Notting Hill (1999)

The life of a simple bookshop owner changes when he meets the most famous film star in the world.

Director:

Roger Michell

Writer:

Richard Curtis

Stars:

Hugh Grant, Julia Roberts, Richard McCabe

Nominated for 3 Golden Globes. Another 11 wins & 14 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Julia Roberts	...	Anna Scott
Hugh Grant	...	William Thacker
Richard McCabe	...	Tony
Rhys Ifans	...	Spike
James Dreyfus	...	Martin
Dylan Moran	...	Rufus the Thief
Roger Frost	...	Annoying Customer
Henry Goodman	...	Ritz Concierge
Julian Rhind-Tutt	...	'Time Out' Journalist
Lorelei King	...	Anna's Publicist
John Shrapnel	...	PR Chief
Clarke Peters	...	'Helix' Lead Actor
Arturo Venegas	...	Foreign Actor
Yolanda Vazquez	...	Interpreter
Mischa Barton	...	12-year-old Actress

Storyline

Every man's dream comes true for William Thacker, an unsuccessful Notting Hill bookstore owner, when Anna Scott, the world's most beautiful woman and best-liked actress, enters his shop. A little later, he still can't believe it himself, William runs into her again - this time spilling orange juice over her. Anna accepts his offer to change in his nearby apartment, and thanks him with a kiss, which seems to surprise her even more than him. Eventually, Anna and William get to know each other better over the months, but being together with the world's most wanted woman is not easy - neither around your closest friends, nor in front of the all-devouring press.

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Plot Keywords:

fake reporter | paparazzi | united kingdom | england | peugeot | 

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Taglines:

Can the most famous film star in the world fall for just an ordinary guy?

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama | Romance

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for sexual content and brief strong language

Details

Official Sites:

Official Facebook

Country:

UK USA

Language:

English Spanish

Release Date:

28 May 1999 (USA)

Also Known As:

Notting Hill

Filming Locations:

280 Westbourne Park Road, Notting Hill, London, England, UK

Box Office

Budget:

$42,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$21,811,180, 30 May 1999

Gross USA:

$116,089,678

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$363,944,522

Company Credits

Production Co:

Polygram Filmed Entertainment, Working Title Films, Bookshop Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

124 min

Sound Mix:

DTS Dolby Digital SDDS

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.39 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The movie was remade in Hindi (Bollywood) as Humko Deewana Kar Gaye (2006).

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Goofs

After William leaves the movie set, in the next shot he goes back to the book shop. Seen through the window is the table with the books and globes. Then when Anna is standing near the window, we see that there are completely different kinds of books on the top shelf now.

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Quotes

[William has gone to see Anna filming, the film is a costume drama]
Karen, Anna's Publicist: Are you a fan of Henry James?

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Crazy Credits

The coloured dots and symbols pop up in time with the music (And when the word 'heart' is sung, a litte red heart appears)

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Alternate Versions

In his commentary on the DVD, director Roger Michell indicates that the song "She" is sung in "some territories" by Charles Aznavour, but it was thought that a French vocalist singing "in an English film about an American star" might be too confusing so they brought in Elvis Costello to do a cover version. The version shown in Thailand (and some other countries), and on the DVD issued there has Aznavour singing the song under the head credits. Elvis Costello's cover is used in the last sequence of the film, just like in the American and British releases. In addition, the Thai version finishes with "FROM THE HEART" (Performed By Another Level Written by Diane Warren) instead of "NO MATTER WHAT" by Boyzone.

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Connections

Featured in The Mindy Project: Pilot (2012)

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Soundtracks

GIMME SOME LOVIN'
Written by Spencer Davis, Steve Winwood, and Muff Winwood
Performed by Spencer Davis

User Reviews

Sparkling fairy tale romance, film star meets ordinary bookseller

Whether or not realistic, this is a wonderfully touching fairy tale like story of the romance between two people of unequal social and financial standing. The beautiful, rich, and famous American movie star is superbly captured by the incomparable and always endearing Julia Roberts, who brings such a wonderful vulnerability to her roles. Hugh Grant is perfect as the shy, stammering, bumbling, unassuming, obscure, and not very affluent London bookseller, who shares a flat with his zany, weird roommate, Spike.

The tale revolves around the world's most famous actress, Anna Scott, who visits a Notting Hill travel bookshop and thereby meets the very ordinary British bookseller, William Thacker. Improbable as it might seem, the two fall in love despite the fact that Anna already has a 'significant other' in the form of the obnoxious star, Jeff, who treats her poorly. Alas, Anna and William's romance is of course subject to hounding by the ubiquitous media, making the course of true love definitely not run smooth.

Just an aside, but did the screenwriters get Hugh Grant's character's name from the Victorian novelist, William Makepeace Thackeray? It seems quite a coincidence. Ha, ha. Anyway, nice name...

The film does a marvelous job conveying what must resemble Julia Roberts' own fishbowl life, subject to constant media scrutiny and innuendo. She must have identified strongly with the character she was playing, not only the media nuisance but also the failed relationships so common among film stars. Her hounding by the paparazzi is also of course reminiscent of that plaguing the late Princess Diana, and of course, sadly, resulting in her death.

The portrayal of William's friends is very touching here, as their reaction transforms from understandable awe at socializing with such a famous star, to accepting and treating Anna as basically an ordinary person and good friend. The viewer gets a sense of how much this response, this genuine friendship means to Anna. One of William's friends is a disabled wife in a wheelchair. Her normal, ordinary life and attitude are well captured and would be well received, I believe, by viewers with physical disabilities.

The love story is beautifully depicted. The sadness of Anna's failed past romantic involvements is conveyed, and despite the fame, her vulnerability as being really just 'an ordinary girl in love with an ordinary boy'. The portrayal of William is touching, as he copes with all the media attention, sees the actual person behind all that fame, wealth, and glamour, and tries to give Anna the genuine security and the 'ordinary life' she so desperately craves. A fabulous, moving, and ultra romantic film with a relevant message regarding modern society's perception and treatment of its movie stars. We can all learn a lesson here.