Author Sam Wasson will deliver a talk about his new book Fifth Avenue, 5 A.M., tonight at the Museum of Fine Arts as part of their Artful Thursday at 6:30 pm. The lecture is free and will be followed by a book signing and reception. Fifth Avenue traces the production of Breakfast at Tiffany’s, including revealing stories about Audrey Hepburn’s black dress, the beginning of the image of modern women in film and behind the scenes stories of the shooting the film. Wasson also has penned a biography of the Tiffany’s director Blake Edwards.

Tomorrow night, Friday January 14 at 7 pm., the MFA will unreel Breakfast at Tiffany’s. Oddly while the story has many memorable elements the film has aged considerably due to Edwards’ choice to use Mickey Rooney to play a stereotyped Japanese character. In fact this bit of xenophobic casting has resulted in the film being pulled from a recent outdoor screening in L.A.

Wasson’s book illuminates the debate that went on between Edwards and his producers over the casting of Rooney as well as the evolution of Hepburn’s Givenchy dress. The first scene shot on the film is the opening sequence where Hepburn is standing in front of Tiffany’s in said dress. There were two dresses for this shot and the one she was wearing when she was shot standing in front of the store window was so tight she was sewn into it. Other tidbits include the relations of the cast and crew and the evolution of Truman Capote’s source novel.

- Michael Bergeron