Breakfast at Tiffany's (1961)
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A whimsical socialite and a struggling writer navigate a complex relationship in the heart of Manhattan.
The story
Holly Golightly, a naïve and eccentric socialite, lives in a New York City apartment building. Her life becomes intertwined with the life of Paul Varjak, a struggling writer who moves in as her new neighbor. As they navigate their respective lives in Manhattan, Holly's mysterious lifestyle and Paul's artistic struggles create a complex dynamic between them. The story follows their evolving connection as they navigate the social circles of the city, including Holly's dealings with a mobster and her interactions with various wealthy acquaintances.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
Holly Golightly, a socialite, meets her neighbor Paul Varjak, a struggling writer. Their relationship deepens as they share secrets and spend time together. Holly's past is revealed through her estranged husband, Doc Golightly, who tries to take her back to Texas, but she refuses. She eventually plans to marry a wealthy man, Rusty Trawler, but finds out he married someone else. After a period of spending time together, Holly is arrested for her involvement with a mobster, Sally Tomato. Paul eventually finds her and they share a final moment of intimacy before she decides to move to Brazil, despite his declaration of love. The film ends with them in a shared embrace as she prepares for her new life.
- First release year
- 1961
- Runtime (minutes)
- 114
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Blake Edwards
- Writers
- George Axelrod · screenplay
- Cast and characters
- Audrey Hepburn · Holly Golightly; George Peppard · Paul Varjak; Patricia Neal · Mrs. Emily Eustace "2E" Failenson; Buddy Ebsen · Doc Golightly; Martin Balsam · O.J. Berman; Mickey Rooney · Mr. Yunioshi
- Genres
- romantic comedy; comedy-drama
- Themes
- identity; romance; social status
- Tone and mood
- whimsical; sophisticated
- Premise and plot tags
- romance; comedy; urban life
- Source material / true-story basis
- 1958 novella by Truman Capote
- Reception
- The film received critical acclaim for its music and Audrey Hepburn's performance, and it was considered a commercial success.
- Reported review scores
- Rotten Tomatoes · score: 87% · scale: 100 · review count: 100; Metacritic · score: 77 · scale: 100 · review count: 13
- Awards and nominations
- Academy Award · Music Score of a Dramatic or Comedy Picture · win; Academy Award · Best Song · win; Academy Award · Best Actress · nomination
- Production trivia
- The film was selected for preservation in the U.S. National Film Registry in 2012.; The film's music was composed by Henry Mancini.; The iconic black Givenchy dress worn by Hepburn is considered one of the most famous little black dresses of all time.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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