classic movies to watch this valentines day

Its no secret. I love a good love story.

And come Valentines Day, Im usually already queuing up a few of my go-t0 classic favorites of yesteryear to rewatch with my guy or a group of girlfriends and guy-friends. The gang includes all the usual suspects: Cary Grant. Audrey Hepburn. Humphrey Bogart. Grace Kelly. Fred Astaire. The list goes on.

Naturally, it probably goes without saying at this point, but I adore Audrey Hepburn (as evidenced here, here and here), and while Breakfast at Tiffanys has long since been on my TTT Classics recreation list, I wanted to find a way to pay homage to the final scenes in the rain, when Holly is a far cry from her glamorous-self at the opening credits in front of the Tiffanys windows. Shes without her big sunglasses. Her diamond tiara is no where in sight. And her coy smile has faded a stripped back version of the New York it-girl of her creation, with Lula Mae peeking through some of the cracked facade. I think we can all relate to the idea of wearing armor at some point in our lives, and Holly, for better or for worse, created a version of herself that protected and insulated her from the world that at times, yes, was out to cage her. I, for one, couldnt blame her either.

As you might have guessed, without fail, I still tear up every time when George Peppard tells Hepurn, I dont want to put you in a cage, I want to love you! shortly before handing her the ring he was planning on proposing to her with. Soaked and emotionally overwhelmed, they both run out into that gritty New York alley, looking for poor nameless Cat, before finally embracing each other in the classic Hollywood, all is right with the world kiss. Cue the credits.

If you ask me, Holly Golightly is perhaps one of the most fascinating book to film characters, especially considering the wake of women it sent into a frenzy, claiming to be Capotes muse for the now iconic character. Among them included the likes of socialite Gloria Vanderbilt, it-girl Oona ONeil, writer/actress Carol Grace, model Dorian Leigh and even Capotes sister, Suzy Parker, with many other women lining up after them, so much so, that Capote himself dubbed it the Holly Golightly Sweepstakes.