(Review originally written at 21 October 2006)
This has to be one of the most charming and likable romantic movies ever made till date, with a perfectly charming, mood-setting and recognizable Henry Mancini Oscar winning musical score and theme song, that perhaps is even better known than the actual movie itself.
The movie is perhaps more of a romantic comedy than an actual romantic movie. Its fun and humor is not in its comical situations but more in its little subtle fun moments and delightful quirky characters that are all each in their own way unique.
What makes really "Breakfast at Tiffany's" such a great genre movie, even for the non-fans of the genre (like myself), are it's charming and also unusual fun characters. Audrey Hepburn is charmingly delightful in her role and she is the main reason why this movie works so great as a charming one. The rest of the movie is filled with some delicious stereotypes that are so obviously caricatures that you can't take them serious. Best example of this is of course Mickey Rooney (under lots of- and silly looking make-up) in a crazy role as the always complaining Japanese upstairs neighbor. The characters are perhaps the main reason why this movie is such a charming one and a real pleasure to watch. It makes this movie also not as heavy as other genre movies, although there of course is still plenty of drama going on.
The story is solidly written and shows also some of the great and unique elements of love. The movie shows how great love is by just doing little things. The best example of this is Holly Golightly and Paul 'Fred' Varjak doing things together they never have done before. Simple things, such as going to a library, taking a walk together through the city in the morning or stealing a small item from a shop. It shows that it mostly are the simple things that make love such a great thing. It also shows that love is about wanting to help each other and making each others life better. The dialog is also very well written and is also really one of the reasons why this movie is so much better than the average genre movie. The Truman Capote touch, of who's book of the same title this movie is based, is certainly notable in this movie with its characters, dialog and situations.
Not everything however works fully out, especially the typical 'book-story-like' subplots and some other quirky unusual moments. But it's of course also due to the fact that some elements in this movie are by todays standards terribly outdated, that some things in this movie might come across as unusual and quirky.
If I had to name one reason why you should watch this movie I would say; Audrey Hepburn. She is such a delight to watch in this movie. She is absolutely beautiful, charming and yet at the same time naive looking. She gives the movie some real class. Often just her looks and facial gestures are enough to make a sequence work and they say more than a thousand words. This is the role she will always be remembered for and for a very good reason.
The entire movie is perfectly directed by Blake Edwards, before he got real fame as the director of the Pink Panter movies. He knows how to create the right mood and atmosphere for this movie and also creates a perfect balances between the comedy and romantic elements of the movie.
One of the most charming movies ever made. A real movie to fall in love with!
9/10
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