Would "Breakfast at Tiffany's" have worked with Marilyn Monroe as Holly Golightly?
That's who Truman Capote originally envisioned playing the role. Although it's probably Audrey Hepburn's most iconic part, in many ways she's all wrong for it, given that Lula Mae Barnes (Holly's actual name) is a backwoods girl who reinvented herself after running away from her husband in Texas. It's impossible tos see Audrey's balletic poise and hear her cultured voice and ever think she could have once been a hick.
At the same time, when the film was being made in 1960 was when Marilyn Monroe was a complete disaster, and would have been unlikely to have been able to turn in a good performance. But what if she had made the film earlier in her career back whens he was so good at comedy?
| by Anonymous | reply 7 | July 1, 2023 11:05 PM
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Yes because she embodied the character and was also the inspiration for her. Audrey Hepburn was more glamorous and iconic but nobody bought her a former country bumpkin.
| by Anonymous | reply 1 | July 1, 2023 9:00 PM
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I don’t think MM was a very good actress. Even if Capote wanted her, she wouldn’t have been right for it.
Audrey was absurdly wrong for the character Capote wrote, but I love her in it anyway.
If I had to choose, I think I’d go with Shirley MacLaine. She could have played Holly G to a tee, and was even from the south (although not Texas).
| by Anonymous | reply 3 | July 1, 2023 9:20 PM
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Even though she was all wrong for it it is one of the most iconic performances in any film.
Probably one of the very few old films young people will watch who aren't cinephiles.
| by Anonymous | reply 4 | July 1, 2023 9:25 PM
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Sometimes the best adaptations take liberties. As long as they maintain the message that is what really counts. If you can always read the source material which is usually superior most of the time.
| by Anonymous | reply 5 | July 1, 2023 9:43 PM
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Marilyn could have been great, but not in the kind of film Blake Edwards directs.
| by Anonymous | reply 6 | July 1, 2023 9:48 PM
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It’s been a long time since I read it so I forget how sophisticated Holly was supposed to be. Monroe could play a call girl of course but more as a good time party girl and not that bright. The movie is iconic because Hepburn is so chic. Her back story is a needle scratch that is quickly forgotten. Although as Holly, Hepburn was really sweet to Doc when he tracked her down. R3, MacLaine played a similar character in Some Came Running.
| by Anonymous | reply 7 | July 1, 2023 11:05 PM
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