The wife and I had a free evening for a movie, she picked Breakfast at Tiffany's. She said she always wanted to watch it, I have never watched it either. At first it was cool to see 1961 in color on our big screen, it turned to crap pretty soon.

A she-whore and a he-whore getting drunk, shoplifting and falling in "love". Meanwhile the she-whore is attempting to be a gold digger, wanting to marry rich men. Only falling for the he-whore after several rich men reject her.

The film really got the wife angry at the cat throwing scene and tossing, abandoning the cat in the rain.

I can only imagine the notoriety of the movie is from the total lack of morals the movie portrays. Bet it was a shock to most in 1961.

Total garbage

Yeah, I sat through the movie a couple decades ago and pretty quickly decided I didn’t like any of the characters. Between this and Sabrina it really soured me on Audrey Hepburn, it doesn’t really matter what movie I see her in because in my mind she will always be that flighty twit from Sabrina singing about bananas.

I really like Roman Holiday (1953).

"Didn't like any of the characters". BAT was a book by Truman Capote, so...

Yep, 60's urbane sophisticate hipster doofi, nothing remotely aspirational. But still, we got "Moon River" so there's that.

Made me laugh to see this post. The movie was on TCM a few months ago and, feeling like I ought to see it, I recorded it. I turned it on about a month ago and started to watch, she’s supposed to be a movie icon of the era of great “motion pictures.” I thought, “What in the entire fuck?!?” about 20 minutes into it and turned it off. I’ve still got it on the DVR like someday I’ll go back, but your thread helps me decide it’s safe to delete.

I love Audrey. But BAT is my least favorite. Hated the cat scene as well. Trying to think of a redeeming aspect of the movie. Let me come back to that......

I calla powice! Bruce Lee saw that scene and left. I loathe gold diggers so it's not any classic cinema to me.

I loathe golddiggers as much as anyone, but to me the story was about how empty and broken Holly was trying to pursue that life, and how true fulfillment only came about after hooking up with a regular guy.

The other thing I liked about this movie was such an understated performance from George Peppard. The man could act. Hard to believe that years later he would be rocking an AC-556 on The A-Team.

quote:

Originally posted by kkina:
I loathe golddiggers as much as anyone, but to me the story was about how empty and broken Holly was trying to pursue that life, and how true fulfillment only came about after hooking up with a regular guy.

The other thing I liked about this movie was such an understated performance from George Peppard. The man could act. Hard to believe that years later he would be rocking an AC-556 on The A-Team.

.

I’m with this.

I was 19 when the movie came out. All I remember about it is, thinking how cool George Peppard looked in a blue blazer and grey slacks. I needed to add that to my wardrobe if I was going to get the girls.

I bought a used DVD figuring it was a classic, and the cover is pretty. The characters are indeed unsympathetic. The music is nice.

Like you all, I just watched it for the first time (57 years old). I didn't like anyone in it. What is it about this movie?

Oh, you guys all just have the mean reds.

Mickey Rooney expressed regret at his role in that movie. I always thought it was a bit over the top and pretty much unnecessary to the film.

The only things I thought Hepburn was good in were The Nuns Story and Charade.
Before Peppard hosed down the landscape with his AC, he cruised around in the TEOTWAWKI in Damnation Alley. The Landmaster was even cooler than the AC!

quote:

Originally posted by zoom6zoom:
Mickey Rooney expressed regret at his role in that movie. I always thought it was a bit over the top and pretty much unnecessary to the film.

Can someone who was alive in 1961 tell me if it was common and acceptable to portray Asian people this way? Mr Yunioshi seems to be a caricature lifted straight out of 1940s era war propaganda.

quote:

Originally posted by iron chef:

quote:

Originally posted by zoom6zoom:
Mickey Rooney expressed regret at his role in that movie. I always thought it was a bit over the top and pretty much unnecessary to the film.

Can someone who was alive in 1961 tell me if it was common and acceptable to portray Asian people this way? Mr Yunioshi seems to be a caricature lifted straight out of 1940s era war propaganda.

Based on this Dean Martin & Jerry Lewis sketch "Eggroll is a many Splendored Dish', probably typival.

https://youtu.be/Cjws5p2KsT0

There is also a clip of Kyu Sakimoto, singer of the international hit song Sukiyaki getting a very very cool reception during his tv appearance in the US. I will post a link after work. Even today there are people who refuse to buy cars because of the barbarism of 'the Nips' during WWII.

It's a chick-flick on steroids. If my GF made me watch it, she'd have to watch a half dozen Steven Segal movies in return.

quote:

Originally posted by iron chef:

quote:

Originally posted by zoom6zoom:
Mickey Rooney expressed regret at his role in that movie. I always thought it was a bit over the top and pretty much unnecessary to the film.

Can someone who was alive in 1961 tell me if it was common and acceptable to portray Asian people this way? Mr Yunioshi seems to be a caricature lifted straight out of 1940s era war propaganda.

It's a dark moment in the history of film making.

Breakfast at Tiffany's came out Oct 1961. Flower Drum Song came out a month later in Nov. One movie portrayed a Japanese man, acted by a Caucasian man, as a comedic but insulting stereotype. The other is a landmark movie featuring a majority Asian cast, many who went on to have very successful acting careers.

I don't believe the director or, Mickey Rooney had any intention to be insulting or, derogatory, they were looking to make a light-hearted movie and wanted to have a comedic foil. At the time comedy with racial stereotypes was acceptable in various social circles. On the other hand, those who were of the background of such a portrayal, saw it as another racial-cultural insult. Its how things were back then, it wasn't right but, it wasn't a national crises either. In hindsight, everyone agrees, it's pretty ugly, we've learned and moved on.