I must have watched Notting Hill 25 times. I have two DVDs - one to rent out to friends and the other I keep to myself. The movie must have grown on me - like Bangalore or friendship. The only first impression I have is of Anna in a blue skirt flashing her billion-$-gorgeous smile saying a few moments later “I am only a girl, standing in front of a boy, asking him to love her”. This line probably made it to the top ten romantic quotes of the century, but for me, it has been her radiant, magnetic, lightning smile that squirts a breath of fresh air at everyone who spotted it.
Some people are endowed with an aura that overpowers their own beauty with a dimension of character. This aura defies the theory that beauty is only skin-deep; the character feels like the soul, while beauty is only the body. My top five in alphabetical order include Clooney, Jolie, Julia, Madhuri Dixit and Rekha - some fabulous fabulous gifted beings. I wonder if anyone stands surprised that Julia is getting paid a million pounds to appear in a coffee advertisement where she doesn’t have to utter a single word? Though in all probability, I bet, she smiles.
Coming back to the film, I get to see Julia in multiple makeovers - The suited polished actress at interviews who lets her hair down self inviting herself as Will’s date to Honey’s birthday, the fastidious British woman who impudently asks Will to “have tea, there's lots of tea”, the girl with a flashing smile who makes the proposal, the powerful hollywood actress on the red carpet as the movie begins, the junior strong headed army personnel rehearsing her dialogues in a white tee among others. The story may be a little fairly-tale like but come on - we have to be a little open minded to the tiny possibility of a larger than life moment - shouldn’t we?
Right since the onset through the end, I very often find myself smiling - be it the cleverly scripted lines such as “get you spick and span out on the streets, in a non prostitute sense ofcourse” or the earthy demeanor of a hollywood star in responses such as “tempting, but no thank you” on being offered Rufus' phone number, an absolute nobody who attempts to steal a book from Will’s travel book shop. The movie is subtle and suave in etiquette except for a couple of ferocious, outrageous outbursts from Anna. Hugh Grant as William Thatcher does a good act of a down-to-earth British gentleman and adheres to the gentleman-tag sincerely.
The soul of the story is in its plain, real-life, simple, say-less-do-more moments. That is the reason why the movie sits in no. 2 position of my all time favorite movies.The fact that Julia is the means to deliver some of these moments only makes them perfect such as the ‘oopsie daisies’ garden scene where she reads out loud the scribe on a wooden bench “For June who loved this garden. From Joseph who always sat beside her”. In these two lines, she reads out the story of a couple who spent their lives together with the garden being a significant part of them; the gesture where Anna brings Will the Chagall painting of a “goat playing violin” from home and is probably the original masterpiece; or the simple appreciations we miss that life hands out to us as told by Bernie “...anyone saying they want to go out with you is pretty great, isn’t it?”; or a dinner table conversation that says a lot about friendship where we see people who have grown together through the years and it doesn’t matter how much money you have made or how successful you are - as long as you have friends who are willing and excited to throw you a birthday dinner party!
I wouldn’t call this movie ‘romantic’ - I would probably designate ‘Pride and Prejudice’ as the most romantic ever and ‘The Notebook’ somewhere in the “romantic” zone. Although Notting Hill to me, says substantially about love and commitment. In spite of non-cordial state of events between Anna and Will, they keep going to each other - pretty shamelessly - asking, hoping - probably wondering in anticipation of a ‘happier-state’ of mind. Isn’t that how love feels like sometimes? You reach out hoping the other one is available and you have a shot at being with them?
On the commitment bit, the proposal in this movie is my no.1 ever in film history. Its magical with its weighted words and questions without going down on the knees, the will you marry me?, or “yes” with a tear drop from the actress’ eye bullshit. It happens in a press conference with tens of reporters, spontaneous camera flash lights and a twinkle in Anna’s eyes as she says ‘indefinitely’ and ends up with a pregnant bump at the end of a song reading a book - probably on the same bench that was dedicated to June.
Thank you Roger Michell, I love you for directing such a wonderful movie. This one is for keeps.
Happy Valentine’s Day everyone!
