Breakfast at Tiffany's (1961)
There’s a reason Breakfast at Tiffany’s captivates everyone who watches it and has catapulted several books and movies for modern audiences to stardom simply by mentioning or referring to it in the title or plot. Believe it or not, the reason isn’t Audrey Hepburn’s glamour. She was glamorous before this movie, and she remained glamorous after it. A few movies in every decade serve as a time capsule that future generations will watch, dreamy-eyed, and ask, “Was it really like that?” Breakfast at Tiffany’s is one of those movies, ushering in the 1960s with a precedent of lushness that petered out by the end of the decade as protests replaced parties. By the end of the 1960s, hippies and the “Question Authority” mentality had taken over, leaving those who had enjoyed the passivity of the 1950s to mourn what they wouldn’t see again until the 1980s. With Blake Edwards’s classic, it was a farewell to the safe, frivolous 1950s, a salute to the dizzy quirks of the 1960s, and a statement against the ensuing grunge. “You can grow your hair long and wear grimy clothing,” the movie says, “but we never will.” Everyone in this movie is clean, fresh, and elegant. Yes, George Peppard plays a gigolo, and yes, Audrey famously throws an outfit together in five minutes without much thought, but they still look clean, fresh, and elegant.
The iconic opening scene is the rest of the film in miniature. In a Walk of Shame before it was so common it was given a nickname, Audrey walks the desolate streets of New York City at dawn, then enjoys her coffee and donut outside the window of Tiffany’s. It’s simple and everyone knows it, but it’s much more than that. It’s the same farewell, salute, and statement as the rest of the film. Can you imagine watching a beautiful, defenseless girl in a black dress roaming around the city in the wee hours of the morning nowadays, without worrying about her safety? When else would the quirk of eat a donut while looking at diamonds be completely acceptable? Is there any other statement of frivolity more powerful than such a silly ritual? See, even such a simple beginning has a world of meaning. That’s why this movie is so captivating.
The iconic opening scene is the rest of the film in miniature. In a Walk of Shame before it was so common it was given a nickname, Audrey walks the desolate streets of New York City at dawn, then enjoys her coffee and donut outside the window of Tiffany’s. It’s simple and everyone knows it, but it’s much more than that. It’s the same farewell, salute, and statement as the rest of the film. Can you imagine watching a beautiful, defenseless girl in a black dress roaming around the city in the wee hours of the morning nowadays, without worrying about her safety? When else would the quirk of eat a donut while looking at diamonds be completely acceptable? Is there any other statement of frivolity more powerful than such a silly ritual? See, even such a simple beginning has a world of meaning. That’s why this movie is so captivating.
Everyone knows Marilyn Monroe was the author’s first choice for the troubled call-girl. On paper, that makes sense, given everything we know of Marilyn’s personal life, but can you imagine the energy she would have brought to the role? It would have been a completely different character, and a completely different film. Remember how tragic she was in The Misfits? Just as Judy Garland had already been cast in Annie Get Your Gun, her disturbed aura was not what the movie needed. Audrey Hepburn acts as if she hasn’t a care in the world, which is necessary for Holy Golightly’s character. George Peppard’s character serves as the audience’s perspective—akin to Nick in The Great Gatsby—and as he observes Audrey, he sees that her life is very far from the light projection she pretends to have. With an actress who comes across as troubled, her troubles would have seemed too heavy for such a glossy film. Audrey’s carefree, purposely lax and vapid persona needs to contrast her life, so the audience can see how desperately she needs to appear that way in order to keep her head above water.
Just as every decade has its own style of parties that can never be repeated or relived by later generations, Breakfast at Tiffany’s perfectly captures the 1960s party atmosphere. If you went to one of those parties, you can watch this movie with a knowing, nostalgic smile. If the 1960s were before your time, this movie will show you what they were like, but there’s a tinge of sadness knowing that glamour and fun will forever be lost to you. You’ll never get to wear your hair in a beehive, only to have it light on fire by someone else’s long cigarette holder and be extinguished by someone else’s sloppy cocktail. Breakfast at Tiffany’s will have to sustain your dreams.
Just as every decade has its own style of parties that can never be repeated or relived by later generations, Breakfast at Tiffany’s perfectly captures the 1960s party atmosphere. If you went to one of those parties, you can watch this movie with a knowing, nostalgic smile. If the 1960s were before your time, this movie will show you what they were like, but there’s a tinge of sadness knowing that glamour and fun will forever be lost to you. You’ll never get to wear your hair in a beehive, only to have it light on fire by someone else’s long cigarette holder and be extinguished by someone else’s sloppy cocktail. Breakfast at Tiffany’s will have to sustain your dreams.
Among the many partygoers who come and go through Audrey’s apartment, Martin Balsam is my favorite. For years after, whenever I’d see him in a movie, I’d refer to him as “the Breakfast at Tiffany’s guy”. He’s such a perfect party guest, letting his hair down from the stressors of his work week and taking everything in stride. He nicknames George Peppard’s character “Fred Baby,” and in a hilarious scene when George telephones him, he doesn’t even recognize him until George says, “It’s ‘Fred Baby’.” Not skipping a beat to laugh at the nickname or the ridiculousness of the situation, Marty merely lights a cigarette and says, “Oh, hi, Fred Baby.”
How can one discuss Breakfast at Tiffany’s without mentioning Henry Mancini’s powerful song “Moon River”? An icon in itself, the song is perfect for the film and the two heroes. “Two drifters off to the see the world,” at first listen might not describe Audrey and George, but instead might seem to foreshadow the grunge later in the decade. However, since the song was written before all the protesting and anger, the lyrics were still sweet and hopeful. “I’m crossing you in style, someday,” sings Audrey, showing the audience that even though she seems to have achieved more than her fair share of style, she still has dreams of bettering herself. She doesn’t see herself the way the audience sees her; it’s one word out of the entire song, but adding “someday” to the lyric completely describes her character.
Believe it or not, there are people out there who don’t like “Moon River”, just as there are people out there who don’t think Audrey Hepburn is glamorous, and who don’t like Breakfast at Tiffany’s. I’m not one of them. I understand the song, Audrey’s interpretation of Holy Golightly, and the movie. I understand them, and I love them. And I haven’t even gotten around to using Cat and Givenchy's little black dress as two of my reasons!
Want to watch it? Click here to see it on ok.ru and thanks "Classic Movies Kristine Rose" for posting!
More Martin Balsam movies here!
More Audrey Hepburn movies here!
More Mickey Rooney movies here!
How can one discuss Breakfast at Tiffany’s without mentioning Henry Mancini’s powerful song “Moon River”? An icon in itself, the song is perfect for the film and the two heroes. “Two drifters off to the see the world,” at first listen might not describe Audrey and George, but instead might seem to foreshadow the grunge later in the decade. However, since the song was written before all the protesting and anger, the lyrics were still sweet and hopeful. “I’m crossing you in style, someday,” sings Audrey, showing the audience that even though she seems to have achieved more than her fair share of style, she still has dreams of bettering herself. She doesn’t see herself the way the audience sees her; it’s one word out of the entire song, but adding “someday” to the lyric completely describes her character.
Believe it or not, there are people out there who don’t like “Moon River”, just as there are people out there who don’t think Audrey Hepburn is glamorous, and who don’t like Breakfast at Tiffany’s. I’m not one of them. I understand the song, Audrey’s interpretation of Holy Golightly, and the movie. I understand them, and I love them. And I haven’t even gotten around to using Cat and Givenchy's little black dress as two of my reasons!
Want to watch it? Click here to see it on ok.ru and thanks "Classic Movies Kristine Rose" for posting!
More Martin Balsam movies here!
More Audrey Hepburn movies here!
More Mickey Rooney movies here!
Hot Toasty Rag Awards:
Best Original Song of 1961: "Moon River"
Hot Toasty Rag Nominations:
Best Actress : Audrey Hepburn
Best Comedic Screenplay