Picture Show Pundits

Breakfast at Tiffany's (1969)

Review by Macabre Stalker [Ray Bonilla] :

Excerpt from "Oh Sweet Mystery of Life: Romance in Cinema"

Truman Capote's novel Breakfast at Tiffany's is a sad narrative about a hedonistic but inwardly fragile young woman trying to find a place in the world where she can live her life happily without her many neuroses (she calls them the "mean reds") getting the best of her. Capote's story is romantic only because his use of the English language is romantic and because of the incidental events his young heroine experiences. When the time came to bring his novel to the big screen, his vision of this woman, Holly Golightly, was that of Marilyn Monroe and I can see her playing the part of such a girl as his Holly that never snaps out of her "mean reds" and lets someone love her. The Holly Golightly we meet in the picture that was eventually made is different, however. Rewritten slightly but significantly by screenwriter George Axelrod and portrayed by sprightly Audrey Hepburn (and thus we have the Darling of Romance's final appearance on this list), Holly and her story in this film are unquestionably romantic in tone and climax.

The rebellious Holly Golightly was an unconventionally naughty and troublesome character for Hepburn to play. Sure, Sabrina was a thorn in the side of the Larrabee family before she won Linus' heart. Yeah, Princess Ann gave her stewards and guardians quite a scare running off from their watchful eye as she did. But they weren't even in the same ballpark as Holly, the shoplifting, Mafioso visiting, oft intoxicated, irresponsible, unneighborly, runaway bride call girl. Despite radiating the same delicate finesse and heart stopping attractiveness she always possessed and despite bringing to the role a newfound tempestuous and sultry magnetism, Hepburn always felt she was miscast for the role, and loathed some of the actions she took as the character (as when she tosses her pet cat out of a cab in a New York downpour). All of this notwithstanding, Holly Golightly is not only one of Audrey Hepburn's roles most beloved by the masses, but I am resolute in believing it is this role more than any other that defines her true mettle as an actress of impeccable skill and dedication.

So why does Holly, as sweet and well-meaning a girl as you'll find, partake in acts of such ill repute? Why does she send poor Cat (her nameless feline) off to fend for himself? Why does she allow herself to deliver messages (unwitting though she might act) to gangster, Sally Tomato, at Sing Sing prison? Why does she believe all men are rats? Holly has dreams; she wants to save up enough money so that her brother in the Army can come and live with her and she wants to find a home where she feels safe and secure-- a place that settles her anxiety the way the jewelry store Tiffany's does whenever she sits and gazes into its window in the early morning hours after a long and wild night. All of her improprieties stem from the false or shattered hopes of attaining that dream. Paul Varjak (George Peppard), the man who falls in love with her, calls her a chicken too afraid of being caged by someone to ever truly be free. She does not realize until she is frantically searching a lonely alleyway for her sodden cat, that the only way to find her personal Tiffany's-- her safe and happy home-- is to let someone love her.

Paul, a one-hit wonder of a writer that allows a married woman to be his sugar mama while he waits for inspiration to seize him, sort of stumbles into Holly's life one day when he buzzes her apartment because he lost the key to their building. A new tenant, Paul finds himself intrigued by the very unusual woman who will be his neighbor as she rambles to him aimlessly as she gets ready for an excursion to Sing Sing. Later, Holly cuts out on one of her "gentleman callers" (acting decidedly ungentlemanly) and climbs her fire escape to spy on Paul with his "interior decorator". When Paul is alone, Holly sneaks in and the two of them begin another frank (though not quite honest), meandering conversation as they get to know one another.

Thus begins Holly and Paul's friendship. The film continues through parties and encounters with Holly's past and her schemes to marry wealthy men, all the time the dark contexts of her psychological afflictions lingering in the shadows cast by her bright and cheerful air. Breakfast at Tiffany's is a film of frequent implied sexuality, but between Holly and Paul the relationship remains spiritedly innocent culminating in a marvelously endearing scene in Tiffany's as the two lovebirds parlay with an amazingly patient and genial salesman played by John McGiver (who never had large roles but was always a joy in the small parts he played in films like Midnight Cowboy or 1962's Manchurian Candidate) in regards to purchasing an item for Holly for the sum of ten dollars-- preferably less.

Paul is there for Holly during trials both great and small. When her compassionate and wounded ex-husband comes to bring her home, when her brother Fred (whom Paul reminds her of) dies, when she fails to acquire her rich marital prey, when she is arrested for aiding and abetting Sally Tomato-- during all these moments Paul is there. However, Paul understands the volatile nature of Holly and understands also when to let her handle her own affairs. Though he is present for comfort, he always backs off and allows Holly to confront her problems head on either through violent outbursts, calm and earnest explanation, or basking in the limelight.

The first time Paul, ever the blithe companion, loses his cool with Holly is when she finally succeeds in netting a wealthy groom. With their light of love gone black almost as soon as it began to glow, Paul rails against her stubborn foolishness. Nevertheless, Paul returns to her as the ever-faithful companion and is her pillar of support when her Brazilian playboy abandons her. When she denies his love one final time and tosses poor Cat into the rain, Paul flays her open with his analysis of her person and leaves to rescue the waterlogged orange tabby.

As Holly stares at the Cracker Jack prize ring with the Tiffany's engraving Paul bought her and thinks about his words, the mean reds dissipate once and for all, and she rushes off make amends with Paul, Cat, and leaves her cage behind.

02 May 2008