Movies

Film Review: Breakfast at Tiffany’s

17 November 2016

By Lauren E. White

Truman Capote’s 1958 best-selling novella was adapted to Hollywood’s big screen in 1961, forming a whole new era for women. Breakfast at Tiffany’s was recently deemed as “culturally, historically or aesthetically significant” by the Library of Congress and has been selected for preservation.

Audrey Hepburn is perhaps most-known for her portrayal of Holly Golightly, a call girl (although many fans would wince at calling the beloved character such a thing – even though it is the truth) living in New York with a mysterious past. She effortlessly captures the class of the Big Apple and the enigmatic Holly, contributing to a humorous and touching piece of cinematography that will never be forgotten.

Although the ending differs significantly from that in Capote’s novella, it works. The relationship between Holly and Fred (George Peppard) brings a tear to my eye every time I watch Breakfast at Tiffany’s. It is the infamous kiss in the rain scene that, for me, defines the whole film.

What I find the greatest thing about this Hollywood classic is what it did for women. Holly Golightly may have been a call girl who lives up to her surname, but it created a sense of liberation for women. Before Breakfast at Tiffany’s became such a hit, women being promiscuous or owning their sexuality was a taboo and something that was largely undocumented. Audrey Hepburn’s portrayal of Holly in that black dress outside of Tiffany and Co. on Fifth Avenue changed how women expressed themselves.

For that reason alone, Breakfast at Tiffany’s deserves a watch.

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