# Breakfast at Tiffany's **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [September 21, 2002, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breakfast-at-tiffanys/129041 "2002-09-21T22:54:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2002, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breakfast-at-tiffanys/129041/21 "2002-09-22T17:34:45Z")
Yeah, I know it’s dubbed by Nixon, but I still want it. I love the music. (And I do have the track of Audrey doing “Wouldn’t it be Loverly?” She did a damn good job, too.) If anyone’s a bitch, it’s Jennifer Love Screwitt for casting herself as Hepburn and doing that attrocious biopic. **Kid** , Audrey herself was NOTHING like Holly. I just finished watching _Breakfast at Tiffanys_ a few minutes ago, and once again, started crying and had to go hug MY orange tabby-Buffy. ---
**Author:** ![Wabbit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/ba9def/32.png) [@Wabbit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wabbit)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2002, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breakfast-at-tiffanys/129041/22 "2002-09-22T18:46:56Z")
Did someone just call Audrey a bitch? 'Cause I **know** I didn’t hear that right. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2002, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breakfast-at-tiffanys/129041/23 "2002-09-22T18:48:59Z")
Yep. **KidCharlemagne**. Audrey Hepburn was many things. A “bitch” was NOT one of them. ---
**Author:** ![Wabbit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/ba9def/32.png) [@Wabbit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wabbit)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2002, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breakfast-at-tiffanys/129041/24 "2002-09-22T19:18:16Z")
Durn tootin’ **Guin**! I have yet to see a woman that exuded as much beauty, grace and class as Hepburn did. ---
**Author:** ![JDM](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/90db22/32.png) [@JDM](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JDM)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2002, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breakfast-at-tiffanys/129041/25 "2002-09-22T19:30:32Z")
WTF is a “huckleberry friend?” JDM I know Quickdraw had Baba Louie, and Yogi Booboo, but… ---
**Author:** ![Rilchiam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/2bfe46/32.png) [@Rilchiam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rilchiam)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2002, 3:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breakfast-at-tiffanys/129041/26 "2002-09-23T03:52:57Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by masonite \* > \*\ ***Guin** , of course you can get a soundtrack of _My Fair Lady_, but Marni Nixon is dubbed in for Audrey Hepburn’s singing voice. Is that what you were asking? The Broadway recording, with Julie Andrews, is better IMHO. > \*\* I was going to say that! But since it’s been said, now I have a question. Why was Eliza not played by Julie Andrews in the film version of MFL? I’ve heard several reasons (Andrews refused to do a screen test; Warner Brothers didn’t want to take a “chance” on a stage actress), but I’m not sure which is the right one. In any case, she wuz robbed! ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2002, 4:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breakfast-at-tiffanys/129041/27 "2002-09-23T04:27:18Z")
“Huckleberry friend”-I’m thinking it might allude to Huckleberry Finn-you know, two people, floating down a river? ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2002, 8:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breakfast-at-tiffanys/129041/28 "2002-09-23T08:17:24Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Rilchiam \* > Why was Eliza not played by Julie Andrews in the film version of MFL? I’ve heard several reasons (Andrews refused to do a screen test; Warner Brothers didn’t want to take a “chance” on a stage actress), but I’m not sure which is the right one. In any case, she wuz robbed! I’ve heard the latter reason before. And it wasn’t so much that Julie Andrews was a stage actress, just that nobody had heard of her. She was known only in England and this was the most expensive film Warner Brothers ever made (up to that time, of course). Then, as now, the studio bigwigs wanted a reliable, bankable star. And I don’t know how “robbed” she was, she wound up playing the lead in _Mary Poppins_ that year and won an Oscar. I prefer the story about Cary Grant being offered the role of Professor Higgins. He said not only would he not do it, he wouldn’t even go see the movie unless Rex Harrison got the part. The IMDB says that happened with James Cagney turning down the part of Eliza’s father, played by Stanley Holloway. Can anyone clear that up? ---
**Author:** ![Rilchiam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/2bfe46/32.png) [@Rilchiam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rilchiam)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2002, 9:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breakfast-at-tiffanys/129041/29 "2002-09-23T09:45:28Z")
[shuffle]Well, yeah, **Robot** , you’re right about **MP**. I’m just thinking of how it must have burned not to be able to carry over the role she originated. Oh well, every silver lining has a cloud. ---
**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2002, 2:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breakfast-at-tiffanys/129041/30 "2002-09-23T14:19:36Z")
Really not all that crazy about _B’fast_ . . . I agree that Martin Balsam, Patricia Neal and Buddy Ebsen were terrific in it, and we mustn’t forget the gowns (by Givenchy, Edith Head _and_ Pauline Trigere!). But Mickey Rooney was indeed an embarrassment (then again, isn’t he always?), George Peppard is dull and bland and sexless—and as much as I like Audrey Hepburn, she was _totally_ miscast as Holly Golightly. Capote wanted Marilyn Monroe for the part, and she would have been _much_ better as a mixed-up, self-destructive, charming airhead. ---
**Author:** ![KidCharlemagne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ed8c4c/32.png) [@KidCharlemagne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KidCharlemagne)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2002, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breakfast-at-tiffanys/129041/31 "2002-09-23T15:16:09Z")
No, no, no. I was not calling Audrey a bitch. Nor Holly reallyyy. The comment was aimed at Holly but was for emphasis on some of her annoying exuberance. BaT is one of the five movie’s I own if that gives you an idea as to how much I still like the movie. I don’t think Audrey was miscast - I think her delicate stature was a great compliment to her emotional vulnerability. I suppose I’m one of the few who really like Peppard as Paul Varjack. ---
**Author:** ![fire\_dragon76](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a698b9/32.png) [@fire\_dragon76](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fire_dragon76)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2002, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breakfast-at-tiffanys/129041/32 "2002-09-23T16:47:01Z")
Okay, I’m glad that we have that cleared up. I was so busy defending Audrey that I kind of missed the point of the OP. Yunioshi makes me cringe every time I see him. When they had a showing of it in our local theatre, everyone was laughing at that part. I was thinking “that’s not funny, it’s horrible!”. I also thought about kids who saw that back then, and if they had it burned into their little brains that it’s okay to mock people who are different than they are. It was yet another bastardization of Capote’s original idea. I can just hear the studio bigwigs saying “that ending is just too depressing! make a new one!” “there’s entirely too much talking!! make a racial stereotype for comic relief!”. IMHO, the movie should have been called Audrey Hepburn Wears Pretty Dresses in a Movie With Character Names from Truman Capote and A Wacky Racial Stereotype. I really thought when I first saw it, that it would follow the book more closely. But, it did not. Yet another fine example of Hollywood thinking they can out-write literary geniuses. I prefer Roman Holiday anyway, a film whose creation is another thread in itself. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2002, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breakfast-at-tiffanys/129041/33 "2002-09-23T18:54:36Z")
I couldn’t have cared less about “Fred Darling.” But if she didn’t go back for Cat, I would’ve been pissed. So that’s what’s kind of shying me away from complaining about the ending. ---
**Author:** ![ElwoodCuse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/edb3f5/32.png) [@ElwoodCuse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElwoodCuse)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2002, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breakfast-at-tiffanys/129041/34 "2002-09-23T19:27:53Z")
To me, this reeks of the same revisionism that led TV Guide to call Hogan’s Heroes one of the worst TV shows ever. I think it’s more important to able to recognize and contrast the context that the movie was originally made in and today’s social climate. In other words, it would only be wrong if the character _didn’t_ make you think, “Wow, that’s really insensitive,” as it did to the OP. But I don’t think it warrants a blanket condemnation of the film. ---
**Author:** ![Briny\_Deep](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/briny_deep/32/17188_2.png) [@Briny\_Deep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Briny_Deep)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2002, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breakfast-at-tiffanys/129041/35 "2002-09-23T21:11:00Z")
Without criticizing the inestimable Hepburn one little bit, I agree that Julie Andrews was, in fact, robbed. She should have been in the film version of MFL. It would then have been an entirely different film, of course, and we’ll never know if we would have liked it better than the Hepburn version. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2002, 1:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breakfast-at-tiffanys/129041/36 "2002-09-24T01:40:25Z")
I personally can’t stand Andrews, and I adore Hepburn. However, perhaps they could have let Andrews do the singing? ---
**Author:** ![even\_sven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/dfb087/32.png) [@even\_sven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/even_sven)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2002, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breakfast-at-tiffanys/129041/37 "2002-09-24T02:41:11Z")
I just want you guys to know that this thread has caused me to spend six bucks I don’t have. Yesterday I went to the used book store for my weekly allotment of new books. I found a copy of BaT. I had just read this thread that morning, so I said “Wow, fate!”. But the book was pristine and cost nine bucks. I said “Damn you God! Why must you give me signs and not give me the cash to follow up on them! Screw your fated book!!” Then I picked up an identical copy. Marked at six bucks. Damn. I figured I better buy it before lighting started striking me down. ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2002, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breakfast-at-tiffanys/129041/38 "2002-09-24T19:02:41Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by voguevixen \* > \*\*Yuk, I hate that whole movie. It’s way creepy and depressing. Audrey Hepburn creeps me out too. Too freakishly skinny. Nice eyebrows though. \*\* Ditto. I finally saw it recently, and I was excited for this classic everyone seems to love. Very disappointing. ---
**Author:** ![ElwoodCuse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/edb3f5/32.png) [@ElwoodCuse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElwoodCuse)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2002, 5:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breakfast-at-tiffanys/129041/39 "2002-09-25T05:02:54Z")
BTW, I don’t think I could ever watch this movie without thinking of The A-Team whenever George Peppard was on screen. ---
**Author:** ![Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spectre_of_pithecanthropus/32/12343_2.png) [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spectre_of_Pithecanthropus)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2002, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breakfast-at-tiffanys/129041/40 "2002-09-27T20:31:59Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by hajario \* > \*\*That character is an embarrasment even taking into consideration that it was portrayed by that no talent hack, Rooney. It’s the epitome of one thing ruining an otherwise excellent movie. > > Haj \*\* This was certainly an unfortunate turn for Mickey Rooney, but he is very far from being a no talent hack. In his prime he was considered the most talented actor in Hollywood, no less a luminary than Laurence Olivier declaring Rooney the “most talented actor America ever produced” ([cite](http://classicfilm.about.com/library/weekly/aa092400a.htm)). I’m not saying that all his work was first rate, but he was nevertheless a huge talent. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breakfast-at-tiffanys/129041.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breakfast-at-tiffanys/129041.md?page=3)