Okay, I’ll confess. I enjoyed this 1961 movie with Audrey Hepburn and George Peppard. And, yes, Henry Mancini’s score was simply incredible. I’ll also concede that the movie has a certain panache, is clever and sometimes funny.
That said, why do so many people consider it an absolute classic? Was it a triumph of style over substance?
What’s your take on Breakfast at Tiffany’s?
Well, Deep Blue Something liked it.
Maybe because of Hepburn herself?
I thought it was an excellent movie.
Well, Guinastasia has nailed it, as far as I’m concerned. There’s something about Audrey Hepburn in this movie that’s just…right. She’s a great actress in general, but this is my favorite movie with her in it, because she makes her character alive(Does anyone else’s heart break when she’s looking for Cat in the rain?) That, and the whole subtly tortured romance thing with “Fred” in this movie does it for me.
I fell in love with Audrey Hepburn the first time I watched that movie.
Very classy. I like everything with A. Hepburn in it.
Another vote for A.H. in the cat scene. What a classy dame!
I love Audrey Hepburn in this movie - she IS Holly Golightly, she absolutely becomes the character. And I love the juxtaposition of what both Holly and Paul appear to be and what they actually are - it’s amazing. The “Moon River” scene on the fire escapes is my favorite part, but the ending is wonderful. It’s the odd feeling I get after watching the movie - that I want to be Holly for obvious reasons but not really - that makes me watch it again and again.
Allow me to add…
After 40 years, Breakfast at Tiffany’s still looks timeless.
Another timeless movie? “Rear Window”
Audrey Hepburn wearing Chanel? What’s not to like?
Throw in Mickey Rooney as the Japanese upstair neighbor (“Miss Gorikree, I must protest!”) and you’ve got a winner. I like the party scene the best (Martin Balsam in the shower with with woman named “Irving” is priceless).
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In the Bruce Lee biopic “Dragon”, Bruce goes to the movies with his girlfriend to see this movie. The look on his face during the Mickey Rooney scene, broke my heart. One of the few things I liked about “Dragon”.
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i think that one of the things that people find so wonderful about this movie is hepburn’s performance. she is so perfect as holly golightly, a little country girl who moves to the big city and becomes someone else. women want to be her, and men want to meet her. hepburn is charming and graceful and beautiful. the script is well-written, the acting is superb, the music is wonderful and the settings used in the movie are perfect. in all, i think the movie is a beautiful story of love conquering fear, which is a universal theme.
and yes, the scene with her looking for Cat in the rain reduces me to a blubbering mass of protoplasm every time i see it.
Um, actually, it was Givenchi.
And actually, I have never seen the film.
AFAIK, Capote hated the thought of Hepburn in the role. He wanted…Marilyn Monroe
I enjoyed the movie, not just for Ms. Hepburn (a great movie of hers, but I also love Sabrina, Roman Holiday and even Charade) but also for the concept: the phony who isn’t a phone because she believes it…
The book is great, too - I thought it really read like the movie - it’s really collectible in first edition…
Man, there’s a bunch of words I never thought I’d see strung together.
Another vote for Audrey Hepburn’s performance. Reading the book, I can see why Capote would have chosen Marilyn Monroe–but I know that if this movie had been an MM vehicle, it wouldn’t be one of my favorites. Hepburn is Holly Golightly for me. Her cool, chic, urbane-yet-gamin charm made her a role model for my youth.
Another reason that I enjoy this movie so much is the way the romance progresses. Paul and Holly are buddies before they fall in love (in a rather interesting sexually ambiguous way).
They check out millionaires together:
Paul [when Madge brings the Brazilian guy to Holly’s party]: “He’s all right, if you like men who are tall, dark, and handsome with piercing eyes.”
They go to strip-clubs together:
Holly [coolly observing a stripper]: “Do you think she’s deeply and importantly talented?”
Paul: “I think she’s superficially and amusingly talented…but not deeply and importantly talented.”
(Note: I’m quoting from memory, so the above lines may be a bit off.)
Not to mention my favorite scene, where Holly escapes the drunken “rat” in her apartment and runs up the fire escape to Paul’s apartment, finding the woman who’s keeping him just leaving. She climbs in the window and, after a short conversation, curls up to sleep beside him. There’s a sexy sophistication to all of this that you rarely see in movies of that era–or today, for that matter.
Plus, what other movie ends with a clinch involving a man, a woman, and a dripping wet cat? (I have a great admiration for that fine feline actor who portrayed Cat, who really had to put up with a lot in that final rainy scene).
Wordman-PLUUUUEEESSEEE tell me you didn’t get that from that Audrey biopic by that AWFUL Jennifer Love Spewitt?
UGH!!! The THOUGHT of her playing Audrey disgusts me.
I have to see that movie, though. I have the Mattel Audrey doll from the movie-in the black dress, tiara, etc etc.
I even saw a tiara at Claire’s that was almost EXACTLY like Audrey’s really tiny, the kind you just put around a little bun. sigh
Actually, this is the only part of the movie I don’t like. It just smacks of racism. I’m sure it had to piss off some people in the 60’s too.
Guin, I am pluuuuueeeeesssed to report that I did not see the aforementioned JLH tv movie (why would anyone allow that movie to happen? “JLH…Audrey…yeah, let’s do it!”)
Anyway, I have a first edition of the book the movie is based on and was doing some research about that when I came across the Capote preferring MM for the role bit…
I hope I am somewhat redeemed in your eyes…
WordMan
PS: Okay, if someone were to play Audrey Hepburn today, who would it be? As it stands now, the only person I think MIGHT be able to pull it off would be Natalie Portman…