Award Season Series: “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” (1961)
- Matt Palmer
- Jan 20
- 4 min read
For this award season review, I wanted to take a look at a classic film that I have never seen before. After scrolling around my streaming services, I found a few that I haven’t seen yet, which I added on my list! So, for this review, I took a look at the Audrey Hepburn classic “Breakfast at Tiffany’s.”
Based on Truman Capote’s novel, this is the story of a young woman in New York City who meets a young man when he moves into her apartment building.
He is with an older woman who is very wealthy, but he wants to be a writer. She is working as an expensive escort and searching for a rich, older man to marry.
The 1961 classic “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” was a significant commercial and critical success upon its release with audiences adoring Audrey Hepburn’s iconic performance and the charming romantic story. Even though this iconic film is still beloved today, there are some modern audiences and critics that have raised substantial controversy regarding the portrayal of the character Mr. Yunioshi (portrayed by Mickey Rooney).
Audrey Hepburn’s performance as the vulnerable and enigmatic Holly is central to this film’s enduring appeal, making the character a symbol of style and independence. Hepburn has the ability to blend vulnerability and charm with a timeless elegance, which actually made her complex character both relatable and captivating. This was my first time seeing a film featuring the actress and she definitely had the ability to light up the screen.
“Breakfast at Tiffany’s” also explores universal themes of love, relationships, insecurity, and the search for belonging. The film also offers a unique narrative about a woman navigating life on her own terms, finding relatable truths in her quest for meaning and freedom.
The 1961 film also has several iconic scenes that have become staples of American cinema history. In one of the film’s most intimate moments, Holly sits on her apartment
fire escape with a guitar and sings a soulful, acoustic version of “Moon River,” while her new neighbor Paul Varjak listens from above.
There’s also a scene that features a fairly energetic party in Holly’s apartment that includes some fairly memorable and humorous gags, such as a woman’s hair catching fire from a cigarette and a guest collapsing after a few drinks while Holly yells “Timber.” And, of course, the final scene in the rain that’s truly iconic.
“Breakfast at Tiffany’s” is a cornerstone of American cinema, celebrated for its high-fashion aesthetic and enduring music while remaining a subject of significant critical debate due to the controversial casting of Mickey Rooney. The film has received significant critical acclaim, earning five Oscar nominations and winning two for “Moon River” (Best Original Song) and Henry Mancini’s score (Best Original Score).
Audrey Hepburn was also nominated for a Best Actress Oscar for her iconic performance. This film was also selected by the Library of Congress in 2012 for preservation due to its cultural significance.
Audrey Hepburn's salary for the film was $750,000 (roughly equivalent to $7.3 million as of 2022), making her the highest paid actress per film at the time.
Holly Golightly is supposed to be just 19 years old when she meets with Paul. Audrey Hepburn was 31 years old when playing Holly.
Holly Golightly wears the same dresses all the way through the movie, simply changing the accessories to give each outfit a different look. Her black shift dress features through the movie at least four times. This signifies that while she wasn't well-off, she was savvy with being stylish, using the little she had to great effect.
Henry Mancini wrote "Moon River" specifically for Audrey Hepburn. He later said that while many versions of the song have been done, he feels that Audrey's was the best.
It's not true that Audrey Hepburn felt she was miscast as Holly Golightly, but was well aware of Capote's misgivings; nevertheless, this role was among the most popular of her career.
Truman Capote was reportedly unhappy with the decision to cast Audrey Hepburn. His stated choice for the role was Marilyn Monroe. Consequently, Hepburn was very self-conscious when Capote was on set.
Director Blake Edwards was lunching with Mickey Rooney at a posh Hollywood restaurant when Rooney objected to how his salad was being tossed by the waiter and proceeded to show the 'proper' way to do it. Edwards thought Rooney's attention-getting routine so funny that he wrote it into the movie.
This film rejuvenated the career of 1930s movie song-and-dance man Buddy Ebsen, who had a small but effective role as Doc Golightly, Holly's ex-husband. His success here led directly to his best-known role as Jed Clampett on The Beverly Hillbillies (1962).
Breakfast at Tiffany's was released in the United States on October 5, 1961, by Paramount Pictures. It grossed $14 million worldwide and received critical acclaim for its music and Hepburn's style and performance, being nominated for five Academy Awards, including Best Actress for Hepburn, and winning two (Music Score of a Dramatic or Comedy Picture and Best Song for Mancini). The film also received numerous other accolades, although Rooney's portrayal of the character I. Y. Yunioshi garnered significant subsequent controversy for being perceived as racist. In 2012, the film was preserved in the U.S. National Film Registry by the Library of Congress.
Breakfast at Tiffany's (1961) garnered significant accolades, winning two Academy Awards for Henry Mancini's "Moon River" (Best Original Song) and Best Score, earning 5 nominations including Best Actress for Audrey Hepburn and receiving Grammy recognition for "Moon River.'
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