Double Feature

Breakfast at Tiffany’s

Audrey Hepburn lights up the screen as Holly Golightly, a stylish and free-spirited socialite searching Manhattan for a millionaire to marry, in the iconic classic Breakfast at Tiffany’s. George Peppard co-stars as her new neighbor, a struggling writer quickly sucked into Holly’s chaotic world. Director Blake Edwards and Oscar-nominated screenwriter George Axelrod update the Truman Capote novella, balancing romantic comedy with Golightly’s tragic past. Featuring Oscar-winning music by Henry Mancini, costume supervision by Edith Head, and Hepburn’s stunningly-designed fashion by Givenchy, as well as a heavily-criticized caricature, Mickey Rooney in yellowface, as the landlord.

“An unusual love story, glamorous, sophisticated, with more than a touch of the bizarre.” – James Powers, The Hollywood Reporter

“Cinematically, the film is a sleek, artistic piece of craftsmanship, particularly notable for Franz F. Planer’s haunting Technicolor photography and Henry Mancini’s memorably moody score.” – Larry Tubelle, Variety

“Wholly captivating flight into fancy composed of unequal dollops of comedy, romance, poignancy, funny colloquialisms and Manhattan’s swankiest East Side areas captured in the loveliest of colors.” – A.H. Weiler, The New York Times

Roman Holiday

Director William Wyler takes a time-out from the amour fou tales (such as Jezebel, Wuthering Heights) and big budget dramas (Mrs. Miniver) he often made for a light-hearted romantic soufflé poking fun at class conventions. Audrey Hepburn, in her first major role (which won her a Best Actress Oscar), is a modern-day princess feeling stifled by her social and political obligations. She absconds from her wealthy station to play hooky in the streets of Rome, accidentally running into handsome newspaperman Joe (Gregory Peck) who recognizes her and decides to play up the connection for a big story. However, he does not count on the two falling-in-love, and the carefree tale receives a beguilingly bittersweet resolution. Original story writer Dalton Trumbo was blacklisted at the time and a front was credited. His widow accepted a posthumous Oscar for Best Writing, Original Story when the Academy amended its records in 1993.

“This William Wyler romantic comedy-drama… is the Cinderella theme in reverse. He puts heart into the laughs…points up some tender, poignant scenes in using the smart script and the cast to the utmost advantage.” – Variety

“A modern fairy tale whose two leads have a charm and innocence that irradiate the whole movie – a kind of neo-fabulism… Audrey Hepburn was perfectly cast here… A lovely film.” – Peter Bradshaw, The Guardian