Breakfast at Tiffany's (1961)

A young New York socialite becomes interested in a young man who has moved into her apartment building, but her past threatens to get in the way.

Director:

Blake Edwards

Writers:

Truman Capote (based on the novel by), George Axelrod (screenplay)

Stars:

Audrey Hepburn, George Peppard, Patricia Neal

Won 2 Oscars. Another 10 wins & 13 nominations.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Audrey Hepburn	...	Holly Golightly
George Peppard	...	Paul Varjak
Patricia Neal	...	2E Failenson
Buddy Ebsen	...	Doc Golightly
Martin Balsam	...	O.J. Berman
José Luis de Vilallonga	...	José da Silva Pereira (as Vilallonga)
John McGiver	...	Tiffany's Salesman
Dorothy Whitney	...	Mag Wildwood
Stanley Adams	...	Rusty Trawler
Elvia Allman	...	Librarian
Alan Reed	...	Sally Tomato
Beverly Powers	...	Nightclub Stripper (as Miss Beverly Hills)
Claude Stroud	...	Sid Arbuck
Orangey	...	Cat (as Cat)
Mickey Rooney	...	Mr. Yunioshi

Storyline

Paul Varjak - a young wannabe writer and the kept young man of an older woman - Emily Eustace Failenson ays(aka '2E') - and meets Holly Golightly; a flighty Manhattan party girl, who's his neighbour in the brownstone she's set him up in. As Paul find out more about Holly, he begins to feel something for her, and she- always on the make - tries to be the insouciant waif.

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Plot Keywords:

writer | manhattan new york city | typewriter ribbon | tiffany and co. manhattan new york city | drunkenness | 

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Taglines:

Audrey Hepburn plays Holly Golightly, the craziest heroine who ever crept between the pages of a best-selling novel!

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama | Romance

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Did You Know?

Trivia

The uncredited voice of the "terrifying man" tearing up Holly's apartment is actually George Peppard, who years later used his voice talents as a hallmark of his master-of-disguise character on The A-Team (1983), where he always did his own alternate voices rather than having a dub double.

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Goofs

Cat is played by at least two cats, a yellow mackerel tabby and a yellow classic tabby, that change back and forth throughout the movie. (The Trivia section says there were at least nine cats.)

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Quotes

[first lines]
Sid Arbuck: [seeing Holly enter her building] Hey!
[he chases her inside]
Sid Arbuck: Hey, baby, what's going on here?
Holly Golightly: Oh, hi!

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Alternate Versions

The 45th Anniversary DVD release of the film includes revealing footage of the nightclub stripper that was previously left out of the earlier DVD and video releases.

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Connections

Referenced in The Net (1995)

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Soundtracks

Moon River Cha Cha
(1961) (uncredited)
Words by Johnny Mercer
Music by Henry Mancini

User Reviews

A Real Charmer: Comfort Viewing At It's Best

The celebrated author on whose novel it was based despised the film version, describing it as "mawkish." The star wasn't much more enthusiastic; she never considered it among her best work. And the reviews were mixed. But regardless of what Truman Capote, Audrey Hepburn, or the critics thought about it, the public adored it--and the image of Audrey Hepburn wearing a black evening dress, nibbling pastry, and window shopping has passed into our cultural iconography.

The film is indeed lightweight stuff. Audrey Hepburn is a New York good-time girl who makes a living by clipping her wealthy escorts for fifty here and fifty there. When she meets handsome George Peppard--a writer who makes ends meet by trading favors with society matron Patricia Neal--can love be far behind? But Audrey's mysterious past and her determination to marry rich, George's status as a kept boy-toy, and their occasionally questionable associates provide plenty of complications to fill out the story.

What makes the film work is the remarkable charm of its two stars. Most of the attention goes to Audrey Hepburn and the film shows her to remarkable advantage: she is a remarkable actress, personality, and beauty, and she works wonders with the ultralight script. But when it comes to charm, George Peppard is no slouch either: the film catches him at the height of his early golden-boy good looks, and he is the perfect foil for Hepburn in both their comic and dramatic scenes. Mickey Rooney's excessive performance as Yunioshi aside, the supporting cast is also very entertaining, with Patricia Neal, Buddy Ebsen, Martin Balsam, and Dorothy Whitney all give enjoyable turns. The film looks great (make sure you get the widescreen version), the score (which includes "Moon River") is excellent, and director Blake Edwards keeps everything moving at a pleasant pace. This a great film to cozy up with on a cold night--romantic, entertaining, and as comforting as a cup of hot chocolate. Recommended.

Gary F. Taylor, aka GFT, Amazon Reviewer

Details

Official Sites:

Official Facebook

Country:

USA

Language:

English Portuguese French Japanese

Release Date:

6 October 1961 (USA)

Also Known As:

Breakfast at Tiffany's

Filming Locations:

New York Public Library - Fifth Avenue & 42nd Street, Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$2,500,000 (estimated)

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$357,750

Company Credits

Production Co:

Jurow-Shepherd

Technical Specs

Runtime:

115 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1