One of the biggest cultural icons of film is Audrey Hepburn as Holly Golightly. It has spawned so much merchandise and acclaim over its 50 year existence and it all stems from the short and sweet novella we've discussed. "It’s a hymn to love and to loneliness – to sex and to style." (Gristwood, 2010)
Capote was unhappy with this adaptation which is a shame since it's changed people's perceptions of his novel greatly. He wanted Marilyn Monroe to play the part of Golightly and sadly she was not cast. It's hard not to see Hepburn as Golightly these days but when you actually read the novel she's nothing like the original character. A bumpkin turned socialite who used to be named Lulamae Barnes and shed these roots for the hope of success and stardom, Monroe fits it a little better. Monroe started out with simplistic roots and was originally named Norma Jean, you can see why Capote was so insistent she take over the role of the 18 year old precocious blonde he had created.
The adaptation is definitely different than the novella. The screenwriter cleaned up the novella for Hollywood, eliminating the hints at homosexuality from the narrator and changes large portions of Golightly's character. "Holly’s profession as a high-end call girl—which was addressed directly in the book—was dialed down in the film, along with her age, bisexual curiosity and propensity for marijuana" (Snetiker, 2013)
So you may ask with all these changes what is the love for the movie all about. "The story of our culture's subsequent love affair with the film of Breakfast at Tiffany's – and not with the novella, which may be admired, and certainly has the cachet of its author, but is hardly well-beloved, much less well-read – is really about our love affair with Audrey Hepburn, the movie star." (Churchwell, 2009) Her look and style is attainable yet classic. She is sheer poise and grace.
Hepburn shines and sings in this movie like no other. She carved a place in history for herself as well as the source material by becoming a cultural icon. Still popular today it's hard to imagine that Golightly will fade into anonymity anytime soon.
Breakfast at Tiffany's is one of the best ways to look at how books affect history because of its massive impact on pop culture. Without the source material Golightly simply wouldn't exist. That being said it also illustrates how Hollywood is changing the way we perceive books and creating debates about which medium is better. It's an interesting relationship and adaptations should probably become yet another element we study for book history.
Capote was unhappy with this adaptation which is a shame since it's changed people's perceptions of his novel greatly. He wanted Marilyn Monroe to play the part of Golightly and sadly she was not cast. It's hard not to see Hepburn as Golightly these days but when you actually read the novel she's nothing like the original character. A bumpkin turned socialite who used to be named Lulamae Barnes and shed these roots for the hope of success and stardom, Monroe fits it a little better. Monroe started out with simplistic roots and was originally named Norma Jean, you can see why Capote was so insistent she take over the role of the 18 year old precocious blonde he had created.
The adaptation is definitely different than the novella. The screenwriter cleaned up the novella for Hollywood, eliminating the hints at homosexuality from the narrator and changes large portions of Golightly's character. "Holly’s profession as a high-end call girl—which was addressed directly in the book—was dialed down in the film, along with her age, bisexual curiosity and propensity for marijuana" (Snetiker, 2013)
So you may ask with all these changes what is the love for the movie all about. "The story of our culture's subsequent love affair with the film of Breakfast at Tiffany's – and not with the novella, which may be admired, and certainly has the cachet of its author, but is hardly well-beloved, much less well-read – is really about our love affair with Audrey Hepburn, the movie star." (Churchwell, 2009) Her look and style is attainable yet classic. She is sheer poise and grace.
Hepburn shines and sings in this movie like no other. She carved a place in history for herself as well as the source material by becoming a cultural icon. Still popular today it's hard to imagine that Golightly will fade into anonymity anytime soon.
Breakfast at Tiffany's is one of the best ways to look at how books affect history because of its massive impact on pop culture. Without the source material Golightly simply wouldn't exist. That being said it also illustrates how Hollywood is changing the way we perceive books and creating debates about which medium is better. It's an interesting relationship and adaptations should probably become yet another element we study for book history.
Citations
Churchwell, S. (2009, September 04). Breakfast at Tiffany's: When Audrey Hepburn won Marilyn Monroe's role. https://www.theguardian.com/books/2009/sep/05/breakfast-at-tiffanys-audrey-hepburn
Gristwood, S. (2010, Sep 30). Breakfast at Tiffany's: 50 Years On. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/film/classic-movies/8032801/Breakfast-at-Tiffanys-50-years-on.html
Snetiker, M. (2013, March 14). How Truman Capote's Breakfast at Tiffany's Gave Birth to a Cultural Icon and a Provocative Broadway Play. https://www.broadway.com/buzz/167977/how-truman-capotes-breakfast-at-tiffanys-gave-birth-to-a-cultural-icon-and-a-provocative-broadway-play/
Gristwood, S. (2010, Sep 30). Breakfast at Tiffany's: 50 Years On. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/film/classic-movies/8032801/Breakfast-at-Tiffanys-50-years-on.html
Snetiker, M. (2013, March 14). How Truman Capote's Breakfast at Tiffany's Gave Birth to a Cultural Icon and a Provocative Broadway Play. https://www.broadway.com/buzz/167977/how-truman-capotes-breakfast-at-tiffanys-gave-birth-to-a-cultural-icon-and-a-provocative-broadway-play/