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DECONSTRUCTION OF NOTTING HILL

The life of a simple bookshop owner changes when he meets the most famous
film star in the world.
Theme = Cinderella story. William is Cinderella. Anna Scott is the prince.
Anna as the prince falls for the Cinderella William.
Screenplay by Richard Curtis

ACT ONE. SEQUENCE ONE. THE SET-UP

Where? Establish location. Notting Hill. The area in London where he has his
business and friends around him.
Who? William is the protagonist. His journey will be followed in this story.
What? We hear his voice and learn about his life.

William is divorced. Reveal that his wife left him and there is no passion or
excitement in his life.

INCITING INCIDENT. Opposite of Good news but leads to the hero’s

happiness.

At the travel book shop which is not very successful and he is losing money, then
movie star Ann walks in. William recognizes her but says nothing – he deals with
a thief and tries to say something intelligent about the travel books. And fails.
Then he almost tells his drab assistant that someone famous was in but stops
himself.

William soaks anna with his orange juice.

She agrees to clean up at his house across the street, where it is a total mess.
She answers no to his questions and insane rambling.
She comes back for her bag and she kisses him in that tiny intimate space in his
narrow hall and leaves as spike comes in – with just a touch of William’s hand.
Later that night spike and William watch anna in a film

ACT ONE PINCH POINT

Something happens linked to the inciting incident which forces the
protagonist to make a decision and do something different.

ACT ONE. SEQUENCE TWO

#Mundane life at the bookshop with annoying customers.

#At the house – Spike is wearing a wet suit because he has no clean clothing.
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He casually mentions a phone call from anna at the Ritz. William calls and Spike
remembers the word Flintstone. Gets put through and they arrange to meet at
the hotel.
#Hotel scene. He gets caught up in a press conference and has to pretend he is
a journalist. Anna apologizes for the kiss. They almost kiss again. Then asks her
if she is free that evening.
#Fun section where William has to interview the other actors in the film. Makes a
complete fool of it. He is traumatized and on his way out
#Anna calls him back- there is a certain nervousness about being alone again
and she agrees to go out to his sister’s birthday as his date = PLOT PIVOT<
crucial decision.
The most famous movie star in the world is going on a date with him.
William Thacker.

END OF ACT ONE LOCKING EVENT. MAJOR TURNING POINT ONE.

This is the crucial scene where the main character leaves his ordinary world and
sets out to discover a new land on a quest to find, in a romantic comedy, love.
This is the point when the love story really begins and the excitement and thrill of
falling love challenges both of the characters.
Imagine that you are filming a trailer for your story – most of the clips would come
from these scenes.
Now you must deliver on the promise you have made to your target
audience. WE SHIFT INTO ACT TWO. SEQUENCE THREE.

End of Act 1. After the Ritz interview, William could just walk away.
Instead Anna agrees to go out with him on a date to his sister’s birthday party at
a friend’s house. THIS IS HUGE. Real locking event.

ACT TWO. SEQUENCE THREE.

Act Two is the point when the love story really begins and the excitement and
thrill of falling love challenges both of the characters.
Imagine that you are filming a trailer for your story – most of the clips would come
from these scenes.
Now you must deliver on the promise you have made to your target audience.

Initial meeting at the party scene.

New characters introduced– Max and Bella who is in a wheelchair.
His sister Honey who is open, bubbly and an embarrassment.
Their friend Bernie the stockbroker who asks her how much money she made on
her last film, oblivious to who she is.

The conservatory meal. Interaction and comic banter between the good friends –
birthday gifts. Anna pretends she likes the food but she is a vegetarian.
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Anna sees the love in this little pretend family. And envies it, the laughter, the
fun, the honesty. Then it takes a risk – the contest for who is the most useless for
a brownie.
Each of them gives a sad story Bella and Max the saddest of all.
Then Anna pipes in and tells them the truth about her life and suffering and
doubts and it is hard to hear. Then Max breaks the spell and makes them laugh.
Humour and deep sadness. They take her into their little family.

RELATIONSHIP DEVELOPS. FUN AND GAMES

#The Notting Hill garden scene. I thought you were leaving tomorrow. I was. She
climbs the railings. And he follows. She kisses him. Properly.
#The magical garden. Moonlight. A wooden bench. Engraved.
#Williams house – he is looking for his glasses. At the cinema he is wearing his
diving prescription goggles
#Smart Japanese restaurant. Anna is asking William about who left who. A group
of rowdy men start talking about Anna Scott. It turns horrible and William defends
her, and she loves that he tried, then she goes herself. ‘Time was I’d have done
the same’ – link to her reconnection to her true identity later.
# Ritz arcade scene. ‘I’m rash and I’m stupid and what am I doing with you?’ ‘I
don’t know I’m afraid.’ Do you want to come up?
# The Ritz hotel room. He has to leave because her boyfriend is in the next room.
He is totally shocked. And sees the god handsome boyfriend. He pretends to be
room service.
‘I’m sorry. I don’t know what to say.’ ‘Goodbye is traditional.’
William on the bus home –totally stunned - anna’s image all over the bus. Sitting
alone on his bed.

THIS PINCH POINT DEMONSTRATES A CHANGE IN THEIR RELATIONSHIP

IN RESPONSE TO CHALLENGES.

ACT TWO. SEQUENCE FOUR

REACTION TO THE CHALLENGE

#William at the cinema watching Anna in her new space film.

#William talking to Spike, morose, tells him that there is this girl ‘who can’t be
mine. And it is as if I’ve taken love heroin and now I can’t even have it again. I’ve
opened Pandora’s box. And there’s trouble inside.’
#Tony’s restaurant. The friends admit that they knew there was a boyfriend.
Max and Bella set him up with dates – 1. Tessa. 2. Keziah who is a fruitarian and
3. Rosie. Who is perfect for him.
He expresses his envy for what Bella – his ex-girlfriend and Max have. The rare
impossibility of finding mutual love.
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Next morning – Bella sets off for work, law books packed, and max for the city.
William sets of home past the newsagent where the headlines are all about Anna
Scott.

TURNING POINT 3 IS AT ABOUT THE HALFWAY POINT THROUGH THE

SCRIPT. THIS IS ALSO KNOWN AS THE MIDPOINT OF NO RETURN. THEY
CANNOT GO BACK FROM THIS POINT.
This could be a sexual, close, intimate or personal moment, but it has to be a
fundamental shift in their relationship that changes the entire direction of the story.

ACT THREE. SEQUENCE FIVE

#Williams house. Anna knocks at his door and asks to come in. her hair is a
mess and her eyes are tired and stressed/ upset.
#She reveals that some old photos have turned up and looks like a porno shot.
She did not know where to go. He tells her that ‘this is the place.’
#She has a bath which Spike walks into. Then she tells William that she has
thought about him and he changes the subject to talk about her latest film. Offers
to help with her lines.
#The script set on a submarine. He lifts her mood.
#She notices the print on his wall – a Chagall.
#Witty and fun banter over pizza. Eating ice cream out of the tub. Talking about
her nudity clauses and bum stunts.
# William is on the sofa downstairs. Waiting. Spike appears. Suggests that he
slip her one.
# Anna appears in the shadow. William starts to caress and kiss her in wonder.

#Williams’ bedroom. Anna is sleeping and tenderly touches him. Next morning
they chat about nakedness and breasts and she tests him about who he thinks
she is this morning. Close and intimate and natural. She goes to make tea and
toast – for him.
Can I stay a bit longer? Stay forever. She goes to get the jam.
#He goes to open the door – and finds the world’s press there. They take a photo
of William. Then her. Then Spike in his underpants

WE SHIFT INTO ACT THREE.SEQUENCE SIX.

STAKES AND PROBLEMS RAMP UP

INTENSIFICATION. Raising the Stakes. The protagonist s journey starts to get

considerably tougher. The tempo increases. The protagonist s drive increases to
match the increasing conflict.
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#His bedroom. She is a total mess and tells him ‘I come to you to protect myself
against more crappy gossip and now I’m landed in it all over again. For god’s
sake, I’ve got a boyfriend.’
‘You do?’ it is a difficult moment, defining where they stand. ‘as far as they’re
concerned I do.’ He tells her to stay calm but she cannot.
#He tells her to get some perspective on the situation. And they fight until she
says ‘I’ll regret this forever.’ He takes this in. That’s the end. ‘Right. Fine. I will do
the opposite- ---and always be glad you came. But you’re right – you probably
better go.

SEQUENCE 6 ENDS WITH TURNING POINT#4, MAJOR SETBACK, AT

ABOUT THE 75% POINT THROUGH THE BOOK.
THIS IS ALSO KNOWN AS THE DARK NIGHT OF THE SOUL OR THE BLACK
MOMENT AND IS A COMPULSORY PLOT POINT IN ANY ROMANCE.

#Six months pass. Scene in bookshop – honey and spike run in, all excited. She
has Anna Scott’s agent phone number. When she leaves, William drops it into a
bin.

# That night- Tony’s restaurant is closing. No customers. His dream is over.

Bernie announces that he has been fired. Honey announces that she is getting
engaged. [ whispers to Spike – that it is him.]
William announces that he has turned a corner and decided to be happy.
Max tells him that anna is back in London – filming. Shows him newspaper.

#William decides to go and see Anna on location on Hampstead Heath.

Awkward moment when security will not let him through, then Anna appears and
comes and talks to him.
He explains that he only found out that she was back. She says that she was
going to call him, but she did not think that he would want her to.
#Sound man gives him a headset, and he hears anna tell the actor that it is a bit
of an awkward situation. He is just a guy from the past. William says ‘of course’
and walks away. The moment of hope is gone. He could not have had a clearer
reminder.
# Back at his house, spike catches him throwing out his Anna Scott videos.

ACT FOUR. SEQUENCE SEVEN

PINCH POINT WHICH UPS THE STAKES AND MAKES THE REUNION EVEN
LESS LIKELY

At the shop the next day, Anna turns up with a gift. This is her last day.
‘The thing is, I have to go away today but I wondered, if I didn’t, whether you
might let me see you a bit.. or, a lot maybe, see if you could like me again.’
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William takes this is. “but yesterday the actor asked you who I was, and you just
dismissed me out of hand .. I heard.. you had a microphone.. I had headphones.”
“You expect me to tell the truth about my life to the most indiscreet man in
England?”
‘Look Anna, I’m a fairly level headed bloke. Not often in and out of love..can I just
say no to your kind request and leave it at that?’
the truth is..with you, I’m in real danger. It looks like a perfect situation, apart from
that foul temper of yours, but my relatively inexperienced heart would, I fear, not
recover if I was once again cast aside, which I would absolutely expect to be.
There are too many pictures of you everywhere, too many films. You’d go and I’d
be well, buggered, basically.’
‘I see. That reality is a real no, isn’t it?’
‘I live in Notting Hill. You live in Beverley hills.’

‘The fame thing isn’t real, you know. Don’t forget – I’m also just a girl. Standing in
front of a boy. Asking him to love her.’
Pause. She kisses him on the cheek. ‘Bye.’ Then turns and leaves.

SEQUENCE SEVEN ENDS IN TURNING POINT#5. THE CLIMAX DECISION.

DO OR DIE. COMMIT, COMPROMISE OR WALK AWAY. USUALLY AT THE
90% POINT.

ACT FOUR. SEQUENCE EIGHT

SELF-REVELATION FROM ONE OF THE CHARACTERS LEADING TO
RECONCILIATION. How have they developed as characters?

SELF-REVELATION

#Family gathering at the restaurant. Honey tells spike that William has just turned
down Anna Scott. ‘you daft prick!’
William tells them the words she used – and it hits him that she was being honest
and loves him.
#Car chase to the hotel –then the Savoy, in Max’s car.
#Press conference. Declaration from William that he had been a daft prick and
asks if she would reconsider leaving. Smiles all around as cameras flash.

RESOLUTION AND DENOUMENT.

Final image. Opposite to opening image. Bookends.
Garden. Wedding with the family. Will and pregnant Anna on the bench. Happy.