while Mancini picked up a second statue for Best Original Score. The album also stayed on Billboard's album charts for over ninety weeks.
"Charade" is a Parisian waltz with music by Henry Mancini and lyrics by Johnny Mercer performed in the 1963 film of the same name starring Cary Grant and Audrey Hepburn. It was nominated that year for the Academy Award for Best Original Song.
Audrey Hepburn wore a "little black dress" in the 1961 romantic comedy film Breakfast at Tiffany's. The garment was originally designed by Hubert de Givenchy, with three existing copies preserved to date. A studio copy of this dress was worn during the opening scene of the film, while another during a social party held at the apartment of the main protagonist.
I. Y. Yunioshi is a fictional character in Blake Edwards's 1961 American romantic comedy film Breakfast at Tiffany's, which George Axelrod adapted for the movie based on the 1958 novella of the same title by Truman Capote. The character in the film is significantly different from the character as presented in Capote's original novella, and the film version of Mr. Yunioshi, as portrayed by Mickey Rooney, has been the subject of extensive critical commentary and review since its theatrical release due to its use of ethnic stereotypes.
Holly Golightly may refer to:
Jazz for "Breakfast at Tiffany's" is the third album by American jazz saxophonist Eddie Harris recorded in 1961, featuring a jazz interpretation of Henry Mancini's score for Breakfast at Tiffany's, and released on the Vee-Jay label.
In the social context of dating, treating is the practice of providing companionship and intimate activity in exchange for entertainment outings, gifts, and other items of monetary value. The activity was prevalent in the large urban areas of the United States from the 1890s to the 1940s and was most commonly engaged in by young working-class women. As treating became more widespread, the activity acquired the label "charity," and the young women who engaged in the more risqué aspects of the practice were often called charity girls.
Marguerite Lamkin Brown Harrity Littman was an American-British socialite and HIV/AIDS activist. As a Southern American accent coach she is known to have coached actors including Elizabeth Taylor and Paul Newman. Littman is remembered for her role in HIV/AIDS advocacy, including fundraising for charities.
The fashion of actress Audrey Hepburn, both on and off-screen, has impacted trends and pop culture, and she is considered a style icon.
↑ Morris, M. (2007). Learning from Bruce Lee: Pedagogy and Political Correctness in Martial Arts Cinema.". The Worlding Project: Doing Cultural Studies in the Era of Globalization, 49–56.
Breakfast at Tiffany's, by George Axelrod. Published by Paramount Home Entertainment (UK), 1960. (film script)
Breakfast at Tiffany's: A Short Novel and Three Stories, by Truman Capote. Published by Random House, 1958.
Wasson, Sam (August 30, 2011). Fifth Avenue, 5 A.M.: Audrey Hepburn, Breakfast at Tiffany's, and the Dawn of the Modern Woman. Harper Collins. ISBN978-0061774164.
External links
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