By Will Hitchmough
Re-released on the big screen as part of it’s 50th anniversary
celebrations, Breakfast at Tiffany’s is the original iconic american
Rom-Com of it’s kind. Starring Audrey Hepburn in her most recognisable
role as Holly Golightly, her performance contains many of the subtle
intricacies of comedic acting that we take for granted in cinema today.
Along with other performances, in particular from George Peppard as
Holly’s love interest Paul Varjak, this film is littered with reasons
why it’s survived the test of time.
The film centre’s around Hepburn as a New York socialite whom has
recently moved into her new apartment. She becomes increasingly involved
and acquainted with her neighbor Paul, played by Peppard. As
Paul becomes increasingly fond of Holly she almost drives him away with
her ambitions to marry a rich gentleman so as she can live of his
wealth.
Hepburn’s beauty radiates from the screen with every scene she’s
involved in and it’s this performance that endures her to our memory and
the reason she’s remembered as one of Hollywood’s most beautiful women.
Pulling off the part of an extrovert socialite is all the more
impressive when you consider that Hepburn herself was a very timid
character despite her beauty. George Peppard’s performance as a smooth
talking writer would also have had the women gazing longingly at the big
screen in 1961.
The only sour point in the film has to be the portrayal of the
Japanese Mr Yunioshi by Mickey Rooney – a white man in heavy makeup – is
offensive if not borderline racist in its stereotyping.
Whilst this is one of the first romantic comedies of it’s kind, the
story in it’s own right doesn’t make for groundbreaking cinema. The
reason this one remains one of our most loved comedies, generation after
generation is the performance by Hepburn – a woman who was very much in
her prime. The chance to see her on the big screen at her dazzling best over the coming weeks should not be missed.
