Breakfast at Tiffany's is a novella by Truman Capote published in 1958. In it, a contemporary writer recalls his early days in New York City, when he makes the acquaintance of his remarkable neighbor, Holly Golightly, who is one of Capote's best-known creations.

Why did Truman Capote write Breakfast at Tiffany's?

“The main reason I wrote about Holly, outside of the fact that I liked her so much, was that she was such a symbol of all these girls who come to New York and spin in the sun for a moment like May flies and then disappear,” he said. “I wanted to rescue one girl from that anonymity and preserve her for prosperity.”

What's the point of breakfast at Tiffany's?

This film is about a girl, going through life, and all the while, finally understanding who she is allowed to be in the world, and who she'll be happy being.

Who was Breakfast at Tiffany's based on Carol?

Carol's personality, not occupation, was the inspiration for Capote's character Holly Golightly, the heroine of his 1958 novella “Breakfast at Tiffany's”.

Who was first choice for breakfast at Tiffany's?

Marilyn Monroe was first choice to play Holly Golightly. Audrey Hepburn was afraid Holly would debase her image--she didn't want the part. Harper's rejected Truman Capote's manuscript. There were two different endings--one romantic, the other melancholy--and both were shot.

Breakfast At Tiffany’s by Truman Capote | Book Review

Who did Truman Capote want for breakfast at Tiffany's?

Many were dark-haired sophisticated beauties like Audrey Hepburn, yet Capote has said his model was a blonde ("strands of albino-blonde and yellow") closer in character to Marilyn Monroe, whom he preferred for the film role that ultimately went to Hepburn.

Who turned down breakfast at Tiffany's?

Marilyn Monroe was the preferred choice of Truman Capote to play Holly Golightly in Breakfast at Tiffany's. Monroe's own struggles and allure would have aligned perfectly with the complexities of the character.

Who were Truman Capote's lovers?

John Paul Dunphy (August 22, 1914 – April 26, 1992) was an American novelist and playwright. Dunphy was widely known as the partner of American author Truman Capote.

Did Truman Capote like Audrey Hepburn?

Did he hate her, and if so, why? Truman Capote, who admitted to being a fan of Audrey, said he was sick to his stomach when she was cast as Holly Golightly in “Breakfast at Tiffany's”.

How old was Audrey Hepburn in breakfast at Tiffany's?

Audrey Hepburn was 31 years old when playing Holly. Holly Golightly wears the same dresses all the way through the movie, simply changing the accessories to give each outfit a different look. Her black shift dress features through the movie at least four times.

Why was breakfast at Tiffany's so controversial?

The racism and discriminatory stereotypes of that era are so often forgotten, despite their presence in the film. For example, I. Y. Yunioshi, Holly's Japanese neighbor in the movie, is played by a white actor in yellowface makeup to be a mimicry of a Japanese man.

What does $50 for the powder room mean in breakfast at Tiffany's?

"I'm just crazy about Tiffany's!" 3. She won't go to the bathroom for free. Holly is given $50 "for the powder room" by a male acquaintance, as payment for her companionship that evening.

Why does Holly call Paul Fred?

The neighbor's name is Paul Varjak, but Holly insists on calling him 'Fred' because he bears a striking resemblance to her brother who is named Fred. Throughout the movie she continues to introduce him to all her friends and colleagues as 'Fred. '

What were Truman Capote's last words?

In reality, however, it's unclear what Capote's final words were. According to Joanne, in Capote's final moments, he spoke of his mother before saying “Beautiful Babe” and “Answered Prayers,” as reported by Vanity Fair. She then called paramedics for assistance, but by the time they arrived, Truman was dead.

Why didn't Marilyn Monroe do breakfast at Tiffany's?

Monroe was afraid the part was too risque

"The reason Marilyn didn't take the part is because Paula Strasberg, her advisor and acting coach, said Marilyn should not be playing a lady of the evening," Wasson told ABC. "That's interesting in light of how we think of Holly, we don't think of her as that risque."

Why did Truman Capote talk like that?

Truman Capote was known not only for his literary genius, but also for his distinctive voice: a childlike, shrill, and high-pitched tone accompanied by elaborate mannerisms. He led a lonely life in childhood, largely abandoned by his father, which probably affected his retaining of a childlike tone in adult life.

Did Truman Capote have a high IQ?

Even as a child, Capote wanted to become famous. He moved with his mother to New York City and applied to the prestigious Trinity School. He was given an IQ test as an entrance exam, and he scored 215, the highest in the school's history. Capote said, "I was having 50 perceptions a minute to everyone else's five.

Did Truman Capote have an adopted daughter?

Capote introduced her to his famous friends and helped her find work as a model and she eventually moved into his apartment in the United Nations Plaza and lived with him as a sort of protege and adopted daughter. He encouraged her to chronicle her new life in a diary and change her name for her career.

What type of person was Truman Capote?

Personality... ambitious and occasionally vain, but determined. Capote's invested in increasing literary and public reputation, and he's not shy when it comes to showing off his talents.

Did Truman Capote have any children?

Truman Capote did not have children. He led a hedonistic life of extravagance and excess as an adult and reveled in the attention he received for his writing and his flamboyant personality.

Did Truman Capote marry?

Truman Capote was never married. He was an openly gay man, so he would not have been legally able to marry while alive. He did, however, have a lifelong partner named Jack Dunphy.

What happened between Harper Lee and Truman Capote?

They worked together on Mr. Capote's true crime book “In Cold Blood,” then drifted apart after Mr. Capote failed to credit her properly. Their broken friendship has been restored — in fiction, at least — in a forthcoming middle-grade novel, “Tru & Nelle,” by Greg Neri.

Who was white washing in breakfast at Tiffanys?

Whitewashing is not new. It was a common practice in classical Hollywood where some of its most egregious examples include John Wayne as Ghengis Khan in The Conqueror and Mickey Rooney as Mr Yunioshi in Breakfast at Tiffany's.

Who was Audrey Hepburn's love interest in breakfast at Tiffany's?

In the film version of Breakfast at Tiffany's, Golightly's ultimately finds love with writer Paul Varjak. For her part, Hepburn shared a life with companion Robert Wolders up to her death in 1993.

Why did Holly go to jail in breakfast at Tiffany's?

She is accused of being a "key figure" in an "international smuggling racket" linked to Sally Tomato. Authorities allege that Tomato maintains "firsthand control of a world-wide narcotics syndicate" through coded messages Holly passed to Mr. O'Shaughnessy—both of whom are arrested.