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Notting Hill (film)

From Alfawiki
Notting Hill
Company typeFilm
IndustryFilm industry
FoundedMay 21, 1999; 27 years ago (1999-05-21)
FounderRichard Curtis (writer), Roger Michell (director), Duncan Kenworthy (producer)
ProductsRomantic comedy film

Notting Hill is a 1999 romantic comedy film directed by Roger Michell, penned by Richard Curtis, and produced by Duncan Kenworthy. Featuring Julia Roberts and Hugh Grant in leading roles, the story revolves around a romance between a London-based British bookstore owner and a renowned American actress, set in the Notting Hill area.

Premiering on 21 May 1999, Notting Hill received widespread critical praise and went on to become the highest-earning British film at that period. It secured three nominations at the 57th Golden Globe Awards, including Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy, alongside two nominations from the BAFTAs. Additionally, the movie garnered a British Comedy Award and a Brit Award for its soundtrack.

Plot

William Thacker runs a travel bookshop located in Notting Hill, London. He is divorced and lives with Spike, an untidy Welsh roommate.

When Hollywood star Anna Scott enters his shop one day, an accidental spill leads Will to assist her in changing clothes at his apartment, culminating in an unexpected kiss. Subsequently, Anna invites Will to the Ritz Hotel, where he is mistaken for a journalist and attends her film press event. She consents to accompany him to his sister Honey’s birthday celebration, impressing his circle of friends and family. Their bond deepens through shared experiences, including secret kisses in a local park.

While dining out, they overhear men making disparaging remarks about actresses; Will challenges them, and Anna stands her ground. When Anna’s boyfriend Jeff unexpectedly arrives at her hotel room, Will departs abruptly. Over the next six months, although Will's friends set him up on dates, his thoughts remain with Anna.

Following a tabloid scandal, Anna seeks refuge at Will’s home. She discloses her split from Jeff, and they connect over mutual interests — notably Will’s print of Marc Chagall's 1950 artwork symbolizing love and joy. Their relationship becomes intimate; however, paparazzi—alerted inadvertently by Spike—capture photos of them together. This leads Anna to blame Will and leave.

As time passes, Will remains despondent. Learning that Anna is filming in London on a Henry James adaptation he recommended, he visits the set but overhears her speaking dismissively about him and leaves. The following day she arrives at his bookshop bearing a gift. After clarifying that her earlier remarks were meant to protect their privacy, she professes her love and wishes to restart their relationship. Will declines out of fear of future pain.

At a gathering with friends and family in a restaurant, Will opens Anna’s present: the original Chagall painting La Mariée. Spike criticizes Will’s choice, prompting everyone to rush to Anna’s press conference at the Savoy Hotel. There she announces taking a year-long hiatus and leaving the UK that night. Will asks if they can be more than just friends; she agrees and hints she intends to remain in Britain indefinitely.

Anna and Will wed; their wedding cake features the violin-playing goat from La Mariée. Spike and Honey also marry. Pregnant with Anna’s child, they revisit the park where they shared their first date.[1]

Cast

Uncredited appearances

Casting details

  • Julia Roberts was considered the sole candidate for the role of Anna Scott; her agent described it as "the finest romantic comedy script she had ever encountered." Roberts accepted after reading the screenplay.
  • Hugh Grant was unanimously selected for William Thacker’s role due to his strong creative rapport with writer Richard Curtis. Director Roger Michell highlighted Grant’s distinctive skill in delivering Curtis’s dialogue flawlessly.
  • Mischa Barton makes a brief appearance as the child actress interviewed by Will for Horse & Hound.
  • The supporting cast including Bonneville, McInnerny, McKee, Chambers, and Ifans was thoughtfully chosen to form a cohesive group of friends that director Michell described as an authentic "family."
  • Sanjeev Bhaskar features in a cameo role as an outspoken restaurant customer referencing Meg Ryan’s iconic performances.
  • Omid Djalili appears uncredited portraying an orange juice vendor selling to Will.
  • Science fiction writer China Miéville makes an extra appearance humorously commenting on the film's setting.

Production

Richard Curtis conceived the film while awake during the night, describing it as "the story of an ordinary individual dating an extraordinarily famous person and how that affects their lives".[2] In a 2018 interview, Hugh Grant revealed that the movie was loosely inspired by a friend of Curtis who fell for an "incredibly world-renowned individual".[3] This aligns with the film’s narrative of a regular person encountering a celebrity in a store (Harrods) and beginning a romance.[4]

The movie has drawn comparisons to "a 1990s London-set take on Roman Holiday", although Curtis mentioned he had never watched the 1953 classic.[5]

Director Mike Newell opted out of directing to work on Pushing Tin. Subsequently, producer Duncan Kenworthy appointed Roger Michell, commending him as "like discovering the perfect actor for each character."[6]

Julia Roberts initially turned down the role, believing the proposal was weak.[7]

Curtis selected Notting Hill as the backdrop because of his personal connection to the neighborhood, describing it as "a cultural melting pot and an ideal location for a film". Despite difficulties, the production team chose to shoot on location. Kenworthy mentioned that although building sets was considered for better control, filming in public streets was preferred. Michell expressed concerns about managing crowds and paparazzi but praised location managers and security teams for handling these challenges effectively. Local residents were reportedly "truly enthusiastic" about the project. Location manager Sue Quinn characterized obtaining permits as "an enormous undertaking," which involved contacting thousands of locals and contributing to 200 charities.[8]

Production designer Stuart Craig emphasized the complexity involved in shooting amidst bustling streets and market vendors.[8] Principal photography commenced on 17 April 1998 in West London and at Shepperton Studios. Significant filming sites included Portobello Road (home of Will's bookshop), Westbourne Park Road, Golborne Road, Landsdowne Road, and the Coronet Cinema. The residence used for Will’s house at 280 Westbourne Park Road belonged to Curtis; its iconic blue door was auctioned off for charity and subsequently replaced.[9] After spending six weeks filming in Notting Hill, production shifted to locations such as the Ritz Hotel (for nighttime scenes), Savoy Hotel, Nobu Restaurant, Hempel Hotel’s Zen Garden, and Kenwood House.[8]

The final scene depicting a film premiere presented obstacles; permission to shoot at Leicester Square was initially denied due to police concerns about crowd control. However, under health and safety regulations, approval was granted and the scene was constructed within a single day.[8] Interior sequences were filmed last at Shepperton Studios.[8]

The original edit ran approximately three and a half hours; roughly ninety minutes were cut before release.[10]

Included in the film is the 1950 Marc Chagall artwork ("The Bride"). Anna notices a print hanging in William’s home and later presents him with the original painting. Michell explained that Curtis selected this piece because it symbolizes longing. A replica was crafted by British artist Thomasina Smith after obtaining permission from the owner and clearance from the Design and Artists Copyright Society. The production agreed to destroy this reproduction after filming concluded to avoid any confusion in the art market.[6]

Furthermore, the book Istanbul: The Imperial City (1996) by John Freely appears within the film; William recommends it to Anna. Freely was a faculty member at Boğaziçi University in Istanbul and authored nine volumes concerning the city.[11]

Soundtrack

The original score was crafted by Trevor Jones, whose principal compositions are featured throughout the movie and split into two pieces on the soundtrack album (Will and Anna and Notting Hill). The collection also showcases prominent tracks by various musicians, including Elvis Costello's rendition of Charles Aznavour's "She". Aznavour’s original recording is heard during the opening credits, while Costello’s version plays near the conclusion of the film. Additional significant songs include Shania Twain’s remixed take on "You've Got a Way" and Ronan Keating’s cover of "When You Say Nothing at All", which achieved number one status on the UK charts. For the European soundtrack edition, Pulp contributed the track "Born to Cry".

During a key scene set on Portobello Road, the soundtrack features "Ain't No Sunshine" by Bill Withers, and "Blue Moon" is performed in the final restaurant scene. Following feedback from American test audiences, Costello was asked to record his version of "She," which appears alongside Aznavour’s original in versions released outside the US.

Issued by Island Records, the soundtrack presents different track arrangements for US and UK/EU releases:

US version track listing
Catalog #314 546 196-2

  1. "No Matter What" – Boyzone (4:33)
  2. "You've Got a Way" (Notting Hill remix) – Shania Twain (3:21)
  3. "I Do (Cherish You)" – 98° (3:45)
  4. "She" – Elvis Costello (3:06)
  5. "Ain't No Sunshine" – Bill Withers (2:03)
  6. "How Can You Mend a Broken Heart" – Al Green (6:24)
  7. "Gimme Some Lovin'" – The Spencer Davis Group (2:57)
  8. "When You Say Nothing at All" – Ronan Keating (4:14)
  9. "Ain't No Sunshine" – Lighthouse Family (3:41)
  10. "From the Heart" – Another Level (4:51)
  11. "Everything About You (remix)" – Steve Poltz (3:55)
  12. "Will and Anna" – Trevor Jones (Score) (3:35)
  13. "Notting Hill" – Trevor Jones (Score) (4:45)

UK/EU version track listing
Catalog #314 546 428-2

  1. "From the Heart" – Another Level (4:51)
  2. "When You Say Nothing at All" – Ronan Keating (4:14)
  3. "She" – Elvis Costello (3:06)
  4. "How Can You Mend a Broken Heart" – Al Green (6:24)
  5. "In Our Lifetime" –Texas (4:06)
  6. "I Do (Cherish You)" – 98° (3:45)
  7. "Born To Cry" – Pulp (5:33)
  8. "Ain't No Sunshine" – Lighthouse Family (3:41)
  9. "You've Got a Way" (Notting Hill remix) – Shania Twain (3:21)
  10. "Gimme Some Lovin'" – The Spencer Davis Group (2:57)
  11. "Will and Anna" – Trevor Jones (Score) (3:35)
  12. "Notting Hill" – Trevor Jones (Score) (4:45)
  13. "Ain't No Sunshine" – Bill Withers (2:03)

Gareth Cousins handled recording and mixing duties for both the film’s score and songs, with Simon Rhodes assisting in mixing all tracks featured in the movie.

Release

The movie had its debut at the Odeon Leicester Square on 27 April 1999, followed by its UK theatrical release on 21 May 1999. It was then launched in the United States the subsequent week.

Critical reception

Notting Hill was met with generally favorable reviews from critics. On Rotten Tomatoes, it holds an approval rating of 84% based on 105 critiques, with an average score of 7.1 out of 10. The site's summary reads: "A romantic comedy featuring the perfect mix of elements, Notting Hill demonstrates the enduring appeal of a well-crafted love story—especially with Hugh Grant and Julia Roberts leading."[12] On Metacritic, the film earned a score of 68 out of 100, signifying "generally favorable reviews".[13] Viewers surveyed by CinemaScore assigned it a "B+" rating.[14]

Derek Elley from Variety described the film as "polished" and clarified that it was "definitely not 'Four Weddings and a Funeral' Part 2," while maintaining a positive tone.[15] Cranky Critic labeled it "an ideal movie for a date," and Nitrate commended its "lighthearted and whimsical" atmosphere along with its "unforgettable characters".[16] John J. Puccio characterized it as a "charming film" and a contemporary fairy tale.[17] Additional praise came from critics such as Desson Howe of The Washington Post, Roger Ebert, Kenneth Turan, and CNN's Paul Clinton, who highlighted the film's humor, charm, and compelling performances.[18]

Some critiques focused on the film’s somewhat idealized depiction of London life and its lack of ethnic diversity. The Independent described it as "unrealistic," while others pointed out the absence of London's multicultural population.[19]

Lists

On the British Film Institute's ranking of top 100 British films by box office admissions, Notting Hill placed 95th.[20]

Box office

Released during the Memorial Day weekend in North America alongside Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace, Notting Hill entered the box office at number two with $27.7 million—the highest opening for a romantic comedy at that time—surpassing Julia Roberts' previous record set by My Best Friend's Wedding. The following week it added another $15 million to its earnings.[21] This record was surpassed one month later by Runaway Bride, also starring Roberts.[22]

In the United Kingdom, the film amassed £31 million (ranking second in 1999 behind The Phantom Menace) and earned $116 million in North America (16th highest for that year), culminating in a global total of $364 million.[23] These figures established it as the highest-grossing British film at that time, overtaking Four Weddings and a Funeral (1994), which also featured Hugh Grant.[24]

Awards and nominations

At the 2000 BAFTA Awards, Notting Hill received the Audience Award for Most Popular Film and was nominated for Outstanding British Film as well as Best Supporting Actor for Rhys Ifans.[25] It secured Best Comedy Film at the British Comedy Awards and won Best Soundtrack at the 2000 Brit Awards.[26] The Empire Awards honored it with Best British Film, Best Director for Roger Michell, and Best Actor for Hugh Grant.[27]

The movie garnered three Golden Globe nominations: Best Motion Picture – Comedy or Musical, Best Actor (Hugh Grant), and Best Actress (Julia Roberts).[28]

See also

External links

  1. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named Paige
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  12. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named rt
  13. ↑ Metacritic
  14. ↑ CinemaScore
  15. ↑ Variety
  16. ↑ Cranky Critic, Nitrate
  17. ↑ DVD Town
  18. ↑ Washington Post, Ebert, Turan, CNN
  19. ↑ BBC News, The Independent, The Guardian
  20. ↑ bfi
  21. ↑ BBC News, Box Office Mojo
  22. ↑ Box Office Mojo
  23. ↑ BBC News, Box Office Mojo
  24. ↑ BBC News
  25. ↑ BAFTA
  26. ↑ British Comedy Awards, Brit Awards
  27. ↑ Empire Awards
  28. ↑ Golden Globes
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