Fifth Avenue, 5 A. M. by Sam Wasson

Fifth Avenue, 5 A. M. by Sam Wasson 

Release Date - June 22, 2010

Publisher Website - Harper Collis Canada
Publisher Social Media - Twitter/Facebook/SavvyReader/Frenzy

Pages - 231 pages
My Rating - 4/5
**borrowed from the library**

Here is the Goodreads synopsis

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. 

5th Avenue, 5 A.M. refers to the location and time in which THAT infamous Breakfast at Tiffany's scene was filmed. The iconic shot of Audrey Hepburn in that little black dress helped launch a few careers and definitely launched the fashion trend of the LBD (aka the little black dress). This book gives a snapshot of filming this movie while also giving a few details about the people behind it.

If you are looking for an in depth look at Audrey Hepburn's life this is not the book for you. This is a snapshot of a very specific chunk of time. It walks through the big events that shaped the creation and filming of the movie while sometimes giving pertinent background information on the people involved. 

Audrey is given plenty of attention and the author does not shy away from the sadder elements of the story. He mentions Audrey's miscarriages and marriage troubles because it impacted her while filming. Also discussed are the tensions on set thanks to nobody liking George Peppard. 

The story of the dress and Audrey's relationship with Hubert de Givenchy starts before Breakfast at Tiffany's. The book captures the moment when Audrey is sent to get clothes for the movie Sabrina and it launches a professional relationship that changes fashion. It is definitely the stuff of goosebumps when you realize how iconic and influential Audrey's style via de Givenchy was.

It was fascinating getting to know the details behind the filming of the infamous party scene. It, quite frankly, sounds exhausting and the opposite of fun but it certainly looks good on camera.

Those Mickey Rooney scenes that everyone finds problematic are referenced. Turns out they were included as a means to make the movie funnier. It does not translate as the entire bit is not funny in the slightest. I have always found those scenes out of place with the rest of the movie and really wish they would have taken them out. The context given here does not make them fit any better or make them any less problematic.

Truman Capote is given his share of space within these pages. I find it fascinating that he hated the movie and did not visit the set even once. He was not a fan of Audrey Hepburn's casting at all which baffles me because it is now one of her most well recognized roles. I definitely want to do a deeper dive into Truman and his 'Swans' now and learn more about all these women who claimed to be the inspiration for Holly Golightly.

A well researched look at a piece of American film culture. I am fairly certain that nobody on the set knew exactly what they were creating while filming Breakfast at Tiffany's and that makes the behind the scenes gossip even more interesting. It is also a testament to the talent involved because of the careers that springboarded from this movie. I highly recommend this if you are a fan of the film or just a fan of Audrey Hepburn. Just make sure you have time to watch the movie afterwards because you will definitely want to.