Barnes & Noble

Blake Edwards's elegant 1961 adaptation of Truman Capote's novella has lost none of its sophisticated sheen or stylish sparkle, thanks to Audrey Hepburn's divine performance as wild child Holly Golightly, who lives a carefree, madcap existence in New York. She tells her new neighbor, struggling writer Paul Varjak (George Peppard), "I've taken care of myself for a long time." While the term “escort” and its less seemly variations don’t come into play, Holly’s sustains herself with $50 gratuities from the men she dates. Would-be novelist Paul is compromised, too, as he accepts cash on the nightstand from his "decorator" (Patricia Neal). Hepburn's Holly is a screen icon: the supremely elegant party girl who seems desperate for love yet thoroughly isolated from it. For all its fun and parties, Breakfast at Tiffany's is at heart a somber film, rich in the romance of the big city yet attuned to its soul-crushing realities. Hepburn and Peppard get wonderful support from the rest of the cast: Buddy Ebsen as a figure from Holly's surprising past; John McGiver as an incredibly patient Tiffany's salesman; Martin Balsam as a Hollywood sleaze who has Holly's number; and Alan Reed (best known as the voice of Fred Flintstone) as convict Sally Tomato, to whom the unwitting Holly delivers "weather reports" in prison. Contemporary viewers coming to the film for the first time may be shocked by Mickey Rooney’s turn as Mr. Yunioshi, Holly's perpetually exasperated and disapproving Japanese neighbor -- Rooney's performance begins at racially insensitive and never looks back. Perhaps the most significant performer after Hepburn, though, is Henry Mancini: It’s impossible to imaging the film without his dreamy Oscar-winning score and its melancholy theme, "Moon River." This Anniversary Edition sparkles in a pink box that contains a number of other gems: audio commentary by producer Richard Shepherd; a candid featurette, "The Making of a Classic"; segments devoted to Hepburn as fashion trend-setter; and the star's tribute to Tiffany's. Donald Liebenson

All Movie Guide

In an idealized New York City during the early '60s, Holly Golightly (Audrey Hepburn) is a charming socialite with a youthful zest for life who lives alone in a nearly bare apartment. She has such a flippant lifestyle that she won't even give her cat a name, because that would be too much of a commitment to a relationship. Maintaining a childlike innocence yet wearing the most perfect of designer clothes and accessories from Givenchy, she spends her time on expensive dates and at high-class parties. She escorts various wealthy men, yet fails to return their affections after they have given her gifts and money. Holly's carefree independence is changed when she meets her neighbor, aspiring writer Paul (George Peppard), who is suffering from writer's block while being kept by a wealthy woman (Patricia Neal). Just when Holly and Paul are developing their sweet romance, Doc (Buddy Ebsen) appears on the scene and complicates matters, revealing the truth about Holly's past. Breakfast at Tiffany's was nominated for several Academy awards, winning Best Score for Henry Mancini and Best Song for Johnny Mercer's classic tune "Moon River." Andrea LeVasseur

All Movie Guide

Few performers are as inextricably linked to a character as Audrey Hepburn to the role of Holly Golightly in Breakfast at Tiffany's. Her Holly is a delicate portrait of a grown-up girl with the soul of a child. Blake Edwards's spirited direction sets a deceptively light tone as he gradually reveals a portrait of two young New Yorkers who, like the film itself, are more complicated than they first appear. George Axelrod's adaptation of the Truman Capote novel successfully balances sentiment and comedy, and Henry Mancini's legendary score (including the Oscar-winning "Moon River"), sets the film's tempo. George Peppard is solid as writer Paul Varjak, and we understand his impulse to try to shield Holly from a world that's tougher than she is. While Hepburn's impish spirit makes this film a classic, other aspects of the film, most notably, Mickey Rooney's insulting characterization of a buck-toothed Japanese neighbor, have become somewhat dated. Capote originally envisioned Marilyn Monroe as Holly; it's a testament to Hepburn's performance that one can hardly imagine any other actress as Holly. Breakfast at Tiffany's became the most recognized role of her career, and, for many viewers, one of the most cherished romances ever made. Matthew Doberman

Product Details

• UPC: 097361524733
• Source: PARAMOUNT

This DVD is also available as part of a box set:

• Audrey Hepburn Collection
• Audrey Hepburn Collection