Fortune hunter Holly Golightly finds herself captivated by aspiring writer Paul Varjak, who's moved into her building on a wealthy woman's dime. As romance blooms between Paul and Holly, Doc Goligh...
Breakfast at Tiffany's wears the glitz and glamour to depict superficial materialism. It was fate that this comedic drama would be my first Audrey Hepburn film. After hearing so much about it and constantly singing "Moon River", I needed to make my own judgement as to whether or not this is a good film. Suffice to say, it has stood the test of time. Whilst not my favourite drama from the 60s, it's an incredibly watchable piece of entertainment. Perfect for a Sunday morning. Holly Golightly, who acts like a wealthy socialite in an attempt to marry an old rich man, meets her new neighbour to which they quickly form a friendship that blossoms into a one-sided romance.
The original source material written by Truman Capote does not shy away from tackling social issues, many of which are embedded within the character of Holly. She is a lost soul, she doesn't know what she wants in life, drifting between various men from differing backgrounds. The film takes a light-hearted approach and injects comedy into the narrative, which consequently makes the drama incredibly watchable. The characters, despite how unlikeable Holly should've been, were worth investing the time in. I appreciate the initial friendship that forms between Holly and Fred instead of instantly falling head over heels for each other. It made for natural progression and ensured their bonding was enjoyable to watch, particularly as they explore the streets of New York doing things they've never done before (stealing plastic masks is where it's at!).
Yet it never steers away from her, as the story revolves around her lack of purpose. Her superficial personality and high-maintenance behaviour should've made for a horribly written character. But thanks to Hepburn's gorgeous performance, Holly was a fascinating study on middle-class society. She was stunning. She owned every scene with just a glisten in her eyes as she looked into the distance. Honestly, I could watch her all day. Peppard was suave without conforming to stereotypical traits of leading men during the 60s. This is without mentioning Holly's cat who probably has the most action! Clean direction, mesmerising costumes (particularly the jewellery) and an ending that instantly made me smile.
My main criticism would be with the character of Mr. Yunioshi. Absurdly overdone and incredibly over-performed, however the main issue is the casting of Rooney as an Asian. Distasteful in my opinion, even for 1961. Understandably it was on purpose for comedic effect, yet irrefutably comes across as racial caricature. Just an annoyingly eccentric character that didn't suit the film. I also found that the script was somewhat scared of its own source material, not digging deeper into the psyche of Holly and her internal conflict. Some further exploration into her materialistic behaviour would've helped develop her even further. Still, Breakfast at Tiffany's is highly watchable and has aged just as fine as a bottle of red wine. There are only a few scratches to be found on this diamond.
