Fifth Avenue, 5 A.M.: Audrey Hepburn, Breakfast at Tiffany's, and the Dawn of the Modern Woman [9780063115446]

Overview

“So smart and entertaining it should come with its own popcorn”—People

Coinciding with the sixtieth anniversary of the film version of Truman Capote’s Breakast at Tiffany’s, the acclaimed, New York Times bestseller that is the definitive account of Audrey Hepburn and the making of the cultural landmark film—now updated with a new introduction by the author.

In Fifth Avenue, 5 A.M., Sam Wasson goes beyond the legend to explore the woman inside the little black dress and the film that captured the imagination of the nation  in 1961—when the staid propriety of the Eisenhower years gave way to the glamorous modernity of the Kennedys. With a colorful cast of characters including Truman Capote, Edith Head, Givenchy, Moon River composer Henry Mancini, and, of course, the iconic Audrey Hepburn herself, Wasson immerses us in the America of the late fifties and early sixties before Woodstock and birth control, when an alluring, not-so-virginal girl by the name of Holly Golightly melted hearts, raised eyebrows, and forever transformed Americans’ notions of fashion, film, sex, and culture.

Fifth Avenue, 5 A.M. includes an 8-page black-and-white photo insert.

This page-turning work of film history reveals the stories behind the legend:

• The Making of a Classic: Go inside the tumultuous production, from Truman Capote’s controversial source material to the casting decision that changed Hollywood forever.
• Audrey Hepburn’s Toughest Role: Discover why the star, known for her grace and charm, was terrified to play the "not-so-virginal" Holly Golightly and how the role redefined her career.
• The Little Black Dress: Learn the story of Hubert de Givenchy’s revolutionary design and how it, along with the film, transformed American notions of fashion, sex, and independence.
• A Cultural History: Immerse yourself in the shift from the staid 1950s to the glamorous modernity of the Kennedy era, with a colorful cast of characters from Edith Head to Henry Mancini.