I've been catching up on Audrey Hepburn movies lately, and of course this is the best remembered of the lot. It's a super-stylish romantic comedy in the days when the genre still elicited laughs, rather than the groans coming out of cineplexes these days.
My problem with BREAKFAST IS TIFFANY'S lies in the script, which presents the Hepburn character as one of those annoyingly air-headed bimbos who spends the whole film at the mercy of her own ignorance. There's nothing wrong with Hepburn, who nails the character perfectly, just the slightly irritating childlike persona. She's not really a person to fall in love with, more like somebody who needs sectioning.
Still, the rest of the film is well-made, beautifully shot and rather effective, and the sweet, good-natured comedy works well. It's rare for me to see George Peppard in a romantic role, but he acquits himself well with the material. This certainly isn't my favourite Hepburn movie - I can't help but feeling it's slightly overrated - but on the other hand I can see why it's regarded as a classic by most.
Breakfast at Tiffany's
1961
Comedy / Drama / Romance
Breakfast at Tiffany's
1961
Comedy / Drama / Romance
Plot summary
After one of her frequent visits to Tiffany's--New York City's luxury jewellery store--and the maximum security Sing-Sing prison for mobster Sally Tomato's weekly weather report, Holly Golightly, Manhattan's elegant socialite, finds herself infatuated with Paul Varjak, her handsome new neighbour. While stuck in a persistent creative rut, Paul is captivated by Holly's dazzling superficial world; of course, not because he likes the idea that he reminds her of her brother, but because, little by little, he succumbs to Holly's beguiling allure. And even though they don't openly admit it, the two reluctant lovers have a past they struggle to keep at bay. However, are their well-hidden secrets powerful enough to keep them apart? After all, Paul and Holly are meant for each other. Will an early-morning breakfast at Tiffany's be the prelude to a breezy young love affair?
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Well-remembered, but flawed
Dog's Breakfast...
A young woman with mental health issues, probably caused by marrying a pensioner at 14, struggles to live normally while surrounding herself with similarly deranged and psychiatrically challenged friends, most of whom have an alcohol problem. Also includes a Japanese minstrel!
Way Overrated
This is an average film masquerading as great. I'm not blaming Blake Edwards or the stars--after all, they were just making a picture. Instead, this movie is the ultimate "personality cult" picture. In other words, people are SO OVERWHELMED with Audrey Hepburn, they glomp onto a picture and act like it is one of the best pictures ever made. For movie poster collectors, they saw the value of posters from this little movie skyrocket to astronomical heights (it is currently one of the most valuable posters from the 1960s) due to the rise of this cult.
The sad thing is that this isn't one of Ms. Hepburn's best pictures. Better films such as A Nun's Story, Love in the Afternoon or Sabrina are superior when compared side by side. My assumption is that those who fuel this cult probably never saw the movie or never saw her other films.
By the way, even if I am way off in my attitude towards this film (since so many love it),you've gotta admit that the movie deserves to lost a point or two because of the insane casting of Mickey Rooney as Mr. Yunioshi--a Japanese man!!! Not only was this stupid, but highly offensive and insensitive.