Over fifty years ago, novelist Truman Capote narrowed in on the jewelry company Tiffany as the poster child for what would become one of his most famous pieces. “In Cold Blood” arguably brought him more fame, but “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” has lingered in the cultural zeitgeist longer thanks to its immaculate thematic work. The novella would have dimmed if Tiffany’s had faltered, but the store still stands tall in New York City, a bastion of hope that, perhaps one day, we can all have breakfast there.
Obviously this sentiment is a fabrication of Capote’s, as no jewelry company can provide people with a reprieve from the inner turmoil that he was writing about. And yet, there’s something about Tiffany’s that made him choose it and continues to make us all go along with the metaphor. The documentary Crazy About Tiffany’s looks to cash in on this sentiment and provide viewers with some jewelry porn at the same time.
Behind the curtain looks at famous institutions have been popular in the documentary scene of late, and while they can feel like puff pieces, it’s still interesting to see how these businesses run. I personally have no interest in jewelry, but the cultural significance of Tiffany’s is a solid hook, as is what looks to be some elegant staging by the filmmakers. The film is clearly trying to capture the grandeur of Tiffany’s, and that’s an elusive quality that would be interesting to see constructed.
Crazy About Tiffany’s is directed by Matthew Miele and stars Jessica Biel and Katie Couric. It is being released in the U.S. on February 18th, 2016 with no further release dates scheduled at this time.
Is beautiful jewelry enough to get you into a movie theater or do you want something more from your documentaries?
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