Blood, Truman Capote, and Holly Golightly

There are a couple of books that I have just loved by Truman Capote, that have really made an impact on my life and they are In Cold Blood and Breakfast at Tiffany’s. Now both of these books could not be any different than they are.

In Cold Blood is about a cold blooded murder that happens out in a rural western Kansas small town, by a couple of ex-convicts that plan to steal money from the Clutter home, thinking that Mr. Clutter has a safe full of riches. The plan is to tie up the family and steal the money, but of course things go awry and disturbing psychosocial behaviors take over and the whole family ends up getting murdered. Not a happy story, but one that is so totally real; and Truman Capote originally wrote an article about the murders and received such acclaim for the article, that he was compelled to write a book, which became a cult classic. He even visited the murderers in prison and formed a weird relationship with one of the convicts.

This book is one that will stay with you long after you read it. It is disturbing to the point of appalling interest. I personally could not put the book down as much as I wanted to.

In Cold Blood was also made into a movie that captured all the horrifying aspects of the book and even more so I think. One of the main characters was played by Robert Blake, which ironically played in a real life murder accusation of his own when his wife was murdered, although he was acquitted.

Breakfast at Tiffany’s was a great movie in my humble opinion. The reason I think this movie is so appealing is because of course, of the performance by Audrey Hepburn, who Truman Capote didn’t even have in mind for the movie, he wanted Marilyn Monroe, but Monroe’s press agent really didn’t want her for the role as it portrayed Holly Golightly as a call girl if you will. And he didn’t think Marilyn needed that on her resume. To me this was a perfect thing to have happened and you can call it fate if you want because nobody could’ve captured Holly Golightly like Audrey Hepburn most certainly did.

It is hard to believe that it has been almost 50 years since that movie came out but when you see it now, it really holds up the test of time.

One of the best things that came out of this movie was the films poster where Ms. Hepburn sits with her stylish clothes and long cigarette. Probably the most popular movie poster of all time.

I like that she says in the film that only women who are over 40 can wear diamonds successfully… boy have times changed.

I like that she inspired the song Breakfast at Tiffany’s in 1995. I remember it well.

I love the black dress she wore in the movie with the pearls (still a classic look) that was actually auctioned off in 2006 for $806,000.

I love that Audrey Hepburn really went outside the box for this film because it was challenging for her as she was very much an introvert and Holly was an extravert.

Although it is not cool she really made smoking look very stylish.

I love that after all these years the book sells about 30,000 copies every year, which probably wouldn’t have happened if the movie didn’t do as well as it did.

I love that she named her cat “cat”.

It really is a madcap of a movie without any real sense but it is fun to watch because George Peppard and Audrey Hepburn just make the perfect fantasy couple. And I like the happy ending.