Saturday, 18 September 2021 19:41

Love Actually





LOVE ACTUALLY

UK, 2003, 135 minutes, Colour.
Alan Rickman, Bill Nighy, Colin Firth, Emma Thompson, Hugh Grant, Laura Linney, Liam Neeson, Martine McCutcheon?, Andrew Lincoln, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Kiera Knightley, Kris Marshall, Rodrigo Santoro, Thomas Sangster, Rowan Atkinson.
Directed by Richard Curtis.

Writer Richard Curtis is a British institution. Not only has be contributed to such television stalwarts as Mr Bean and Blackadder and The Vicar of Dibley, he has written two of the most successful British romantic comedies, Four Weddings and a Funeral and Notting Hill. Not being a fan of the former, I enjoyed the latter, mainly because of the presence of Julia Roberts. But the common denominator of these films (apart from cameos by Rowan Atkinson) is the presence of Hugh Grant. Hugh Grant has also become a British institution with the former films but also Bridget Jones's Diary, About a Boy... In fact, he is such an institution that Curtis has cast him as the British Prime Minister and given him a rousing press conference speech, highly critical of the American President (Billy Bob Thornton) that had many British audiences applauding in the cinemas.

All of which is preface to saying that Love Actually did not do all that much for me. I realise that it is highly popular and many audiences will be greatly entertained. However, Curtis' mixture of romantic fluff with some serious undertones is not a satisfying brew for me. I did enjoy Hugh Grant's performance because I like his performance as the oops, by gosh (and other words) kind of Briton that he usually portrays. And, because Emma Thompson can do no wrong, I liked her segment of the film and she brought great poignancy to the role of the middle-aged wife with a husband with a wandering eye (Alan Rickman). I like Liam Neeson but could not believe
in his character as the bereaved husband and ultra-pally father. Bill Nighy has to be one of the most eccentric of
screen presences but he is very funny as the ex-druggie who loathes his Christmas hit single and gives dippy radio and TV interviews. Laura Linney is in it too, but...

Curtis does not really write rounded characters on the whole. Rather, his comedies (as with Bean) are populated, as were the medieval and renaissance morality plays, with 'humours', persons who embodied a particular characteristic ('humour') and who interacted with the other 'humours'. Characterisation was not required as the audiences knew how the humours ticked, what they represented and the moral stances (good and bad) they stood for. Critics who want greater depth from Curtis (as I do) have to admit that this is not what he is about and that audiences pick up the morality play aspects of his films and enjoy them a great deal.

1. The popularity of the film? A panoramic glimpse of England at the beginning of the 21st century? Comic, serious, moral, amoral?

2. The London settings, the variety, the glimpses of the London landscapes, homes, offices, parliament? The range of songs - especially with their theme of love? The humour of "Christmas Is All Around" as interpreted by Bill Nighy featuring throughout the film? The other Christmas songs?

3. The Christmas setting, its tone, the various weeks before Christmas and the month after? The cheerful setting - but the hard aspects of life as well as the humorous? And English politics and the special relationship with America?

4. The title and its being illustrated by the voice-over about Heathrow Airport, people meeting each other, the ranges of love? The experiences of love in between? The return to Heathrow Airport for the end? The collage of happy and loving faces at the end?

5. The variety of stories, their being interwoven, the characters connecting, acting from each other, the stories and the contrasts? The cheerful change of moods?

6. The story of Harry and Karen, fifteen years married, at home, Harry at work, the attraction of the secretary, her throwing herself at him, seductive? Arranging the Christmas party? The dancing? The gift, the humour of Harry buying the necklace and having to give it up? Karen seeing it, thinking it was for herself? The Christmas tree, the gifts, her finding herself with a Joni Mitchell CD? Her life at home, caring for the children, preparing for the Christmas pageant? Her going to the room, weeping, getting a grip? Her friendship with Daniel, supporting him at the death of his wife? Her relationship with the prime minister, the phone calls, seeing him at the concert? The concert, its success - her final confrontation of Harry? A month later and the family welcoming him home at Heathrow? The middle-aged man and the temptation for an affair? The middle-aged woman, devoted to the family, loving her husband, feeling humiliated?

7. The Billy Mack story, his career, heroin, the outrageous things he said, on air? His relationship with Joe, the manager, supporting him? Spoiling the recording? The interview on Watford radio, urging people not to buy the record, downplaying it? At Christmas, the television interview, Santa? With the chorus girls and the lascivious interpretation? His success, his going to Elton John's party, coming back to spend Christmas with Joe, acknowledging his dependence on him? His promise to sing the song naked - and the television screen showing him doing it? Joe as a decent manager, lonely, devoted to Billy?

8. Jamie's story, his relationship, the girl carrying on with his brother, his going to the wedding, coming home and catching her? Going to France, his writing, Aurelia coming to do the work, their not being able to speak to each other, the subtitles and their talking past each other? Her devotion, his driving her home? The pages blowing into the water, their going into the water? His explaining his writing? The return, her devotion? His learning Portuguese, the return, going to her father, the large sister, the crowd following, the proposal in the restaurant, her speaking English and accepting? Going to England and sharing his way of life?

9. Sarah's story, at work, the American background, the phone calls, her care for her brother, his mental impairment, violence, erratic? Her infatuation with Karl? Harry urging her to do something about it? The Christmas party, the dancing? Her going home with him, the phone calls, her opting to support her brother? The strained relationship in the office?

10. Daniel's story, widower, the funeral, the music, Karen and her support? Sam, his problems, the infatuation with the girl at school? Father and son and their frank talks together, uncovering the problem? Deciding what to do? The Christmas pageant, Sam and his learning the drums and driving his father mad? The performance, her noticing him, going to the airport, going through security, saying farewell, kissing Joanna, her return a month later?

11. The prime minister's story, the election, the bachelor Number 10 Downing Street? Introduction to the staff? Natalie and her awkwardness, swearing? His attraction? The Hugh Grant style of continually criticising himself? The cabinet meetings? The preparation for the president, his arrival, Billy Bob Thornton's style as the president? Frank talk, his coming on to Natalie? The prime minister's reaction? Getting rid of Natalie? His severe press conference, talking straight to the American president, asserting England's stance? The popularity with the press, his status? Lonely at Christmas, wanting Natalie back? Going to find her, knocking on the doors in the street? Going to the play, trying to hide, meeting Karen and the kids, the curtain going back and his kissing Natalie, the handling of the situation? Natalie, tea-lady, helping the prime minister, romance, her family?

12. The marriage of Peter and Juliet, the preparation, Mark and his having the band, the minister and his cheerfulness? The aftermath? Juliet wanting the video from Mark, thinking he didn't like her, seeing the video, his infatuation with her? His visit at Christmas, pretending to be a carols singer, his declaration of love?

13. Colin, catering, his putting his foot in it with the caterer at the wedding, his friend, the American dreams - and the humorous romanticism of his departure, his sex talk, going to Wisconsin, the glamorous girls including Claudia Schiffer and Denise Richards? His return and their coming with him? Denise Richards for his friend?

14. The jewellery salesman, Rowan Atkinson's comic style - and his appearing at the airport?

15. The couple and their being stand-ins for the pornographic film, their mundane discussions, the poses, the director, their getting to know each other, in intimate circumstances but distant, the date, the possibility of a relationship?

16. The incidental characters, the family relations, the radio and media personalities, the parliamentary background? An authentic atmosphere?

17. The film like a mediaeval morality play - not characters, but humours representing various stances? The broadness of the writing enlivened by the quality of the performances?

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