JERICHO, NY, September 17, 2002 – On Saturday, September 21, AMC has an "Absolutely Audrey" day with a line-up of four quintessential Audrey Hepburn films, including ROMAN HOLIDAY and BREAKFAST AT TIFFANY'S. Hepburn, a favorite for her uncanny ability to exude vulnerability and steely will simultaneously, garnered five Best Actress Oscar® nominations, and took home one, as well as the 1993 Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award.
The festival begins at 11:00 AM (ET) with the Best Picture Oscar® winner MY FAIR LADY (1964). Hepburn stars as a Cockney flower girl Eliza Doolittle, who becomes a "real lady" under the tutelage of an arrogant linguist out to win a bet (Rex Harrison). Nominated for a total of 12 Academy Awards®, the Alan Jay Lerner musical (based on the play Pygmalion, by George Bernard Shaw) won eight, including Best Director (George Cukor) and Best Actor (Rex Harrison). (Also at 10:05 PM.)
Next, at 2:00 PM (ET), ROMAN HOLIDAY (1953) features Hepburn – in her first starring role – as a royal princess who escapes her solitary life disguised as an ordinary tourist in Rome. Little does she realize her new friends are a hungry reporter (Gregory Peck) and news photographer (Eddie Albert) out for a scoop. Directed by William Wyler, who handpicked her for the role, Hepburn took home the Best Actress Oscar®, and the film won for Best Writing and Best Costume Design (from a total of 10 nominations, including Best Picture and Best Director). (Also at 8:00 PM.)
In the suspense thriller WAIT UNTIL DARK (1967), airing at 4:05 PM (ET), Hepburn earned another Best Actress nomination as Susy Hendrix, a blind woman who is unwittingly stalked and manipulated by a sadistic heroin dealer (Alan Arkin) who believes she has a shipment of drugs that belongs to him. Richard Crenna and Efrem Zimblast, Jr., co-star.
The festival concludes at 6:00 PM with the movie BREAKFAST AT TIFFANY'S (1961), based on the Truman Capote novella. Hepburn portrays New York party girl Holly Golightly (aka, Lulamae Barnes), whose charming yet confused life intersects with that of her upstairs neighbor (George Peppard). Nominated for five Academy Awards® – including Hepburn for Best Actress – the film won for Best Music and Best Song ("Moon River"). Patricia Neal and Buddy Ebsen co-star.
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