Audrey, Part 3: Holly and Mod

After she had her first son, Sean, with husband Mel Ferrer, Audrey Hepburn began filming what is perhaps the most iconic role of her career: Holly Golightly in Breakfast at Tiffany's. Holly was a quirky callgirl, "a lopsided romantic, a dreamer of dreams," in producer Martin Jurow's words. The part (originally intended for a sexier actress like Marilyn Monroe) had to be toned down to fit Audrey's grace. The signature Holly Golightly look: Givenchy black dress, up-do, and diamonds layered with pearls have become synonymous with Audrey's image. Next up in her career was a movie with a rather shocking theme: The Children's Hour in the same year, where she played opposite Shirley MacLaine as teachers accused of lesbianism. In 1963, she worked with Cary Grant in Charade. Her next film, the rather unfortunate but gorgeous Paris When It Sizzles, is notable only for Givenchy's creation of her new signature perfume, Interdit and the fact that her costar attempted to romance her despite Mel Ferrer. The musical My Fair Lady was much more successful, despite the fact that Audrey's voice was dubbed over. She made three more films in the sixties: the comedy How To Steal A Million, the comedy/drama Two For The Road where she sported mod Mary Quant, and the drama/thriller Wait Until Dark. After 1967, Audrey decided to step away from her career and focus on her personal life, divorcing Mel Ferrer (citing his temper and control issues) and taking care of her son, Sean. She met and fell in love with Italian psychiatrist Andrea Dotti on a cruise in 1968, and she married him the following year (when she was forty and he was thirty). She had another son, Luca, in 1970.

(Photos: my scans from Audrey Hepburn.)