If you’ve only watched the film adaptation of Truman Capote’s novella Breakfast at Tiffany’s, you might be wondering what it has to do with LGBTIQ+ history.
Sure, Truman Capote, never made any secret about his homosexuality and was an acclaimed author and socialite, but what about his most famous work.
Set in New York the film follows the escapades of struggling writer Paul Varjak and his relationship with an enigmatic neighbour, the carefree Holly Golightly. Paul is being supported by a married older woman who is described as his ‘interior decorator’, while Golightly has connections to the mob. The film version is a romantic comedy.
In Truman Capote’s original 1958 novella the story and characters are dramatically different. For one, the character known as Paul in the film doesn’t have a name, most of the story is told in flashback, and Paul’s sexuality alludes to dalliances in the broom closet with other men at his workplace.
The original story is also set in the 1940s, rather than the early 1960s. It also includes a major character called Joe Bell, a barman – who the unnamed narrator shares his tales of Holly Golightly with.
The novella was first published on this day in 1958 appearing in an issue of Esquire magazine. When he was writing the novel Capote originally named its central character Connie Gustafson, before changing it to Holly Golightly.
Over the years many different women were purported to be the inspiration for the character. Something Capote used to refer to as the “Holly Golightly Sweepstakes”.
Gloria Vanderbilt, Oona O’Neill, Carol Grace, Maeve Brennan, and Dorian Leigh were all suggested at different times as being Capote’s muse.
In 2009 a new stage adaptation was staged in London with Anna Friel playing the role of Golightly. In 2013 Game of Thrones star Emilia Clarke took on the lead role in another adaptation by Richard Greenberg that played on Broadway. In the New York production much was made of a nude scene in the play where the characters share a bath. Both of these versions were closer to the source material than the film.
The Greenberg production was mounted in the West End in 2016, this time staged as a play with music. Pixie Lott took on the challenge of portraying Holly Golightly.
Frank Ocean celebrates his birthday today. He was born Christopher Edwin Breaux in Long Beach California in 1987.
The musician began his career as a ghostwriter, before joining the Odd Futures collective in 2010.
He released his first solo album Channel Orange in 2012 and his follow up record Blonde arrived in 2016 – and fans have been waiting ever since for more music from the artist.
In 2012 Ocean published an open letter on his Tumblr page recounting unrequited feelings he had for a young man when he was 19 years old, he described it as his first true love. HIs letter acknowledging his same-sex attraction was warmly received by fans and other celebrities.
In 2016 following the mass shooting at the Pulse Nightclub in Orlando Florida Ocean wrote about his sadness and frustration surrounding the incident, and he also shared his recollection of his father making homophobic and transphobic comments when he was just six years old.
Ocean’s father launched a defamation action against the musician suing his for $14.5 million. The case went to trial and the judge ruled in Ocean’s favour.
