ok not really. But Holly Golightly (a call girl in the novella, a high class escort in the well known film) is probably one of my favorite movie characters of all time. Breakfast at Tiffany's is one of those movies that everyone claims to love and for good cause, and all kinds of girls have the famous picture in thier rooms. I had gone 21 years without seeing the film finding it most likely overrated, and while I was always curious by the iconic picture of Audrey Hepburn, I never thought of picking it up and watching it.
Until the day I did. I had just finished unpacking my room, feeling settled and pondering what it meant to be a senior in college. Suddenly, the weight of "what are your plans in May?" and "ring by spring" and "loan defferment" and the Graduate Record Exam were all on my shoulders and I needed to stop thinking about it all and dive into Holly Golightly's world of jewelry and cheese danish.
From the first scene of a deserted New York where we see Holly in a classic black dress, stand in front of Tiffanys eating her danish, to the heartbreaking moment when she throws her cat out of the car, the film grabbed me. In awe of the style and of Audrey (who was probably the most opposite of Holly she could be in real life) and of the jewelry and of the romance, i watched it over and over. I had it playing while I painted and while I folded laundry. Girls in my hall literally came to know the soundtrack by heart. I would skip to my favorite scene (the second to last) and watch it when I needed to cry and laugh at the same moment.
I totally identify with Holly Golightly. She is this independent girl, classic and elegant (things I would love to be known as), wears pearls (I am the only below 50 year old I know who owns not one, but TWO strands of pearls) and has this massive wild cat in her apartment (named, Cat). This is uplifting to me. She doesnt have it all together by any means and is certaintly not very street smart (Sing Sing prison, as an example), something people tell me every day. But the girl has a head on her shoulders for sure.
She loves her fashion and loves the finer things such as hosting a classy little party in her adorable quirky apartment which is probably why she is an escort (something thats not entirely evident..well at least wasnt to me at first). I feel her on this one. Obviously I dont follow men into the "powder room" but I would rather work the 4 jobs i do right now if it means I get to finally buy those boots or that purse I want.
She also feels this insane pressure to marry. Looking for a rich man who can take care of her and fit in the social norm of a "good catch" , her whole life is centered around this invisible Prince Charming. Being at a school where girls come to find thier husbands, I can relate (especially with a 4 to 1 ratio of girls to boys). I am torn between this horrible feeling of knowing that I will NOT be like the majority and be walking across that stage with a ring on my left finger (now that i think about it..maybe Ill get MYSELF a fabulous sparkly thing!) and finding pride in this independence that not only is ok with this fact but is partially excited. I would love to have a romance this year, one that leads me to find a man who can take care of me emotionally, spiritually (financially) etc etc..but really? Would I be settling because of the same pressure Holly faces? (Rich men she finds in the movie, but they are balding overwieght and boring). Or would it better to just wait it out, not forcing anything to happen, being free just as I am. Because it is right at that moment when Holly allows herself to get to that point that she is able to be with the man who was there all along, perfect for her, patient with her and loving. I would much rather fall in love with someone overseas, running around Calcutta or Bangkok who takes a look at me, calls me his beautiful mess and takes me in...(Cat and all. )
"No longer will I play the field. The field stinks, both economically and socially and I'm giving it up"
