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There was a discussion going here (I forgot which one) where a member (I believe it was Snarky) that spoke about BUTTERFIELD 8 and BREAKFAST AT TIFFANY'S, two of Tinseltown's upper-class hooker tales.
BREAKFAST AT TIFFANY'S has a fairly big fandom these days, although primarily with college-age girls that like to hang cutesy pictures of Audrey Hepburn in her "little black dress" on their dorm room walls. Many of them may not even be familiar with the movie or even Hepburn herself, but like the "chicness" of it all and decorate their rooms accordingly. I had an agricultural teacher in high school that completely redecorated her den and bedroom in a TIFFANY'S-esque style. I recall her showing us pictures of tables, lamps, and posters she had bought to give her the "look" she wanted, all which she derived from her admiration of the film.
Audrey Hepburn is closely associated with her role as Holly Golighty, although many modern-day critics and fans consider her miscast in the role. Author Truman Capote was not a fan of her casting; he had written the part of Holly with Marilyn Monroe in mind to play her in a would-be screen adaptation of his story. Paramount Pictures in 1960 did not want Marilyn, however, and with good reason. Despite having been a consistent box office draw (scoring a phenomenal success with SOME LIKE IT HOT in 1959) throughout the past decade, Monroe was increasingly unreliable and troublesome on film sets. Paramount felt Marilyn's presence, while beneficial at the box office, would effectively hinder the production and therefore refused her casting. After a few other actresses were tossed around, Hepburn got the part.
Even so, many feel that BREAKFAST AT TIFFANY'S doesn't live up to its hype. It is dismissed as racist (because of Mickey Rooney's portrayal of "Mr. Yunioshi") and is frowned upon for practically erasing the entire story as Capote had written it. There is even a lot criticism (which frankly shocks me) about Hepburn being miscast, and strong opinions that the film is long and boring.
That being said, there seems to be a certain fandom surrounding BUTTERFIELD 8, the 1960 melodrama starring Elizabeth Taylor as Gloria, an unpaid call girl. The film is practically dwarfed today by its production history. It is well-documented that Taylor hadn't any interest whatsoever in the script, but committed herself to the project solely to end her 18-year-contract with MGM. The studio was insistent that Taylor complete one more picture under her contract before they would release her and therefore leave her free to star in CLEOPATRA (1963) for 20th Century-Fox. After a few shuffles, and the casting of Taylor's then-husband Eddie Fisher in a supporting role, Taylor agreed to the film. Public sympathy surrounding Taylor's health issues ultimately turned BUTTERFIELD 8 into the biggest hit for MGM in 1960. She even won her first Oscar for Best Actress for a role she loathed, beating the likes of Shirley MacLaine, Deborah Kerr, and Greer Garson.
There is a feeling among classic movie buffs that BUTTERFIELD 8 is "easier to sit through" than BREAKFAST AT TIFFANY'S. For me, it's been too long since I've seen either movie to judge that theory fairly. I remember BREAKFAST AT TIFFANY'S being one of the first classic movies I watched, and I remember liking it a lot at the time. BUTTERFIELD 8 was one of the first movies I watched starring Liz Taylor (outside of CAT ON A HOT TIN ROOF), and I recall liking the movie better than I thought that I would.
The purpose of this thread is to discuss these two movies. Which film do you prefer and why? Which film holds up better today?
BREAKFAST AT TIFFANY'S has a fairly big fandom these days, although primarily with college-age girls that like to hang cutesy pictures of Audrey Hepburn in her "little black dress" on their dorm room walls. Many of them may not even be familiar with the movie or even Hepburn herself, but like the "chicness" of it all and decorate their rooms accordingly. I had an agricultural teacher in high school that completely redecorated her den and bedroom in a TIFFANY'S-esque style. I recall her showing us pictures of tables, lamps, and posters she had bought to give her the "look" she wanted, all which she derived from her admiration of the film.
Audrey Hepburn is closely associated with her role as Holly Golighty, although many modern-day critics and fans consider her miscast in the role. Author Truman Capote was not a fan of her casting; he had written the part of Holly with Marilyn Monroe in mind to play her in a would-be screen adaptation of his story. Paramount Pictures in 1960 did not want Marilyn, however, and with good reason. Despite having been a consistent box office draw (scoring a phenomenal success with SOME LIKE IT HOT in 1959) throughout the past decade, Monroe was increasingly unreliable and troublesome on film sets. Paramount felt Marilyn's presence, while beneficial at the box office, would effectively hinder the production and therefore refused her casting. After a few other actresses were tossed around, Hepburn got the part.
Even so, many feel that BREAKFAST AT TIFFANY'S doesn't live up to its hype. It is dismissed as racist (because of Mickey Rooney's portrayal of "Mr. Yunioshi") and is frowned upon for practically erasing the entire story as Capote had written it. There is even a lot criticism (which frankly shocks me) about Hepburn being miscast, and strong opinions that the film is long and boring.
That being said, there seems to be a certain fandom surrounding BUTTERFIELD 8, the 1960 melodrama starring Elizabeth Taylor as Gloria, an unpaid call girl. The film is practically dwarfed today by its production history. It is well-documented that Taylor hadn't any interest whatsoever in the script, but committed herself to the project solely to end her 18-year-contract with MGM. The studio was insistent that Taylor complete one more picture under her contract before they would release her and therefore leave her free to star in CLEOPATRA (1963) for 20th Century-Fox. After a few shuffles, and the casting of Taylor's then-husband Eddie Fisher in a supporting role, Taylor agreed to the film. Public sympathy surrounding Taylor's health issues ultimately turned BUTTERFIELD 8 into the biggest hit for MGM in 1960. She even won her first Oscar for Best Actress for a role she loathed, beating the likes of Shirley MacLaine, Deborah Kerr, and Greer Garson.
There is a feeling among classic movie buffs that BUTTERFIELD 8 is "easier to sit through" than BREAKFAST AT TIFFANY'S. For me, it's been too long since I've seen either movie to judge that theory fairly. I remember BREAKFAST AT TIFFANY'S being one of the first classic movies I watched, and I remember liking it a lot at the time. BUTTERFIELD 8 was one of the first movies I watched starring Liz Taylor (outside of CAT ON A HOT TIN ROOF), and I recall liking the movie better than I thought that I would.
The purpose of this thread is to discuss these two movies. Which film do you prefer and why? Which film holds up better today?
At least BREAKFAST AT TIFFANY'S can boast of this:
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