Breakfast at Tiffany's (1961)

The standard run-of-the-mill romantic comedy involves several, almost universal, details: two friends with undeniable chemistry, other romantic interests for each of the would-be lovers, and a schmaltzy scene at the end where they get together.  Blake Edwards' 1961 film Breakfast at Tiffany's is a standard run-of-the-mill romantic comedy in almost every detail, except for one: the two leads are both glorified prostitutes, and that makes all the difference.  Audrey Hepburn stars as Holly Golightly and George Peppard  plays Paul Varjak in this adaptation of Truman Capote's classic novel of the same name.  It was nominated for five Academy Awards and won two for best original score and best song.

The film centers on Paul Varjak, an aspiring (but not successful) writer and kept man, and his befriending and falling in love with his unique and off-beat neighbor Holly Golightly, an escort and gold-digger.  Holly, while intriguing and magnetic, is deeply troubled and has a hidden past that does not stay dormant for long.  Although adapted from the Truman Capote novel, the final product is considerably different from Capote's classic.  One major detail that is changed from the novel is the romance between Holly and Paul (unnamed in the novel); in the novel there isn't one.  The novel has richer themes and is more realistic in the way the plot develops, but the story is considerably less cinematic.

The acting in the film is uniformly adequate, with the exception of two performances that truly elevate the film to heights it would not have reached without them.  Audrey Hepburn, in possibly her most iconic role, as Holly Golightly is nothing short of magnificent and without her performance, the film would not be regarded as a classic.  It should be noted that Marilyn Monroe was Capote's preferred choice to play Holly, and was furious when the studio signed Hepburn.  It should also be noted: the studio made the right choice.  The other performance that must be acknowledged is the portrayal of Doc, Holly's much older husband from a past life, by Buddy Ebsen.  Ebsen makes the absolute most of his few minutes of screen-time and manages to illicit (necessary) reactions of pity and disgust from the audience.  Without Ebsen in the role of Doc, the rest of the film may not have meshed succesfully.  Peppard, though a lead, is merely adequate in his role and is completely overshadowed by Hepburn, who is at her most radiant.  An aspect of the film that detracts from the overall experience is the portrayal of Mr. Yunioshi by Mickey Rooney.  Rooney gives a broad stereotype of an Asian person that can only be described by one word: appalling.  It is completely unnecessary and his limited screen-time almost ruins the film's overall tone.

The film's score, composed by Henry Mancini, is phenomenal and sets the tone beautifully.  The song "Moon River", performed by Hepburn in character as Golightly, fits perfectly into the film and it is easy to see why both the score and the song won Oscars for Mancini.  In addition to the music, the cinematography is absolutely gorgeous and the shots of New York City captured by the crew have almost no equal in the cinema of any era.  The film is a demonstration of how good filming and a great score can elevate a film to new levels.

Breakfast at Tiffany's, though possibly not living up to its literary inspiration, is a very good example of a romantic comedy that knows what it is and makes the absolute most of it.  Though clearly not a comic or dramatic masterpiece, it is a demonstration of Audrey Hepburn in one her greatest roles and at her most luminous.  Overall it is a very good watch that has stood the test of time extremely well.

8/10

Note: This review was originally posted on another blog I wrote.