Breakfast at Tiffany's is indeed a masterpiece, but how much do we really know about the making of the film that we call ‘the classic movie to watch after a Sunday brunch?’

Blake Edwards’s paragon production, that we loved and would continue to love after its release on 5 October, 1961 in New York City’s radio city music hall, narrates the story of a beautiful girl Holly Golightly played by Audrey Hepburn gradually falling for her next door neighbour Paul Vajrak (George Peppard).

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Hepburn delivered a splendid performance that still continues to charm people all over the world. The Oscar-nominated screenplay, adapted from Truman Capote’s book of the same name, is more or less known to the most.

What went on during the shooting or how exactly this film evolved as an example of excellence is not known to many. It had gone through several phases to be triumphant.

The ‘little black dress’ worn by Hepburn in the opening scene arouses the thought among millions of girls that there should be a black dress in their wardrobe.

Specially made by Hubert de Givenchy, this Italian satin gown had probably been the most iconic fashion pieces of all time.

There is also an interesting story behind this dress. On 5 December, 2006 this dress was sold at an auction at Christie’s in London and the money raised went towards helping build a school for the poor people of Kolkata.

Casting

Everyone would agree that no one could have played the role of a 19-year-old Holly Golightly better than the 31-year-old Hepburn.

But Capote who had penned down Holly’s character wanted Marilyn Monroe to play the role. He felt that her temperament matched a lot with the character.

Though Monroe had been the primary choice for the role but on being advised by Lee Strasberg that playing such a character might affect her image, she turned down the offer and opted for John Huston’s The Misfits.

Actresses like Shirley Maclaine and Kim Novak also opposed to play the role. It was after so many turn downs that the producers brought in Audrey for the role.

The casting for the male lead was also not an easy task either. Although George Peppard was finalised, actors like Tony Curtis and Steve Mcqueen were also been suggested. Peppard was disliked by rest of the cast and crew. Infact, Hepburn went as far as calling him ‘pompous’.

Director

Initially, John Frankenheimer was chosen to direct the film but it was Hepburn’s request that Edwards was brought on board since she wanted a bigger name for the direction. It is true that Blake Edwards who took this film from a novella to a vision and finally produced an immortal masterpiece.

The party scene

The extravagant party scene where Audrey is fashionably pulling off a towel wrapped around like a sari apparently took six days to shoot.

The scene was nothing less than a real-life party with cameras poking in all directions. It was shot on a paramount soundstage that worked as Holly’s apartments for almost all the interior shots. Real champagne, 120 gallons of soft drinks, 60 cartons of cigarettes, hot dogs, chips and dips and sandwiches were brought in exclusively for this scene. Holly Golightly’s apartment

The location used as the exterior of this apartment, 169 east 71st street and Lexington Avenue in Manhattan recently went for $7.4 million in an auction. All these prove that a film is lot more than a celluloid story unravelling on a curtain. Thus, a series of work goes into a film’s production.

Breakfast at Tiffany's is a rare classic production. Inspired by the character in a novel and then casting one of the finest actresses is nothing but sheer excellence of the director.

Coordinator, Class XI, St Thomas' Boys' School, Hooghly