Breakfast at Tiffanys W/S [VHS] [1961]

The lovely and quirky Holly Golightly (played by Audrey Hepburn) has an oddly refreshing, and sometimes naive, outlook on life. Independent as her cat, "Cat," she lives for tomorrow, always on the prowl for her "millionaire." Befriended by her neighbor, played by George Peppard, the two share the ups and downs of what life has to offer these two ever-searching misfits. A wonderful film to be enjoyed on a cold winter's day with a warm, fuzzy blanket (or a warm, fuzzy friend!).

The iconic presence of Audrey Hepburn as Holly Golightly, George Peppard's finest performance, and the classic Mancini theme music make this one of the most famous films of the 1960's, if not, perhaps, one of the finest.

Based on a Truman Capote story, Hepburn plays a New York call girl consumed by her own delusions. She is a fake, but a genuine one: she has fled some mysterious past, lives from day to day, and dreams of marriage to some millionaire and the Prince Charming route to upward mobility and respectability. Until her dreams come true, she lives with her fantasies, bored, unable even to bother to name her cat.

Peppard is an unproductive writer who makes a living as the kept plaything of an older, rich, married woman. He moves in to the same apartment block as Hepburn, and quickly falls for her charms. Hepburn, of course, is irresistible. No nudity, no sex scenes, everything coy and 'decent', but Hepburn simply sizzles. 'Irresistible' hardly does her justice.

The film has aged somewhat - the 1961 party scenes and social mores look quaint. The sleaziness of the principals' lifestyle is barely commented upon. But "Breakfast at Tiffany's" retains a magnetism of its own. A lightweight romantic comedy, a bit sentimental and sexually sanitised, it remains a compulsive, entertaining tale. It has magical moments - Hepburn, of course, established Holly as an iconic figure of the 60's, and you wonder why George Peppard never recaptured the presence he exerts throughout this film, but watch out for a marvellous little cameo sequence in Tiffany's. Watch out, also, for an appalling comedy role by Mickey Rooney, playing a Japanese caricature which would probably be banned today.

Buying this package may appeal to those of you who are avid collectors of anything to do with the film or Hepburn, but you otherwise need to ask yourself if you need the 'extras' provided with this one, for, if you simply want to watch the film, there are cheaper options.

Few films achieve such an iconic status as this, the image of Audrey Hepburn with her famous hair-do, sunglasses, Givenchy dress and cigarette holder is so famous that even if you've never seen the film before - it still feels rather familiar. She appears to be an outspoken, confident woman aware that she dazzles those who are lucky to meet her, but as the film progresses we get to see her for the fragile girl she really is.

A New York apartment block provides a chance for Holly Golightly and washed up author Paul to meet. It's the first of several meetings and the two start to see the reality of each other's life situations. Holly is a socialite desperate to bag a rich man, she often receives payment from men in exchange for her company - make of that what you will, there's no explicit reference to soliciting sex but she makes it clear that she is willing to "do anything" for the money. Breakfast At Tiffany's starts as a patchy comedy which peaks during a cocktail party scene where drunken antics turn into comedy farce, it depicts the desperation of a group of women who tread the fine balance of wooing wealthy men while also trying to keep them at a distance, it's as tragic as it is funny and still relevant today with the small groups of girls whose lowly ambitions end at marrying a rich footballer, a desire for shallow lifestyle rather than genuine fulfilment. A more unwelcome source of comedy comes from Mickey Rooney's "Mr. Yunioshi" - the Japanese landlord uses all the racial stereotypes to create a slapstick character which doesn't quite fit in with the rest of the film and looks even more out of place several decades later.

George Peppard is well cast as the down-to-earth author who tells it how it is, there's a chemistry between his character and Hepburn's Holly which really drives the film. Although the ending can be predicted from the beginning, it isn't a formulaic romance and Paul's interest in Holly seems reluctant at times and she frustrates him as much as she attracts him, there's no phoniness with him and he isn't interested in the glamorous façade, he doesn't necessarily 'want to get the girl' either - he just wants to see her make better decisions. Holly seems to be the product of a series of the relationships she's had with men, she's a psychologists dream and her fragility simmers under the surface of a confident looking woman. She's scared to invest emotionally in a relationship and Paul seems wary of the baggage, but their relationship is forged on stolen moments where their guard is dropped and they are able laugh together.

Peppard is good, but there's no doubting who the star is here. Hepburn is almost unbelievably beautiful and though sassy she comes across as gently unhinged and vulnerable, she is stunning but instead of being overly sexy you simply you want to scoop her up and sort her life out. Never before has a neurotic shoplifter been so utterly charming, her role here is one of the most stylish ever in cinematic history and yet her most moving moments are when she is not quite at her best due to tears, tantrums, or dressed in her casual scruffs giving a beautiful rendition of Moon River. Hepburn is someone I've always recognised but never paid much attention to, but it's impossible not to be captivated by her in this, her most famous role.

The cover for this special anniversary edition Blu-Ray release is pretty drab with a beige/brown cover - thankfully Hepburn livens it up with her trademark image from the film. The actual picture quality is excellent though, the soft focus scenes which Hollywood seemed to love at the time stand out more as they obviously lack any detail, but the colours and textures look excellent. To be honest though, even if this were an overplayed VHS edition - Audrey Hepburn would still look gorgeous. The Audio suits the film well and sounds clear, the film has quite a few post-dubbed scenes which stand out as the voices are almost too perfectly recorded (particularly for outdoor scenes) but this is nothing to do with the Blu-Ray transfer, it's a throwback to how films were recorded at the time. There are plenty of bonuses on this release too which cover most aspects of the classic; from Mancini's music, the iconography of Hepburn, and even a discussion about the dubious casting of Mickey Rooney as a comedy Japanese man.

In a nutshell: Breakfast At Tiffany's has its flaws but it's rightfully considered a classic. This is all-too-often dismissed as a simple old fashioned romance but the exploration of a girl who realises the value of her own worth develops into a film which is much more than the comedy it initially looked to be.