At The Movies

AT THE MOVIES (July 27, 2023)

Nancy's Notes 🖊️🎶

Johnny Mercer and Henry Mancini wrote the song “Moon River” for Audrey Hepburn to sing in the 1961 film, “Breakfast At Tiffany’s”, based on Truman Capote’s novella of the same. The lyrics, written by Mercer, are reminiscent of his childhood in Savannah, Georgia, including its waterways. Mercer said that as a child, he picked huckleberries in the summer and he connected them with his carefree childhood and Mark Twain’s Huckleberry Finn. You can imagine Johnny Mercer’s memories in this enchanting song.

In the movie “Breakfast At Tiffany’s”, Holly Golightly (Audrey Hepburn) is a deliciously eccentric New York City playgirl determined to marry a Brazilian millionaire. George Peppard plays her next-door neighbor, a writer who is “sponsored” by 2-E, a wealthy older woman who lives in the same building and is known only by her apartment number.

Guessing who’s the right man for Holly is easy. Seeing just how that romance blossoms is one of the enduring delights of this charming movie.

Singer Andy Williams splendidly crooned his way through the brilliant Oscar-winning Mancini/Mercer theme song. Let’s all relax and enjoy the smooth tones of Andy Williams singing “Moon River”.

There’s a new beautiful rendition of “Moon River” by Eric Clapton and Jeff Beck which Nick played for us a couple of weeks ago; I thought it would be fun to play it again today. Which one gets your vote – Andy or Eric & Jeff? Please share your comments with us.

I do love Andy Williams’ version but I can’t resist a good axe man … and here we have two in Clapton and Beck! What do you think?

Thanks for joining me today for a peek at this captivating film and a listen to this beautiful song. See you again next week.

Tomorrow is Friday so you know what that means: Nick is in the house and he’s breaking boundaries!

See you on the flip side.

I’m The Sicilian Storyteller

NAR © 2023

29 thoughts on “AT THE MOVIES (July 27, 2023)”

  1. Nancy, waited till sunset before sharing my thoughts…why, one may ask.
    Because Audrey Hepburn, Moon River, Sicilian Storyteller… nuff said!

    I obviously love the Clapton/Beck version ( what do I have to do M & N, to be on a first name basis, too?😀 I know, I know…too late!).
    Having said that, Andy Williams is simply iconic.
    I guess it depends on the mood:
    AW is like a Manhattan cocktail enjoyed at a low lit bar with polished dark wood surfaces reflecting the silk dress of the heavenorhell next to you.
    CB is a straight bourbon accompanied by the chik-chak sounds next to you, as your motorcycle cools off after a ride towards the sunset.

    Cin cin 🥂

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  4. This is a classic song. I like both versions here, because I like the men who made them. My favorite is actually Audrey Hepburn’s: she had to fight to get her version into the movie rather than having Marni Nixon dub it for her. She had quite a nice voice, not as good as Marni Nixon’s, but there was something more genuine to it.

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    1. I’m surprised to read that, John. While researching this, I read that Mercer & Mancini wrote Moon River specifically with Hepburn in mind. Maybe the producers didn’t want her doing it; they always have something to say – it’s their bucks, after all. Same story with Ava Gardner in Showboat.
      Marni Nixon sang for everyone; she was very good but the women she dubbed for all sounded the same IMO.

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  6. Love this movie, and haven’t seen it in years. Anything with lovely Audrey Hepburn is a winner for me. As for the song, I might be the odd one out – I prefer Andy Williams’s version.

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  8. Wow! “Breakfast at Tiffany’s”, a romantic movie; Capote’s story not so. “Moon River”, “Moon River”. You drove me to Spotify to listen to all the recordings of that song. Rod Stewart’s voice is that which I imagine for Capote’s Holly Golightly; Audrey Hepburn’s for the Holly Golightly of the movie. After that, for me, it is always Andy Williams’ version; however, the Clapton / Beck rendition was very good and well reflected the mood of the movie. Time to go.

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    1. Good morning, A. You are so very right. Truman Capote was not known for writing romcoms; his is a darker tale and I much prefer the Holly Golightly from the film.
      Andy Williams is synonymous with “Moon River’, don’t you think?. But the more I listen to Clapton & Beck, the more I love their rendition and their sound together.
      Thanks for sharing your thoughts today.

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      1. This morning if I were drafting a memorial service for myself, I would include the Clapton/Beck version of “Moon River”. It has the sort of hauntingly melancholic sound that would fit. It says so much.

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