Ethan Brooks
Breakfast at Tiffany's, the 1961 romantic comedy film directed by Blake Edwards, boasts a stellar cast, including Audrey Hepburn, George Peppard, Patricia Neal, Buddy Ebsen, Martin Balsam, and Mickey Rooney. Hepburn, who played the eccentric socialite Holly Golightly, received rave reviews for her performance, considered to be one of her most memorable and identifiable roles. George Peppard played the struggling writer Paul Varjak, who becomes Holly's neighbour and love interest. Patricia Neal portrayed Paul's married girlfriend, nicknamed 2E. The film also features notable performances by Buddy Ebsen, Martin Balsam, and Mickey Rooney, whose portrayal of I.Y. Yunioshi has been criticised as a caricature of a Japanese man.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Year of release | 1961 |
| Genre | Romantic comedy |
| Director | Blake Edwards |
| Screenplay writer | George Axelrod |
| Based on | Truman Capote's 1958 novella |
| Starring | Audrey Hepburn, George Peppard, Patricia Neal, Buddy Ebsen, Martin Balsam, Mickey Rooney |
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What You'll Learn
Audrey Hepburn as Holly Golightly
In the 1961 film Breakfast at Tiffany's, Audrey Hepburn plays the role of Holly Golightly, a charismatic and eccentric socialite. The film is a romantic comedy, directed by Blake Edwards, based on the 1958 novella of the same name by Truman Capote.
Hepburn's performance received rave reviews, with critics praising her portrayal of the scatterbrained, fiercely independent, and unconventional Holly. Her performance was considered to be one of her most memorable and identifiable roles, and she was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actress. Hepburn's salary for the film was $750,000, making her the highest-paid actress per film at the time.
Holly Golightly is a naïve and eccentric socialite who meets Paul Varjak, a struggling writer who moves into her apartment building. They form an attraction, which becomes the focal point of the movie. Paul sees Holly as vulnerable and in need of rescue, while Holly is drawn to him because he sees beyond her façade to the scared little girl inside. Holly's brother, Fred, is also a key part of her life, and she is devastated when he dies.
There are several parallels between Hepburn's life and that of her character. Both experienced hunger in their early lives and found success in new locations. Hepburn lived under an assumed name during the war years in Holland, while Golightly shed her original name, Lulamae, after leaving Texas. Both women also valued their independence and experienced heartbreak in their relationships.
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![Breakfast at Tiffany's [1961] [Blu-ray] [Region Free]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/81fXKbqW1LL._AC_UY218_.jpg)
![Breakfast at Tiffany's (50th Anniversary Edition) [Blu-ray]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/81cBwfZ+o+L._AC_UY218_.jpg)
George Peppard as Paul Varjak
George Peppard played the role of Paul Varjak in the 1961 film Breakfast at Tiffany's. Paul Varjak is a struggling writer who moves into the same apartment building as Holly Golightly, played by Audrey Hepburn. Varjak is a "kept man" by wealthy widow Patricia Neal, who finds a kindred spirit in Golightly.
Peppard's performance in Breakfast at Tiffany's received positive reviews, with critics noting his good looks, elegant manner, and acting skills. One review in Filmink described Peppard's strength as a leading man, stating that he "could ground the drama around him".
The role of Paul Varjak was a major one for Peppard, and it is considered his most famous film role. Peppard's performance in Breakfast at Tiffany's firmly established him as a dashing leading man.
Before landing the role of Paul Varjak, Peppard worked as a cab driver and had minor roles in television and theatre. He appeared in The Kaiser Aluminum Hour, Studio One in Hollywood, The Alcoa Hour, and Kraft Theatre. He also had a role in the Broadway production of Girls of Summer.
After Breakfast at Tiffany's, Peppard went on to star in several other notable films, including How the West Was Won (1962) and The Victors (1963). He also played Colonel John "Hannibal" Smith in the 1980s action television series The A-Team.
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Mickey Rooney as I. Y. Yunioshi
Mickey Rooney portrayed I. Y. Yunioshi in the 1961 film Breakfast at Tiffany's. The character is an upstairs neighbour and photographer who regularly travels internationally on assignment. In the film, Yunioshi is depicted as a bucktoothed, myopic Japanese man, which has been criticised as a caricature and offensive ethnic stereotype. Rooney's portrayal has been labelled as racist, with some viewers finding it so offensive that they have called for his scenes to be skipped or for the film to be remade without them.
Rooney's involvement in the film was initially kept secret, with promotional materials stating that an upcoming Japanese comedian named "Ohayo Arigatou" would play the character. In later press releases, false quotes written in phonetically broken English were attributed to the fake comedian.
Since the film's release, Rooney's performance has been the subject of extensive critical commentary and review. While some contemporary reviewers took issue with the characterisation, others praised Rooney's performance. In recent years, the portrayal has been described as "painful, misguided", "overtly racist", and "one of the most egregiously horrible 'comic' impersonations of an Asian ... in the history of movies".
In a 2008 interview, Rooney expressed shock at the criticism and stated that he would not have taken on the role had he known it would be so offensive. Director Blake Edwards also expressed regret about the decision to cast Rooney in the role. Despite the controversy, Breakfast at Tiffany's remains a beloved film, with Audrey Hepburn's performance as Holly Golightly considered one of her most memorable and identifiable roles.
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Patricia Neal as 2E
In the 1961 film Breakfast at Tiffany's, Patricia Neal portrayed Mrs Emily Eustace "2E" Failensen. 2E is the ex-lover of Paul Varjak (played by George Peppard), a struggling writer who falls in love with the eccentric socialite Holly Golightly (Audrey Hepburn). When 2E arrives at Paul's apartment, he calmly accepts the end of their affair, realising that Paul is in love with Holly.
Patricia Neal is quoted as saying that she "dominated [Peppard] a lot more in the script and he didn't want to be seen in that condition". She also stated that she found him "conceited and difficult", and that she "hated" working with him. In the documentary "The Making of a Classic", Neal revealed that she had previously worked with Peppard at the Actors Studio and initially "really loved him", but that her opinion changed after they were cast together in Breakfast at Tiffany's.
Despite any difficulties between cast members, Breakfast at Tiffany's remains a beloved classic. It is considered to have captured the excitement and glamour of early 1960s New York City, influencing popular culture and fashion. The film was also a giant commercial success, receiving five Academy Award nominations and winning two.
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Buddy Ebsen
Ebsen began his career as a dancer in the late 1920s, performing with his sister Vilma as "The Baby Astaires". The siblings appeared in Broadway musicals such as Whoopee, Flying Colors, and Ziegfeld Follies of 1934. In 1935, they moved to Hollywood and were signed for the first of MGM's Eleanor Powell movies, Broadway Melody of 1936 (1935). While Vilma retired shortly after, Buddy Ebsen went on to star in several more MGM films, including Born to Dance (1936) and Captain January (1936), where he danced with Shirley Temple. He also partnered with Judy Garland in Broadway Melody of 1938 (1937) and Frances Langford in Born to Dance.
Ebsen was a talented dancer known for his unusual and surreal style. In 1939, he was cast as the Tin Man in The Wizard of Oz but suffered a severe toxic reaction to the aluminum makeup and had to be replaced. Despite this setback, he continued his career in Hollywood, appearing in films such as Four Girls in White and achieving late fame in TV series such as The Beverly Hillbillies and Barnaby Jones (1973).
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Frequently asked questions
Audrey Hepburn played the protagonist Holly Golightly.
George Peppard, Patricia Neal, Buddy Ebsen, Martin Balsam, and Mickey Rooney also starred in the film.
Hepburn's career spanned decades, and she is known for her roles in Roman Holiday (1953), Sabrina (1954), War and Peace (1956), Funny Face (1957), Love in the Afternoon (1957), The Nun's Story (1959), Charade (1963), My Fair Lady (1964), Two for the Road (1967), How to Steal a Million (1966), and Wait Until Dark (1967).
