The Movie Journal

  Breakfast at Tiffany's (1961) Breakfast at Tiffany’s is a charming, whimsical romantic film that showcases the legendary, beautiful Audrey Hepburn. I was first introduced to Hepburn’s charms in the 1964 classic My Fair Lady , where even playing a common, poor, dirty woman still made her absolutely beautiful. Three years earlier, Hepburn graced the world with perhaps her best-known role. As for the film itself, there was much to enjoy. Hepburn and her extroverted character is the main draw, but the charming romance, the supporting cast, the excellent music, and the love story to New York City are just some of the attention the movie gets. This story is actually based off a novella from Truman Capote. Capote was disappointed with the film on the whole especially since he wrote his story with Marilyn Manson in mind. Manson was convinced that the part was not for her and passed on the role. Hepburn was later casted which drew the ire of Capote. Capote originally wrote the story as ...

West Side Story (1961) How on earth did I miss the juggernaut of a musical, West Side Story ? As soon as the aerial footage of New York City came on the screen, I was drawn in and captured by the magic of this excellent musical. Funnily enough, I knew a majority of the songs (such as “I Feel Pretty”) but I never associated them with this production of course. At two-and-a-half hours, the movie flew by because it has a fast tempo. I became enamored with the characters on both sides of the rival gang war and I felt for them despite their differences. The music is fantastic! You cannot have a great musical without excellent songs and dance! The film was adapted to the screen by the great screenwriter Ernest Lehman. Prior to the film, the story was a bestselling novel from Arthur Laurents and was a huge success on Broadway thanks to the talents of Jerome Robbins. Robert Wise, a much-respected studio veteran, came on to direct this adaptation. Because he lacked the skills and exp...

The Hustler (1961) If you are an actor of any sort, first-time actor just starting out or a veteran actor trying to hone in acting skills, look no further than 1961’s acting masterpiece, The Hustler . Robert Rossen’s feature is a clinic for acting. Paul Newman, Piper Laurie, George C. Scott, and Jackie Gleason all came to play. The characters they play are so realistic, that they can be referred to as touchstones. Even though this film features billiards, do yourself a favor and disregard any notion that this is a sports movie. The film itself doesn’t care about the pool table or if any audience member even knows the rules of the sport. Although first conceived as a sports movie, Rossen decided to change the film into a character-driven drama midway through filming….and for the better. He wanted to focus more on a love story and themes such as redemption and the strengthening of character. That is a good thing too because I could care less for the actual sport and most likely ...