The story of "Breakfast at Tiffany's" is well known: Holly, a young glamour girl, tries to find her way in New York City, relying on the favor of male benefactors who give her “powder-room change”, while at the same time she keeps chasing her dream of marrying a rich millionaire. Paul Varjak, a young writer, falls in love with her and tries to convince her to settle down with him. The movie has become a crucial cultural reference. But before the film, there was a source text: a novella by the same title, written by Truman Capote and published in 1958. The film adaption was made only three years later, by director Blake Edwards, scriptwriter George Axelrod and the producers Martin Jurow and Richard Shepherd.
Those who have read Capote’s novella and have seen the film usually complain about huge difference between the two – and they undoubtedly have a point. However, adaptation studies have far too long concentrated on the issue of fidelity alone, implying that a story could just be projected on the screen without having to undergo change. But film and literature are two very different mediums and thus, in the process of an adaptation, transformation must occur. There is no need for proving that book and film are different – this has been discussed many times before and can be read in a great number of critical reviews. But there is much more to adaptation studies than a simple fidelity analysis. What I intend to do is to find out why book and film differ crucially in many points in order to prove that in spite of sharing (at least in big part) the same characters, the same setting, important parts of the story, key motifs and even often the same dialogues, the novella Breakfast at Tiffany’s and the film based on it actually tell very different stories with very different, even contradictory underlying messages and thus with a very different reception and impact.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. A Look at the Source Text: Capote’s Breakfast at Tiffany’s
3. A Look at the Adaptation Process: from Book to Film
3.1. The Rocky Road to Adaptation
3.2. The Issue of Sexuality
4. A Look at How the Story is Told in Book and Film
4.1. The Plot
4.2. The Characters
4.2.1. Holly Golightly
4.2.2. The Narrator/Paul Varjak
4.3. The Atmosphere
4.4. Key Issues and Motifs
4.4.1 The Conflict Between Security and Freedom
4.4.2. The Quest for Identity: in Search of a Name
4.4.3. Diversity of Love
5. Conclusion
Objectives and Research Focus
This academic paper investigates the adaptation process of Truman Capote’s novella "Breakfast at Tiffany’s" into the 1961 film by Blake Edwards. It aims to demonstrate that despite sharing core characters and settings, the book and film convey fundamentally different messages due to shifting priorities, audience expectations, and the censorship constraints of the Motion Picture Production Code. The research questions focus on why specific deviations were made and how these changes impacted the overall narrative tone, characterization, and themes of freedom, identity, and love.
- The divergence in narrative messages between the source text and its adaptation.
- The role of the Motion Picture Production Code in sanitizing themes of sexuality.
- How commercial requirements and "audience reception anxiety" influenced plot changes.
- The impact of casting decisions and character reinterpretation on the final film.
- The contrast between the novella's exploration of non-traditional love and the film's conventional romantic comedy approach.
Excerpt from the Book
4.2.1. Holly Golightly
We already discussed the fact that Hepburn apparently did not fit the role of Holly, as she was lacking the openly sexual, even frivolous aspect of this figure. Thus, simply by her looks, Hepburn changed and shaped the character she was playing. Her costumes are very close to Capote’s description (including the huge sun glasses which make her face expressionless and allow her to hide), but her appearance differs considerably from the book and this is of tremendous importance. Capote’s Holly has short boyish hair which is slightly dyed (Capote Tiffany’s 14p.). This is part of her lifestyle because it shows that she does not adapt to the image of women the society of the 1950s had. The Holly of the book shows that it is possible to have a different look, not the stereotypical female appearance, even boyish, and still be a beautiful and desirable woman. Audrey Hepburn plays a very different Holly: very feminine, with long dark hair. There is nothing about her that contradicts the ideal of femininity of her time. Thus, as with the happy ending, the message of the film differs considerably from Capote’s ideas here: the heroine does not stand out; she does not live life her way, but turns around, adapts to society and accepts its rules. So Holly’s alternative lifestyle and her unconventionality are not presented as a way of living anymore, but are downgraded to just a phase in her life which she finally manages to overcome to move on to the life she is supposed to live: a feminine woman at a man’s side. This openly departs from Capote’s message of a free spirited person living her own life; not against society, but not subjected to it either – the life Capote tried to live.
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: Presents the cultural significance of the film adaptation and sets the stage for a critical analysis comparing it to Truman Capote’s original novella.
2. A Look at the Source Text: Capote’s Breakfast at Tiffany’s: Analyzes the themes and biographical context of the original novella, specifically focusing on its frank handling of sexuality and non-conformist characters.
3. A Look at the Adaptation Process: from Book to Film: Examines the external pressures that shaped the film, including commercial audience expectations and the strict constraints of the Motion Picture Production Code.
4. A Look at How the Story is Told in Book and Film: Deep-dives into the technical and narrative changes, including plot reordering, character omissions, and the shift from a character study to a romantic comedy.
5. Conclusion: Synthesizes the findings, noting that while the film achieved massive commercial success and popularity, it essentially stripped away the nuanced, sometimes grim, social commentary of the original text.
Keywords
Breakfast at Tiffany's, Truman Capote, Blake Edwards, Adaptation Studies, Film Analysis, Holly Golightly, Paul Varjak, Motion Picture Production Code, Gender Roles, Fidelity Analysis, Narrative Transformation, Literary Criticism, Identity, Sexuality, Romantic Comedy.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core subject of this paper?
This paper examines the differences between Truman Capote’s novella "Breakfast at Tiffany’s" and the 1961 film adaptation to determine how these changes alter the fundamental message of the story.
What are the primary themes discussed?
The main themes include the conflict between freedom and security, the search for personal identity, the impact of gender stereotypes, and the representation of diverse forms of love.
What is the research goal?
The goal is to move beyond simple "fidelity analysis" (comparing which version is better) and instead investigate the specific artistic and commercial motivations behind the significant changes made during the transition from book to film.
Which methodology is applied in the research?
The author uses a comparative analytical approach, examining plot structure, characterization, thematic treatment, and production history to show how media-specific requirements transform the narrative impact.
What does the main body focus on?
The main body breaks down specific aspects of the adaptation, such as the re-creation of character backstories, the sanitization of sexual content due to the Hays Code, and the shift toward a conventional happy ending to satisfy audience expectations.
How would you characterize the keywords?
The keywords highlight the intersection of literature and film, the specific intellectual and aesthetic tensions between Capote’s original work and the Hollywood industry, and the social issues presented within the narrative.
Why did the filmmakers choose Audrey Hepburn for the role of Holly?
They needed an actress who could portray the character in a way that would be "acceptable" to the 1950s public and the censors; Hepburn’s aura of purity helped soften the character's promiscuous traits from the book.
How does the ending of the film differ from the book?
The book remains ambiguous and focuses on Holly’s continued search for herself, whereas the film concludes with a traditional, romanticized resolution where the male protagonist offers the heroine protection and a permanent home.
What role did the Motion Picture Production Code play in the film?
The Code, acting as a moral watchdog, required significant cuts to references regarding sex work, homosexual characters, and explicit language, effectively forcing the story away from Capote’s original, more cynical tone.
- Citation du texte
- B.A. Damaris Englert (Auteur), 2013, “Breakfast at Tiffany’s”. The Message of Truman Capote’s Novella Compared to the Film Adaptation, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/263601
