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Breakfast at Tiffany’s may refer to:
* Breakfast at Tiffany’s (novella), 1958 novella by Truman Capote
* Breakfast at Tiffany’s (film), the 1961 film adaptation directed by Blake Edwards and starring Audrey Hepburn
* Breakfast at Tiffany’s: Music from the Motion Picture, the 1961 soundtrack by Henry Mancini
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The Film - Breakfast at Tiffany’s
Theatrical release poster by Robert McGinnis
Directed by Blake Edwards
Produced by Richard Shepherd
Martin Jurow
Written by Novella:
Truman Capote
Screenplay:
George Axelrod
Starring Audrey Hepburn
George Peppard
Patricia Neal
Buddy Ebsen
Music by Henry Mancini
Cinematography Franz F. Planer
Editing by Howard Smith
Distributed by Paramount Pictures
Release date(s) October 5, 1961
Running time 115 min.
Country Flag of the United States
Language English
Budget $2.5 million
Gross revenue $14 million
Breakfast at Tiffany’s is a 1961 American film starring Audrey Hepburn and George Peppard, and featuring Patricia Neal, Buddy Ebsen, Martin Balsam, and Mickey Rooney. It was directed by Blake Edwards and released by Paramount Pictures.
Audrey Hepburn’s portrayal of Holly Golightly as the naive, eccentric socialite is generally considered to be the actress’s most memorable and identifiable role. She herself regarded it as one of her most challenging roles to play, as she was an introvert who had to play an extrovert.[1] Hepburn’s performance of “Moon River” helped composer Henry Mancini and lyricist Johnny Mercer win an Oscar for Best Song. The film also featured what was arguably George Peppard’s greatest acting role and the high point of his career. The film is loosely based on the novella of the same name by Truman Capote.
Plot
Early on a fall morning, a lone taxicab deposits Holly Golightly at Tiffany’s jewelry store on Fifth Avenue in New York City. Holly eats a breakfast pastry and drinks coffee while admiring the window displays, then strolls away for home. At her brownstone apartment block, Holly successfully fends off her date from the night before, who has been waiting in his car outside her residence all night and is angry that she disappeared during the course of their evening out together. Holly then meets Paul Varjak, a new tenant. After feeding her pet cat (simply named “Cat”), Holly chats with Paul as she hurriedly prepares to visit Sing Sing prison, a weekly routine from which she earns $100 for an hour’s conversation with Sally Tomato, an incarcerated mob boss. Holly does not seem to realize that she is passing coded messages for Sally’s drug ring. Outside the brownstone, Mrs. Failenson (referred to as “2E” throughout the movie) arrives and is introduced as Paul’s “decorator.”
Later that night, Holly visits Paul to escape a drunken date and sees Mrs. Failenson leave money and kiss Paul goodbye. Holly wakes up Paul and they talk. It is revealed that Paul is a writer but hasn’t been published since 1956 and that Holly ran away from home at age 14 with her brother Fred, who is in the army.
The next day Paul attends a party at Holly’s where he is introduced to José da Silva Pereira, a handsome, rich Brazilian; and Rusty Trawler, a pudgy, rich American. Paul also meets O. J. Berman, Holly’s agent. O.J. tells Paul about Holly’s transformation into a classy woman, but that she is a wild spirit and difficult to pin down.
Another day, Holly and Paul are visiting Sally at Sing Sing. Back home, Paul writes a story while Holly sings “Moon River” on her windowsill. Suddenly Mrs. Failenson rushes into Paul’s apartment, worried about a strange man outside. Paul is trailed by the man when he leaves the apartment, and eventually the men confront one another in Central Park. The man introduces himself as Doc Golightly. Doc and Holly were married when she was turning 14, and Holly’s real name is Lula Mae Barns. Doc has come to New York to take Holly back home to Texas, where he feels she rightly belongs. But Holly later explains to Paul that the marriage was annulled. A dejected Doc returns to Texas.
Holly and Paul go to a bar, and a drunken Holly explains that Fred is now her responsibility. She plans to marry Rusty for his money, but discovers the next day that Rusty has just gotten married. Holly and Paul spend the day together doing things they never did, among others going to the library and to Tiffany’s where they have a ring from a box of Cracker Jack engraved. They share a kiss when they arrive home. It is implied that Holly and Paul spend the night together. The next day, Paul informs Mrs. Failenson that he no longer needs her. A confused Holly now plans to marry José, angering Paul.
Another night, Holly and José return home and find a telegram informing them of Fred’s death. Holly trashes her apartment in grief. Paul tries to calm her down but her behavior concerns José.
Months have passed. Paul has moved out of the brownstone but has been invited to dinner by Holly, who is leaving the next morning for Brazil. After Holly’s dinner preparation goes awry, they decide to go out to dinner and, upon returning, are arrested in connection with Sally’s drug ring. Holly spends the night in lock-up. The next morning, Paul is waiting with a taxicab when she is released from jail. As the cab enters the traffic, Paul reveals that he is in possession of both Cat and a letter to Holly from José, in which the rich Brazilian breaks off the relationship due to her headline-making arrest. An emotional Holly impulsively orders the driver to stop and she throws Cat out into the pouring rain from the cab. Paul leaves the cab after confronting Holly for being afraid to accept Paul’s love. Holly runs after him and together they find Cat. Holly and Paul kiss.
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The Novel - Breakfast at Tiffany’s
First edition cover
Author Truman Capote
Country United States
Language English
Genre(s) Novella
Publisher Random House
Publication date 1958
Media type print (hardback & paperback) & e-book, audio-cd
Pages 192 pp (Paperback edition)
ISBN ISBN 0-679-74565-3 (Paperback edition)
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The Music - Breakfast at Tiffany’s
Breakfast at Tiffany’s: Music from the Motion Picture
Breakfast at Tiffany’s: Music from the Motion Picture cover
Soundtrack by Henry Mancini
Released 1961 (1961)
Recorded 1961
Genre Soundtrack
Label RCA Victor Records
Breakfast at Tiffany’s: Music from the Motion Picture is the soundtrack from the 1961 movie Breakfast at Tiffany’s starring Audrey Hepburn. The tracks were composed and conducted by Henry Mancini, except for “Moon River” and “Moon River Cha Cha,” which were also composed by Johnny Mercer. At the 1962 Academy Awards, Mancini won the Oscar for Best Original Song for “Moon River,” while he and Mercer won for Best Original Score.
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Tiffany’s flagship store (since 1940) is located at the corner of Fifth Avenue and 57th Street in Manhattan, New York City. The former Tiffany and Company Building on 38th Street is on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places. The polished granite exterior is well known for its tiny window displays. The store has been the location for a number of films including Breakfast at Tiffany’s, starring Audrey Hepburn, and Sweet Home Alabama, starring Reese Witherspoon. As of 1993 the New York City Branch has ran a Cafe honoring Audrey Hepburn. The Cafe Named “Breakfast at Tiffany’s”. However, the Cafe serves lunches as well.
Tiffanys designs were worn by such famous US families as the Astors, the Vanderbilts, Posts, Huttons and the Morgans. Athletes, Hollywood stars, and even European royalty adored these diamonds. Museums valued the Tiffany designs, which ranged from the Art Nouveau period to Art Deco to today’s modern styles.[citation needed]
A Tiffany’s gemologist was instrumental in the international adoption of the metric carat as a weight standard for gems, and the Tiffany standard for sterling and platinum have been adopted as United States Standards.
The 128.54 carats (25.71 g) Fancy Yellow Tiffany Diamond is usually on display in the New York City flagship store.
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