From the makers of Four Weddings and a Funeral, the commercials cried out. That is correct: producer Duncan Kenworthy, scenario writer Richard Curtis and main actor Hugh Grant are the central trio of Notting Hill, as they were five years before in Four Weddings and a Funeral, a movie that conquered the world and brought in 250 million dollars.
It was during the shooting of this first romantic comedy that Richard Curtis came up with the idea of a sequel. Well, not exactly a sequel, but something quite similar. Curtis explained that his idea began with a dream. Each week he dines with some of his friends and wouldn’t they be surprised if he’d turn up with the most famous, attractive woman in the world, like Madonna or – as was still possible then – princess Diana.
Curtis had worked out the idea after four years, after which the trio signed Julia Roberts instead of Andie MacDowell. The director in this case was the closing piece, but still theatre man Roger Michell was the right choice: the basis of the movie is formed by character building and somewhat stagy scenes.
Measured to its foundations, Notting Hill comes close to perfection. The story is simple. “Can the most famous film star in the world fall for the man in the street?”, is the movie tagline and that’s the best sum-up possible of the whole fairy-tale. A shy but charming bookshop keeper (Grant) meets famous, unreachable actress (Roberts) by accident. He gets her, loses her, gets her, loses her, oh well, you get the picture. Of course it’s not even a spoiler to tell you that they eventually get together, for this is the feel good movie of the century and a happy ending is a must.
Anna: Can I stay for a while?
William: You can stay forever.
In this genre, Notting Hill is a top movie. It is somewhat more easygoing than the now and then frenzied Four Weddings and a Funeral, with more opportunities for dialogue and character building. The humour is great and the acting is marvellous, making the chemistry between the two contagious. Besides Grant’s and Roberts’, the other characters are worth a praise as well. Top of the bill is his roommate Spike (“I knew a girl at school called Pandora. Never got to see her box, though”). Clearly the story is rather unrealistic and after a few Hugh Grant movies, you realise that he can only play one character well. Still, if you like movies like Four Weddings and a Funeral and number three in the series, Bridget Jones's Diary, Notting Hill is absolutely fabulous.
Anna: Rita Hayworth used to say, "They go to bed with Gilda; they wake up with me."
William: Who's Gilda?
Anna: Her most famous part. Men went to bed with the dream; they didn't like it when they would wake up with the reality. Do you feel that way?
William: You are lovelier this morning than you have ever been.
IMDB (7.2 out of 10) lists the following actors:
The movie soundtrack contains romantic ballads, some of them brilliant (Costello’s She for instance, a Charles Aznavour cover). The whole track listing:
- No Matter What – Boyzone
- You've Got A Way – Shania Twain (Notting Hill remix)
- I Do (Cherish You) – 98 Degrees
- She – Elvis Costello
- Ain't No Sunshine – Bill Withers
- How Can You Mend A Broken Heart? - Al Green
- Gimme Some Lovin' - Spencer Davis Group
- When You Say Nothing At All - Ronan Keating
- Ain't No Sunshine - Lighthouse Family
- From The Heart - Another Level
- Everything About You - Steve Poltz (remix)
- Will And Anna - Trevor Jones
- Notting Hill - Trevor Jones