Breakfast at Tiffany's: Revisited

On my recent trip to Thailand I was treated by an airplane with individual entertainment screens. Having been on 13 hour flights with and without these units, I can tell you that they make a huge difference. Once, on a flight to Egypt -- one with just the small screen in the front of the plane where everyone watches the same film -- I was somewhat pleased to find out that the movie was one I would enjoy. Within minutes, the film went wonky, they couldn't fix it and we watched the same documentary about finding Egyptian artifacts that I had seen numerous times on these flights. And, they looped it, so it played continuously throughout the flight. I didn't want to watch it, I tried not to. But, inevitably my eyes would wander to the screen and that long flight became less tolerable.
But, this flight was different. The entertainment unit was loaded with great (and not so great) films, new and old. Among the choices was Breakfast at Tiffany's. I hadn't seen it since I was very young but remembered liking it. I thought it would be fun to revisit such a classic film. As the cast members were shown across the screen in the introduction I was already having fun. Hepburn -- she is so cute, Peppard, the A Team guy, Buddy Epson from the Beverly Hillbillies! This is going to be gre... wait a minute, did that just say Mickey Rooney as Mr. Yunioshi? What the hell? OK, why don't I remember this? Maybe he isn't going to be an awful Japanese stereotype. Maybe I misread that name. It couldn't be --- no, it is.

The film opens with the most horrifying scene of Rooney playing up the most ridiculous and embarrassing stereotypes of Asians. Buck teeth, clumsy, nutty accent, wearing his headband in the bathtub. Then, I realized that my plane is on it's way to Tokyo. I am surrounded by real Japanese people and I am horrified to think they might see one of these scenes as they stretch their legs or walk to the bathroom and think I am one of those ugly Americans laughing at this ridiculous stereotype. The worst part is that this character adds absolutely nothing to the film. The entire purpose of the addition of this character is to take a brief intermission from the actual story to make fun of Japanese people. This character adds absolutely nothing of substance to the film.
To be honest, I think this really stinks. I love watching Hepburn live in denial, play the part "of a real phoney" and finally give up the facade in the end. It's a predictable script but one for which many young girls can relate. But now, it's ruined. I feel like a dope for sitting through the Yonioshi bits. I feel like the studio should remaster it or whatever they do to edit things to make a non-racist version for those of us who just want to watch young girls be stereotypes as young, frivolous and foolish gold diggers (believe me, I see the irony).
Still, maybe having these films as a way to document how our sensibilities have evolved is important too.