I somehow neglected to read Truman Capote’s novella, “Breakfast at Tiffany’s,” when it was first published in Esquire back in 1958 (of course, I was only nine years old). My parents bought the soundtrack of Breakfast at Tiffany’s with the great Mancini music and Johnny Mercer’s classic, “Moon River.” I must have played that soundtrack a thousand times. Last week, I listened to a bit of ON POINT on NPR which featured a discussion of the new play, Breakfast at Tiffany’s, that was closer to Capote’s novella than the film version. So, I sat down and read the novella. In Capote’s version, Holly Golightly is an American geisha. She entertains men for money, but rarely sleeps with men (“only 11 times”). For 1958, “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” was Hot Stuff. Hints of sex, plenty of gay and lesbian references, and a drug sub-plot. If the play follow’s Capote’s novella, it will be dark indeed.
I do really like the movie version, especially in its glittering Blu-ray presentation, despite the horrible miscasting of Mickey Rooney – but the novella is very different (I could live without its absurdly melodramatic ending though).
Sergio, except for IN COLD BLOOD, Capote’s work is drenched in melodrama. Blake Edwards movie banishes most of that and gives us a glowing Audrey Hepburn.
Sergio points out the glaring fault of the movie–Mickey Rooney’s dreadful (and shockingly racist) portrayal of Holly’s Japanese neighbor. There’s not a reason in the world for that character to be in the movie at all. Even Robert Osbourne on Turner Classic Movies usually says something about it when TCM shows BAT. Well, you forgive a movie a lot because if that utterly romantic and completely perfect final scene.
Mancini used to say that Hepburn’s rendition of “Moon River” was his favorite because she sang it with such melancholy.
Deb, I always tear up when I hear Audrey Hepburn’s version of “Moon River.” In Capote’s naovella, the Japanese neighbor gets less than a paragraph. I agree with you: there’s no reason for the role.
I was astonished when I read it too. No wonder they made changes although the male lead was a bad choice.
Patti, I was surprised at how dark Capote’s version of BREAKFAST AT TIFFANY’S is. Very noirish.
Peppard was a horrible choice, as Patti said. I’d recommend you read (if you haven’t already) Sam Wasson’s Sunday Morning, 5 A.M.: Breakfast at Tiffany’s & The Dawn of the Modern Woman. It makes it clear how obstructive and tedious Peppard was with his “theories” of acting.
“Moon River” has always been a favorite of mine, too. Mancini’s music (and Hepburn, of course) also helped make Two For the Road one of our favorite movies.
Peppard was better cast in THE A-TEAM than BREAKFAST AT TIFFANY’S, Jeff. I really liked Sam Wasson’s SUNDAY MORNING: 5 A.M.
I love the music but could never sit thru the movie. It’s my least favorite Audrey Hepburn film. The best? Charade.
I know I read the novella way back when but I don’t really remember much about it. I’ll have to give it another look.
Love the soundtrack. Only saw the film once, big screen on a revival showing in the 80s sometime and remember thinking it was disappointing. But oh, “Moon River”!
Rick, if I had to guess which soundtrack I listened to the most, I’d say BREAKFAST AT TIFFANY’S. I literally played it a 1000 times during the Sixties.
Testing a comment. Just because I probably broke everything in the world – Patrick.
It seems to work. Welcome back.
The malfunctioning server seems to have dropped a “grocer’s apostrophe” into your usually impeccable text – “follow’s”. For shame!
Nice to have you back, you were out for a long time. Was your email down too? The email I sent also didn’t get through.
The blog is up…sort of. So far, it’s not showing the April 10 or April 11 posts. Patrick will be tweaking the blog. Hopefully, we’ll be back to Normal next week. Thanks for your concern.