Release year: 1961
The players: Director: Blake Edwards, Writers: Truman Capote (novel), George Axelrod, Cast: Audrey Hepburn, George Peppard, Buddy Ebsen, Mickey Rooney, Patricia Neal
The plot: After moving into a new apartment building, a young writer falls for a spirited New York socialite.
Modern thoughts on a classic movie: Audrey Hepburn’s portrayal of the iconic Holly Golightly has become a staple of American pop culture. The picture of Hepburn in her black dress and cigarette holder is easily recognizable on an array of memorabilia (I have a purse and matching wallet). But does the film that produced such a legend honestly deserve this praise and attention? Not entirely.
Based on Truman Capote’s novella of the same title, “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” centers on the free spirit Holly, who has no job and no roots. She’s lived in her apartment for a year but looks like she could leave at any minute. She doesn’t even name her cat, claiming it doesn’t truly belong to her. Her real problem is commitment. She only dates wealthy men, receiving $50 for a trip to the powder room and another $50 for the cab ride home. She also picks up another $100 weekly for her frequent visits to a former mob boss in prison. And this is how Holly makes a living. Is this what we want the young women who idolize that legendary picture of Ms. Hepburn to aspire to be?
Enters Paul, an aspiring writer who’s only had one book published six years prior. He makes his “living” virtually the same way Holly does, only he has one wealthy, married woman who provides his cash flow. And so the two form a strange bond, which eventually turns to love, with plenty of bumps along the way, while Holly decides which next millionaire to chase. In the end, the film dissolves into just another sappy love story. And with Holly and Paul’s sordid pasts, you have to wonder how long this new love will really last. Until the next rent check is due?
“Breakfast at Tiffany’s” is not a film the modern-day woman can easily identify with, and the harsh reality Holly must eventually face keeps it from being an escapist daydream. Though Hepburn is an absolute doll as Holly, she was unable to gain my sympathy or admiration. Maybe that iconic photograph isn’t famous because of Holly Golightly, but rather because of the film’s leading lady, Audrey Hepburn. She's just so lovable, her performance alone is worth sitting through the film at least once.
The final word: Though the film is a nice reminder of old-school Hollywood, its heroine and her love story fail to inspire the woman of today, who will gladly claim she needs no man or his money to make it.