Back to the Golden Years: Breakfast at Tiffany's - Portrait Magazine, August 2008 Issue

Back to the Golden Years: Breakfast at Tiffany's
By Patricia Ruiz (Age 16, From Puerto Rico)

Discover the greatest films of yesteryear in this brand new Portrait column. Each month Patricia will introduce you to a different film from Hollywood's Golden Years. They may be old but they're still some of the best films ever made.


Movie of the Month:
Breakfast at Tiffany’s:



Leighton Meester's Blair Waldorf channels Holly Golightly in a reenactment of the film's final scene in an episode of 'Gossip Girl'

I’m sure you’ve all been wondering; who is this Audrey Hepburn that Blair Waldorf (Leighton Meester, Gossip Girl) has been talking about. And watching the iconic scenes of the movie portrayed by Nate Archibald (Chace Crawford) and Blair Waldorf last season on “Gossip Girl” have sure confused you (Watch the scene here). So, you must all find out what this movie is all about, right?

Breakfast at Tiffany’s, starring Audrey Hepburn and George Peppard, features the beautiful, carefree, wild spirit Holly Golightly (Audrey Hepburn) who meets the frustrated and “sponsored” writer Paul Varjak. Paul falls into Holly’s lifestyle finding different tidbits about a scared and bewildered girl that takes interest in marrying a millionaire in the big city of New York. The film is loosely based on the Truman Capote’s 1958 novella of the same name.



The iconic poster image for Breakfast at Tiffany's

Holly’s a New York socialite, which is subtly said to be a courtesan. Her manner of lifestyle is very different as she can never settle in one place; she divides the world in two: super-rats and rats, or at least the men are. She never seizes to give up the dream of becoming the wife of one of the fifty richest men under fifty.

Paul or as Holly prefers to call him “Fred” is a kept man by 2E. He as well is a writer, well sort of…he hasn’t written anything in five years. Holly inspires him to write again as they begin to have a relationship together. As the film resumes on we find how Paul’s intentions towards Holly.



George Peppard as Paul

Audrey Hepburn, turned a fashion icon thanks to the film has been most known for her role as Holly and a few others. She was preoccupied as she was cast for the movie, mostly worried of her being an extrovert as she was an introvert herself. Hugo Givenchy himself made 3 dresses for Audrey as Holly which she styles throughout the movie.

George Peppard’s role as Paul “Fred” Varjak was the highest point in his career and inarguably the best acting job he had ever done. His good looks were the thing that handed him the job as Paul.

Patricia Neal got the made-for-film-only role as 2E or Emily Eustace. She thoroughly enjoyed her portrayal as Mrs. Failenson, and speaks gallantly of it in the DVD’s special features. Though, her joy was abrupt as one of her child died and the injury of another.

The Breakfast at Tiffany's Movie Trailer


Interesting facts about Breakfast at Tiffany’s:



Breakfast at Tiffany's author Truman Capote with Marilyn Monroe

  • The Final Speech of Paul “Fred” Varjak is one of the most famous scenes in the world, it is one of the ending scenes of the film:

    Paul Varjak: You know what's wrong with you, Miss Whoever-you-are? You're chicken, you've got no guts. You're afraid to stick out your chin and say, "Okay, life's a fact, people do fall in love, people do belong to each other, because that's the only chance anybody's got for real happiness." You call yourself a free spirit, a "wild thing," and you're terrified somebody's gonna stick you in a cage. Well baby, you're already in that cage. You built it yourself. And it's not bounded in the west by Tulip, Texas, or in the east by Somali-land. It's wherever you go. Because no matter where you run, you just end up running into yourself.



    Natalie Portman models Audrey Hepburn's dress from the film for a recent photo shoot for Hapars Bazaar

  • Holly Golightly’s dress (By Givenchy) inspired the little black dress look.
  • The movie features Henry Mancini’s “Moon River”, which won two Oscars.
  • Audrey was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actress also.
  • The creator of Breakfast at Tiffany’s, Truman Capote, did not want Audrey Hepburn for the role of Holly Golightly; he has said many times that he preferred Marilyn Monroe for the role. The casting director though, had preferred Audrey Hepburn with her subtle sexiness rather than Marilyn Monroe which was the 60’s sex kitten. Capote felt that Paramount Pictures double-crossed him when he sold the rights of his novella, he did not like the adaptation of the film.
  • Audrey Hepburn holding her cigarette (see above) is considered on of the iconic images of he 20th century which include Monroe’s famous standing over a vent holding her white dress.
  • Blake Edwards feels regret in casting Mickey Rooney as Holly’s Japanese landlord and always says that if he is given the chance he wouldn’t have cast him.

    This mastermind of a film was launched off in the 80’s for home video. Currently you can find the DVD of the film in two editions: the first one and the anniversary edition. These are available at Borders, Circuit City or your local Barnes and Noble; if not there’s always Amazon.Com through the internet.