Breakfast at Tiffany's  - Centennial Collection - Review

Breakfast at Tiffany's - Centennial Collection
Ages: General Audience

A picture of the soon to be 60's - the loose rollicking fun times that covered the sadness and loneliness underneath. Audrey Hepburn as Holly Golightly, entertaining men for rent money while looking to marry rich. Young George Peppard is Paul, a writer who for the time, is "subsidized" by Patricia Neal, a sophisticated, worldly interior decorator. Mickey Rooney is the upstairs Japanese neighbor.

The movie has wonderful New York scenes, music by Henry Mancini, the unforgettable song Moon River by Johnny Mercer, and not to be forgotten, Orangey the Cat and Tiffany &Co. The movie is taken from a story by Truman Capote, but unless you have read the book, it is hard to know what comes from Capote and what from the director Blake Edwards. The movie is filled with so many memorable lines. Entering Tiffany, Holly says, "Can't you see how nothing bad could ever happene to you in a place like this".

The extra's on disk two are noteworthy for how much they flesh out the movie. A long interview with Blake Edwards, the director, talking about how he cast the movie and that Truman Capote wanted Marilyn Monroe in the role of Holly. He throws a party for the actors who were in the party scene - all are 40 years older. Interesting to hear their points of view. Blake comes out as a genius. There is a whole section on Johnny Mercer and how Moon River would have been cut from the picture if it weren't for Audrey Hepburn insisting that it be kept in.

On a more serious and surprising note - comments by Japanese Americans, how they were offended by Mickey Rooney's portrayal of Yoshi, and going on to talk about the image of white good - Asian bad; the concept of yellow face; the Chinese Exclusion Act, the negative images in movies at that time, The World of Suzi Wong, Ming the Merciless in Flash Gordon. And finally, Blake Edwards saying that he regretted putting in that part.

The movie is elegantly boxed in a black slip case. Makes a great Valentine's Day gift - sweeter than candy and fat free.


Fun Factor: A poignant romp
Female Factor: Audry Hepburn created a sympathetic Holly

Reviewed by: Editor - 01/09

  • Breakfast at Tiffany's - Centennial Collection
  • © Paramount Home Entertainment
  • Platform(s): DVD
  • To Order: DVD http://www.amazon.com/ $16.99