#385. Breakfast at Tiffany's (1961)

Directed By: Blake Edwards

Starring: Audrey Hepburn, George Peppard, Patricia Neal




Tag line: "Audrey Hepburn plays that daring, darling Holly Golightly to a new high in entertainment delight!"

Trivia:  Tiffany's opened its doors on a Sunday for the first time since the 19th century so that filming could take place inside the store

Is it possible to watch Breakfast at Tiffany’s and not get a crush on Audrey Hepburn? It certainly wasn’t for me. From the opening scene, when she cocks her head slightly to one side while peering through the window of Tiffany’s jewelry store, I was a goner. 

Erratic New York playgirl Holly Golightly (Hepburn) enjoys the finer things in life, and hopes to eventually land a rich guy who will supply them for her on a regular basis. Paul (George Peppard) recently moved into an apartment upstairs from Holly's, a room that’s being paid for by "2-E" (Patricia Neal), a wealthy older woman with whom he’s having an affair. 

Despite his relationship with "2-E", Paul falls deeply in love with Holly, and is the only one who realizes her outward bravado masks a frightened, lonely existence. Paul wants nothing more than to take Holly away from it all, but will Holly's never-ending quest for the security of wealth keep her from ever experiencing true love? 

Audrey Hepburn is positively delightful throughout Breakfast at Tiffany's, lighting up the screen whenever she strolls across it, regardless of what she's wearing. The morning she first meets Paul, Holly is dressed in nothing more than an oversized night shirt, yet is still alluring enough to catch his eye. Along with her physical beauty, Holly Golightly’s bubbly personality and zest for life is equally as endearing, giving her potential suitors the impression that she doesn't have a care in the world. 

But as Paul and we the audience come to learn, Holly does have her share of problems, such as her inability to make a commitment of any kind. In every aspect of her life, no matter how trivial or insignificant a relationship might be, Holly prefers there be no strings attached, which allows her to keep everyone and everything at an emotional arms length. She even refuses to name her pet, simply calling it "cat".

There are times in Breakfast at Tiffany’s, however, when Holly lets her guard down, like when she receives an unexpected visit from her estranged hillbilly husband, Doc Golightly (Buddy Ebsen), who has been trying to track her down for years. Doc represents a past the young socialite would just as soon forget, yet the moment she sees him standing in the hallway, Holly throws her arms around him and greets him warmly. For that one, brief moment, we see the real Holly Golightly. 

Audrey Hepburn’s wonderful screen presence makes Breakfast at Tiffany’s an enchanting film. Her manner, her personality, even her winning smile are picture perfect, and I, for one, was captivated by her. Not even the unfortunate performance of Mickey Rooney, as Holly's stereotypical upstairs neighbor Mr. Yunioshi, can detract from Hepburn's charms.

Odds are, if you’ve seen Breakfast at Tiffany’s, you'll know what I'm talking about!