I’m pretty far behind the eight ball when it comes to movies. I might be the only one left in North America that hasn't seen Breakfast At Tiffany’s. It’s deemed a romantic comedy but I have to confess, I didn’t get it. For me it lacked romance until the end kiss, and as for comedy, I didn’t smile once. Holly was billed as an hilarious heroine....not in my opinion. I seemed to be appalled more than anything. The story was all over the place with one crazy moment leading to another. I don’t think my funny bone is broken, I laughed a lot at the shop all day so it must be the movie that left me untickled.
Mickey Rooney’s poor imitation of a bucktoothed Asian, Mr. Yunioshi, was an offensive ethnic caricature. It was horrifying and overtly racist. His character left me feeling annoyed, and not only was his presence unnecessary to the overall plot, if there was one to speak of, he was loud and obnoxious, a screeching pollutant to the peace and quiet of my living room.
There is no denying that Hepburn is a fabulous actress, but this role was too spacy and all over the place for a woman of her beauty and grace. They wanted her to be quirky but she was a contradiction most of the time. And sorry for being blunt… her character was basically a prostitute although I read that Truman Capote, the author, called her an “American Geisha” which, is just splitting hairs.
The part where she opened her door to find the chap from upstairs while holding her housecoat up to her naked front, told him to turn around and then said that she would instead, turned her bare backside to him and donned her robe. Yup, that happens a lot. Why just last week I did that to the plumber who came by. And the scene when she crawled through a window and climbed into bed with the guy, and laid her head on his chest to sleep with a virtual stranger, actions like that can get a girl killed, cut up in the deep freeze or raped in a back alley.
And what was up with that party in her apartment? Some of those women were beyond tipping the elbow. I’ve seen falling down, floor licking drunks before, but these gals acted spaced out. There was a strange scene between a woman and a mirror that left me wondering what the director was thinking.
And the cigarette smoking. Everyone seemed to have one in their hand as if it was a cure for cancer. I coughed a few times remembering all the smoke I ingested as a child. I make jokes I burned through a pack a day during my childhood from both parents who smoked unfiltered, hand rolled cigarettes. The second hand smoke and tar had to blacken my lungs, considering what it did to the ceiling in the kitchen. Being a non-smoker it’s hard to believe that smoking was flogged to be dignified and classy, sexy if you will, oh such clever marketing.
And where did the name come from. The only hint of a breakfast at Tiffany’s was the opening scene with Holly eating a croissant and sipping coffee while looking though the store window. An absurdity really, since Tiffany’s doesn’t serve food. Yes, I know it was just a goofy wishful dream on her part, something a space cadet would yearn for. Why not ask for something attainable.....what's so great about mixing diamonds with bread crumbs! I guess that was just another metaphor for something I’m not smart enough to figure out!
Then she threw that poor little nameless cat out of the cab in the rain. I almost turned the TV off right then, but an innate curiosity kept me watching to see if Hollywood would actually go that far and happily they redeemed themselves with a rescue. I’ll bet the studio received a few bags of mail over that one!
And Buddy Epsen, or Doc as he was called, appears as her husband. That was about as plausible as a union between Sylvester the cat and Pepe le pew, and once again totally unnecessary to the plot. Although, I never realized Jed Clampett had such beautiful blue eyes or maybe the film was colour enhanced? I might have been more inclined to concentrate on a bit of dental work for the poor guy, I'm just sayin....
I wonder how many friends I would make if I changed their name to whatever was floating around in my empty little head when I met them. I’m sure customers would love it. Hi Christine, I’m Lois from Texas. Really? I’m going to call you Hazel! That’s just bat crap, tree hugging crazy!
I wonder how I would have felt about this movie if I watched it in my early 20’s when I was still wide eyed and bushy tailed. I wonder if I would have swooned for George Peppard or wished to be the slender gazelle that was Audrey Hepburn?
The best part of the movie was Moon River. A favourite for years, I never knew it was the title song. I read it won an award. For me, Henri Mancini was the only thing that rocked this movie!
If I was a Roger Ebert, I’d have to be honest and give it a thumbs down. I did read a bit about the movie and all the nuances of Holly’s character, there were pages and pages of a psychological profile, why she did this or that, but for me, if it has to be explained it didn’t work. Maybe I’m too grounded to understand a broad like that. I’m more of a “don’t beat around the bush, shit or get off the pot” kind of gal. I’m not interested in trying to be exotically clever or mysterious….I is what I is, and like my peeps to be the same.
Remember this is only my opinion. I'm just calling it like I saw it, not that I want to trample on an American Icon. It won awards so what do I know?
Mickey Rooney’s poor imitation of a bucktoothed Asian, Mr. Yunioshi, was an offensive ethnic caricature. It was horrifying and overtly racist. His character left me feeling annoyed, and not only was his presence unnecessary to the overall plot, if there was one to speak of, he was loud and obnoxious, a screeching pollutant to the peace and quiet of my living room.
There is no denying that Hepburn is a fabulous actress, but this role was too spacy and all over the place for a woman of her beauty and grace. They wanted her to be quirky but she was a contradiction most of the time. And sorry for being blunt… her character was basically a prostitute although I read that Truman Capote, the author, called her an “American Geisha” which, is just splitting hairs.
The part where she opened her door to find the chap from upstairs while holding her housecoat up to her naked front, told him to turn around and then said that she would instead, turned her bare backside to him and donned her robe. Yup, that happens a lot. Why just last week I did that to the plumber who came by. And the scene when she crawled through a window and climbed into bed with the guy, and laid her head on his chest to sleep with a virtual stranger, actions like that can get a girl killed, cut up in the deep freeze or raped in a back alley.
And what was up with that party in her apartment? Some of those women were beyond tipping the elbow. I’ve seen falling down, floor licking drunks before, but these gals acted spaced out. There was a strange scene between a woman and a mirror that left me wondering what the director was thinking.
And the cigarette smoking. Everyone seemed to have one in their hand as if it was a cure for cancer. I coughed a few times remembering all the smoke I ingested as a child. I make jokes I burned through a pack a day during my childhood from both parents who smoked unfiltered, hand rolled cigarettes. The second hand smoke and tar had to blacken my lungs, considering what it did to the ceiling in the kitchen. Being a non-smoker it’s hard to believe that smoking was flogged to be dignified and classy, sexy if you will, oh such clever marketing.
And where did the name come from. The only hint of a breakfast at Tiffany’s was the opening scene with Holly eating a croissant and sipping coffee while looking though the store window. An absurdity really, since Tiffany’s doesn’t serve food. Yes, I know it was just a goofy wishful dream on her part, something a space cadet would yearn for. Why not ask for something attainable.....what's so great about mixing diamonds with bread crumbs! I guess that was just another metaphor for something I’m not smart enough to figure out!
Then she threw that poor little nameless cat out of the cab in the rain. I almost turned the TV off right then, but an innate curiosity kept me watching to see if Hollywood would actually go that far and happily they redeemed themselves with a rescue. I’ll bet the studio received a few bags of mail over that one!
And Buddy Epsen, or Doc as he was called, appears as her husband. That was about as plausible as a union between Sylvester the cat and Pepe le pew, and once again totally unnecessary to the plot. Although, I never realized Jed Clampett had such beautiful blue eyes or maybe the film was colour enhanced? I might have been more inclined to concentrate on a bit of dental work for the poor guy, I'm just sayin....
I wonder how many friends I would make if I changed their name to whatever was floating around in my empty little head when I met them. I’m sure customers would love it. Hi Christine, I’m Lois from Texas. Really? I’m going to call you Hazel! That’s just bat crap, tree hugging crazy!
I wonder how I would have felt about this movie if I watched it in my early 20’s when I was still wide eyed and bushy tailed. I wonder if I would have swooned for George Peppard or wished to be the slender gazelle that was Audrey Hepburn?
The best part of the movie was Moon River. A favourite for years, I never knew it was the title song. I read it won an award. For me, Henri Mancini was the only thing that rocked this movie!
If I was a Roger Ebert, I’d have to be honest and give it a thumbs down. I did read a bit about the movie and all the nuances of Holly’s character, there were pages and pages of a psychological profile, why she did this or that, but for me, if it has to be explained it didn’t work. Maybe I’m too grounded to understand a broad like that. I’m more of a “don’t beat around the bush, shit or get off the pot” kind of gal. I’m not interested in trying to be exotically clever or mysterious….I is what I is, and like my peeps to be the same.
Remember this is only my opinion. I'm just calling it like I saw it, not that I want to trample on an American Icon. It won awards so what do I know?
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