Jackson Reed
Truman Capote's 1958 novella *Breakfast at Tiffany's* was adapted into a major motion picture of the same name in 1961. The film features Audrey Hepburn as Holly Golightly singing the song Moon River, composed by Henry Mancini and Johnny Mercer. While the film has become a Hollywood classic, Capote was reportedly unhappy with the adaptation, calling it too saccharine. He also believed that Hepburn was miscast in the leading role, despite being a close friend of the actress.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Truman Capote's opinion on the film adaptation of his novella, Breakfast at Tiffany's | He disliked the film adaptation, calling it "too saccharine" and believing that Audrey Hepburn was miscast as Holly Golightly. |
| Truman Capote's opinion on Audrey Hepburn | Despite being close friends with Hepburn, Capote thought she was not suitable for the leading role. |
| Truman Capote's preferred choice for the role of Holly Golightly | Marilyn Monroe |
| Truman Capote's opinion on the song Moon River | Not mentioned |
| Year of publication of the novella, Breakfast at Tiffany's | 1958 |
| Year of release of the film adaptation of Breakfast at Tiffany's | 1961 |
| Author of the novella, Breakfast at Tiffany's | Truman Capote |
| Composer of the song Moon River | Henry Mancini |
| Lyricist of the song Moon River | Johnny Mercer |
| Performer of the song Moon River in the film | Audrey Hepburn as Holly Golightly |
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What You'll Learn
Truman Capote's dislike of the song 'Moon River'
Truman Capote, the author of the novella *Breakfast at Tiffany's*, did not like the film adaptation of his work. He said it was "too saccharine", and that Audrey Hepburn, his close friend, was miscast as the leading lady. He had originally envisioned Marilyn Monroe in the role of Holly Golightly.
The film adaptation of *Breakfast at Tiffany's* differs significantly from the novella. One of the most notable changes is the inclusion of the song "Moon River", written by Henry Mancini and Johnny Mercer, and performed by Hepburn as Holly Golightly. While the song went on to win an Academy Award for Best Original Song and two Grammys, Capote disliked it. He considered it "plain silly" and "abysmal", on par with "Send in the Clowns".
In the novella, Holly Golightly is described as a free-spirited party girl, a country girl turned New York café society girl. She is an "American geisha", socializing with wealthy men who take her to clubs and restaurants and give her expensive gifts, with the hope of marrying one of them. The novella is told in the first person by an unnamed narrator, a struggling gay writer who lives in the same brownstone apartment building as Holly.
The film, on the other hand, transforms the narrator into a heterosexual leading man, Holly's love interest. It also changes Holly's character, making her a cheery optimist instead of the cheery realist she is in the book. The film focuses on her jewels and designer wardrobe, rather than infusing her dialogue with the wistful yearning present in the book.
Capote's dislike of "Moon River" can be understood in the context of his overall dissatisfaction with the film adaptation of his novella. The song, with its soaring melody and romantic lyrics, contributes to the film's saccharine tone, which is at odds with the more nuanced and realistic portrayal of Holly Golightly in the novella.
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Differences between novella and film
The 1961 film adaptation of Truman Capote's novella, Breakfast at Tiffany's, differs from its source material in several ways. While the film retained the title, setting, and some characters, it made significant changes to the plot and characterisations.
One of the most notable differences is the portrayal of the main character, Holly Golightly. In the novella, Holly is described as a free-spirited, feisty yet fragile young woman with dark hair and pale skin. She is a realistic and optimistic character who is a "goodtime girl" and a "restless woman". On the other hand, Audrey Hepburn's portrayal of Holly in the film has become iconic, with her elegant black dress and gloves, tiara, and long cigarette holder. However, some critics argue that Hepburn's mannerisms were too mannered and lacked credibility for the role. Capote himself, although a close friend of Hepburn, reportedly stated that she was miscast and too saccharine for the part. He had originally envisioned Marilyn Monroe as Holly.
Another significant difference is the ending. In the film, Holly and the writer, played by George Peppard, fall in love and stay together. In contrast, the novella ends on a sadder note, with the writer never seeing Holly again after she leaves the United States. The novella's unnamed narrator, believed to be a mirror image of Capote himself, is a struggling gay writer who lives in a small, dismal apartment. In the film, this character is replaced by a tall, dark, and handsome heterosexual leading man, transforming the nature of his relationship with Holly.
The novella is set in the 1940s, specifically in the Upper East Side of New York City, while the film is transposed to the 1960s. The setting plays a crucial role in the novella, as the affluent and stylish Upper East Side neighbourhood shapes Holly's experiences and interactions with various wealthy characters. The film also introduced new elements, such as the famous song Moon River, composed by Henry Mancini specifically for Hepburn's character.
Despite the differences, both the novella and the film have achieved classic status in their own right, with the film becoming one of Hollywood's greatest classics and Hepburn a style icon.
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Capote's vision for Holly Golightly
Truman Capote's Holly Golightly, as depicted in his novella "Breakfast at Tiffany's", is a free-spirited, feisty yet fragile young woman. She is a country girl turned New York café society girl, who lives by socialising with wealthy men, hoping to marry one of them. Capote himself described Holly as an "American geisha", not a prostitute.
The novella's unnamed narrator, a struggling gay writer, describes his first glimpse of Holly:
> "She was still on the landing, and the ragbag colours of her hair, tawny streaks, strands of albino-blond and yellow caught the hall light. It was a warm evening nearly summer and she wore a slim cool black dress, black sandals and a pearl choker… A pair of dark glasses blotted out her eyes. It was a face beyond childhood, yet this side of belonging to a woman. I thought her anywhere between sixteen and thirty, as it turned out she was two months shy of her nineteenth birthday."
Capote's Holly is a complex character with a dark side. She has a troubled past, having married a veterinarian called Doc Golightly as a vulnerable 14-year-old runaway named Lulamae. She is terrified of losing her older brother, who is fighting in the war. She hates the zoo because she can't stand seeing anything in a cage, and refuses to name her pet cat because she believes they are both independent.
Capote's vision for Holly in the film adaptation of "Breakfast at Tiffany's" differed from how she was portrayed by Audrey Hepburn. Capote wanted Marilyn Monroe to play Holly, believing she perfectly embodied Holly's mix of innocence and sensuality. He felt that Monroe's ability to balance vulnerability with charm made her the ideal choice to capture Holly's magnetic personality.
While Hepburn's portrayal of Holly is now considered one of the most iconic performances in film history, it is interesting to consider how the character could have been interpreted by another actress. Hepburn's Holly is a cheery optimist, while Capote's Holly is a cheery realist. The film adaptation also transforms the unnamed narrator, a mirror image of Capote himself, into a tall, dark, and handsome heterosexual leading man as Holly's love interest.
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Capote's opinion of Audrey Hepburn
Truman Capote was not a fan of Audrey Hepburn's portrayal of Holly Golightly in the 1961 film adaptation of his novella, *Breakfast at Tiffany's*. While Capote was a close friend of Hepburn's, he felt she was miscast in the leading role.
Capote's novella centres on Holly Golightly, a free-spirited 18-year-old woman who lives upstairs from the unnamed narrator in the same apartment building. The narrator is a struggling gay writer, and the character is widely believed to be based on Capote himself. In the book, Holly is described as having "ragbag colours of her hair, tawny streaks, strands of albino-blond and yellow". She is said to wear "a slim cool black dress, black sandals and a pearl choker… A pair of dark glasses blotted out her eyes".
In contrast, Hepburn's Holly in the film is a Texas runaway who reinvents herself as a Manhattan It Girl. Hepburn's wardrobe of Givenchy dresses, pearls, tiaras, and long gloves dazzled against the early 1960s Manhattan dreamscape. Hepburn's portrayal of Holly is often remembered as a style icon who has transcended the ages. However, Capote felt that Hepburn's portrayal lacked credibility and that she was too elegant for the role. He would have preferred a different leading lady, such as Marilyn Monroe or Jayne Mansfield, who he felt would better capture the character's essence as a "good-time girl".
Despite their differences in opinion on the casting, Capote and Hepburn remained friends. Hepburn's Holly Golightly has become an iconic character, inspiring generations of women and solidifying Hepburn's status as a true original.
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Changes to the film's plot and characters
The 1961 film adaptation of Truman Capote's novella, Breakfast at Tiffany's, differs significantly from its source material. While the film retains the title, setting, and some elements of the characters, it makes notable changes to the plot and characterisations.
One of the most significant changes is the portrayal of the main character, Holly Golightly. In the novella, Holly is described as a free-spirited, realistic young woman with dark hair and pale skin. She is a complex character with a cheery yet realistic outlook on life. In contrast, Audrey Hepburn's portrayal of Holly in the film is that of a naive, eccentric socialite with a more optimistic and idealistic demeanour. Hepburn's Holly is also known for her iconic little black dress, designed by Givenchy, which has become synonymous with the character.
The unnamed narrator in the novella, believed to be a mirror image of Capote himself, is a struggling gay writer who lives in a small, dismal apartment. In the film, this character is replaced by Paul Varjak, a tall, dark, and handsome heterosexual leading man played by George Peppard. The relationship between Holly and Paul is also changed in the film. In the novella, they are close friends, and there is no romantic relationship between them. However, the film portrays them as love interests who end up together, deviating from the novella's sadder ending.
Another notable change is the inclusion of the song "Moon River," composed by Henry Mancini specifically for the film. Holly sings this song while playing the guitar, which is a scene that does not exist in the novella. While the film retains Holly's guitar playing, it does not capture the same lyrical description of her thumbing the guitar on a sunny day, as described in the book.
The film also introduces new characters, such as Patricia Neal, Buddy Ebsen, Martin Balsam, and Mickey Rooney, who portray Holly's neighbours and acquaintances. These characters do not appear in the novella and add a new dynamic to the film's narrative.
Overall, the film adaptation of Breakfast at Tiffany's takes significant liberties with the plot and characterisations, transforming the story from a character study of a free-spirited woman to a Hollywood love story with a more optimistic tone.
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Frequently asked questions
No, Truman Capote did not like the song Moon River in Breakfast at Tiffany's. He described it as abysmal and plain silly.
Truman Capote did not like the song because he thought it was annoying and unable to fathom. He also believed that Audrey Hepburn was not a good fit for the leading role in the film.
No, Truman Capote did not like the film adaptation of his novella. He said it was "too saccharine".
Although Truman Capote was a close friend of Audrey Hepburn, he did not think she was right for the leading role in Breakfast at Tiffany's. He originally envisioned Marilyn Monroe as Holly Golightly.
