Blake Edward’s big-screen version of Truman Capote’s “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” begins with a gorgeous establishing shot of New York at dawn. The streets are eerily empty, with just a handful of cars and pedestrians dotting the concrete and glass landscape. A cab pulls into view, and out steps Holly Golightly, Capote’s party girl heroine.

As Holly makes her way past Tiffany’s, she pulls a bagel and coffee out of a paper bag and takes in the sights as she dines. It’s a literal moment in a memorable film, and a terrific opening to a wonderful film. Audrey Hepburn is outstanding as Holly, the brassy party girl who takes each day as it comes. For Holly, there is no future or past. Everything is for the moment, and Holly lives each and every moment with all of the gusto she can.

Underneath the glossy veneer is a scared, wounded woman who puts on a facade in order to hide memories that haunt her past. As directed by Blake Edwards, “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” is both a comedy and a drama. The tone is usually light and flippant, but when the film gets dark, it gets really dark. Those moments are rare, but they help ground the film in reality.
Hepburn literally shines as Golightly, whose dream is to marry someone rich and live happily ever after. Golightly befriends handsome Paul Varjack (George Peppard, so young and virile), the boyfriend for hire of her upstair neighbor (Patricia Neal). Paul also has dreams. He wants to be a writer, but is comfortable being a kept man. It’s love at first sight when Paul meets Holly, but he finds himself standing in a long line of suitors. Fortunately for Holly, Paul is there when the past catches up with her.

At first the event tears them apart, but it also strengthens their bond before the final credits. George Axelrod’s screenplay captures the essence of Capote’s book. The dialogue bristles, especially with this talented cast. There are some period issues to deal with, including Mickey Rooney’s portrayal of Holly’s Japanese neighbor Mr. Yunioshi. While a stereotype like this wasn’t deemed as offensive in 1961, it seems totally out of place in 1999. Still, as a reflection of the time, the performance remains funny.

The film also features a beautiful, almost dreamy musical score by Henry Mancini, including the Oscar-winning song “Moon River” (lyrics by Johnny Mercer). I remember seeing “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” when I was young, but didn’t fully appreciate the film until my late twenties. How wonderful to be swept up in Holly Golightly’s world for two hours. The character is so engaging and interesting and bubbly. When reality sends her world crashing down, you really feel her pain and discomfort.

Try not to be affected when Holly realizes her mistake and tries to rectify it before she loses everything. Like the jewels that line the window of Tiffany’s, this film sparkles and shines. A true gem.

COMPLETE CHECK-UP

VISION: [ ] 20/20 [ X ] Good [ ] Cataracts [ ] Blind

Delivered in the film’s original 1.85:1 widescreen ratio, the film looks good after all of these years. The digital transfer is nicely rendered, with warm, lush colors and strong blacks. The original negative has that “old film” look, but is clean enough to provide for vivid images with decent depth of field. Attention to detail is a little fuzzy, but the flesh tones are remarkably lifelike and except for a small trace of flecking, the film looks good. Enhanced at 16:9 for widescreen televisions.

HEARING: [ X ] Excellent [ ] Minor Hearing Loss [ ] Needs Hearing Aid [ ] Deaf

Pleasant, clean remastered 5.1 Dolby Digital Surround soundtrack (also available in Dolby Surround and French Mono). Even though the stereo effects seem contrived, the effort is there and appreciated. The rear speakers are used mainly for musical cues and some ambient street noise. Basses are lackluster, but not essential here. Dialogue mix is strong and appreciated, while middle and high ends sound remarkably clean.

ORAL: [ ] Excellent [ X ] Good [ ] Poor

Closed captions in English for the hard of hearing.

COORDINATION: [ ] Excellent [ ] Good [ X ] Clumsy [ ] Weak

Main and scene access menus, and the film’s original theatrical trailer.

PROGNOSIS: [ X ] Excellent [ ] Fit [ ] Will Live [ ] Resuscitate [ ] Terminal

Forget breakfast at McDonald’s. The real happy meal is on this DVD.

VITALS: $19.98/Not Rated/114 Minutes/Color/14 Chapter Stops/Keepcase/#06505

ATTENDING RESIDENT: John Larsen
PATIENT: BREAKFAST AT TIFFANY’S

BIRTH DATE: 1961

HMO: Paramount Home Video

This entry was posted on Thursday, January 13th, 2000 at 2:09 am and is filed under Film Review. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.