My wife and I watched Breakfast at Tiffany’s over the weekend and, I must admit, the decision was mostly influenced by the 90s song by Deep Blue Something. Sadly, the one-hit-wonder didn’t bother to tell me the most crucial details about the film, specifically that it was super racist.
If I was talking to a soon-to-be ex about the few things we have in common, I don’t think I’d start with a movie featuring Mickey Rooney in Asian-face.
And I said, “What about Breakfast At Tiffany’s?”
She said “I think I remember the film
and as I recall I think THE PORTRAYAL OF THE LANDLORD WAS RACIST AND AWFUL.”
And I said “Well, that’s true. Maybe we should break up.”
The sexual politics are just as baffling. Audrey Hepburn’s original Manic Pixie Dream Prostitute who was arrange-married to an old farmer when she was 14 which NOBODY IS BOTHERED BY AT ALL and now she’s just a heavy drinker whose only source of money is going to parties and asking guys for $50 every time she goes to the powder room (over $360 in today’s money!). She meets and is charmed by a neighbor who has sex with a rich woman for money but kind of stays with him because she’s going to marry a rich man she doesn’t know. Kinda liking that movie is the ONE thing you’ve got, Deep Blue Something? Seriously? The one thing? You guys don’t like, I don’t know, eating out or something?
There are some charming parts, like the salesman at Tiffany’s who agrees to engrave a Cracker Jack’s ring, but they’re far outweighed by the squidgy parts that make me glad I’m not living in the 60s. I can’t recommend watching it, even if it means rekindling with your girlfriend.
What I can recommend is watching the music video for the song which is also out dated but in a super charming way! They’re in a park! They’re on a trailer! They’re eating breakfast in front of Tiffany’s, just like the song says! They filmed this for less money than it takes to get Audrey Hepburn to not sleep with you! It’s amazing. Enjoy it now:
It’s dated, and the Mickey Rooney bit was racist even at the time — it’s an awful blemish on a nice, romantic film. I think it captures the craziness of youth well, and there’s many images which are so wonderful: the two leads stealing masks from the nickel and dime store, the party scene, Audrey playing Moon River on the fire escape, and that final kiss (a cat sandwich, mind you).
I can recommend watching it. Roman Holiday’s better, though.
I’m shocked that you discovered racist and sexist overtones in this film from 50 years ago. I had a similar experience recently. A favorite contemporary author mentioned that Plato had a big effect on his worldview, so I read a couple dialogues and could not believe the *totes casual* acceptance of **slavery and pedophilia**. We really push this guy as a example of how we should think?
Consider contacting the AFI and relevant media outlets with this information so they can remove it from their “classics” lists. It has no place among the real classics of the 40’s-60’s, all of which depict an egalitarian, post-patriarchal society.
This song has been angrily throwing itself around my skull all day and I am very upset with you because of that.
Get over yourselves, the movie’s awesome. Mickey Rooney is always ruining things with gross overacting. And those were a specific set of characters. They weren’t romcom archetypes. Fourteen year olds still are put into arranged marriages occasionally, and I don’t know what your other objection is but it’s wrong. Yes, the Mickey Rooney bits are awful. But you can quote his “Miss Golightly, I must protest,” all the livelong day. And where else will you find a three way kiss with a cat in a rainstorm?