Audrey Hepburn is an icon like no other, yet the image many of us have of Audrey—dainty, immaculate—is anything but true to life. Here, for the first time, Sam Wasson presents the woman behind the little black dress that rocked the nation in 1961. The first complete account of the making of Breakfast at Tiffany's, Fifth Avenue, 5 A.M. reveals little-known facts about the cinema classic: Truman Capote desperately wanted Marilyn Monroe for the leading role; director Blake Edwards filmed multiple endings; Hepburn herself felt very conflicted about balancing the roles of mother and movie star. With a colorful cast of characters including Truman Capote, Edith Head, Givenchy, "Moon River" composer Henry Mancini, and, of course, Hepburn herself, Wasson immerses us in the America of the late fifties before Woodstock and birth control, when a not-so-virginal girl by the name of Holly Golightly raised eyebrows across the country, changing fashion, film, and sex for good. Indeed, cultural touchstones like Sex and the City owe a debt of gratitude to Breakfast at Tiffany's.
In this meticulously researched gem of a book, Wasson delivers us from the penthouses of the Upper East Side to the pools of Beverly Hills, presenting Breakfast at Tiffany's as we have never seen it before—through the eyes of those who made it. Written with delicious prose and considerable wit, Fifth Avenue, 5 A.M. shines new light on a beloved film and its incomparable star.
A fascinating insightSeptember 7, 2010 Brian Parselle(New York, USA) Breakfast at Tiffany's has been on my top ten film list since I first saw it in the early sixties.
I grew up in England and spent most of the late sixties living in London. I have always thought that the London sixties phenomenon must have been very different from that in USA and this book gives a fascinating insight to that difference. So for those who are looking for a historical reference this book is spot on. For those just looking for good read I highly recommend it.
Excellent Account of a Making of a ClassicSeptember 2, 2010 William Patrick Maynard(Parma, Ohio) FIFTH AVENUE, 5 A.M. by Sam Wasson is a breezy and enjoyable read. It is quite a different book than his first, A SPLURCH IN THE KISSER and, in my view, a superior one. Wasson did phenomenal research (fully cited in his detailed notes) and pulls together much that is familiar and much that I don't believe has ever been printed before about BREAKFAST AT TIFFANY'S. The first half concerns Truman Capote and his sources for the novella (both from his own childhood and his friends' lives) and the second half concerns the film's development, production, and release. While the "Dawn of the Modern Woman" angle is present throughout, it is not over-emphasized as it is in the media promotion of the book. This is a fairly straightforward factual novel with real life characters given dialogue that usually is drawn from their own recollections or others. There is a fair amount of gossip, but it is never salacious. The author's access to Paramount's production files and his conversations with participants or their spouses turns up a few gems that would otherwise have remained obscure. His diligence points to a dedication that was lacking in SPLURCH. I highly recommend it.
TERRIBLEAugust 29, 2010 Michael McGrath(JACKSONVILLE, FL, US) 0 out of 2 found this review helpful
I ordered this book a month ago to have a nice summer read... NEVER GOT IT! After several emails, I have not heard from the seller and am in the process of disputing purchase. DO NOT USE THESE PEOPLE!!
Full of SurprisesAugust 26, 2010 Laura Freed(Philadlephia, Pa) This book was fascinating on so many levels. I loved the background on Capote and Hepburn - Wasson gave us just enough information without over saturating and over whelming the reader. Most interesting was the path to getting the movie made - the many stops and starts and the different writers/directors that it could have went to - and thank God it didn't! Also - loved the info about "The Little Black dress" - I had no idea about the history of the LBD and couldn't wait to tell my girlfriends. Really enjoyed Wasson's clever "pun intended" chapter titles. A super fast and fascinating read!
I had to make myself finish this bookAugust 25, 2010 G. Cuevas(Mississippi) This was the book to have honor of being my first Kindle book. I love Audrey Hepburn. I've seen this movie more times than I can count. I started with great hopes for the book. About one-quarter of the way into the book, I lost interest. Read two other books and made myself go back and finish this book. When I start removing books from my Kindle to clear the clutter, this will probably be the first to go.
I regret I bought this book. Oh, and the last 20% of the Kindle book was his thanks and notes for the book, which I just skimmed - reading only what seemed interesting. I was glad to get to this point so I would be done with this book.
It really seemed to have little substance. He tried for witty headings - like "Does Edith Head Give Good Costume." That was the first heading that seemed strange to me in a book about an elegant lady but on I read. I think the last such header was "The F'g Song" - statement made by a studio person (I would go back and get the exact name/affiliate, but I don't have enough interest in the book to look for it) about "Moon River." I have no problem with profanity or sexual content, it just seemed strange an author would use such headings in this book.
