Notting Hill - Outline

One of the best scripts ever. We should read this all the time. Good relationships, good tension, great comedy. 

Written by Richard Curtis

• “ROMANTIC MUSIC PLAYS THROUGH THE CREDITS, WHICH ARE DIVIDED INTO TWO PARTS.”
• Various shots introduce us to Notting Hill, a very small town feel, as William makes his way through and gives some slight back story.
• The V.O. breaks when we meet Spike
• GREAT CHARACTER INTRODUCTION: “Spike appears. An unusual looking fellow. He has unusual hair, unusual facial hair and an unusual welsh accent: very white. As though his flesh has never seen the sun. He wears only shorts.”
• Then William goes to work, describing it as “another hopeless Wednesday.
• GREAT LOCATION DESCRIPTION: It is a small shop, slightly chaotic, bookshelves everywhere, with little secret bits round corners with even more books.
• Note: This is a HAPPY and SUPPORTIVE world. THIS is the tone we want. I’m sure of it!!

 

1. Meet Anna in TV spots
2. Meet William and the town
3. Meet Spike and William’s living situation
4. Meet Martin at work and the bad work situation
5. See a work situation get solved, demonstrating the ‘everyone cares’ attitude of this place
6. See William meet Anna
7. See William follow Anna and accidentally spill juice on here
8. See William see Anna at home after she changes into a black dress. See the awkward goodbye.
9. See Anna leave, then come back because she forgot her bag.
   1. SHE’S NOW AT THE DOOR AGAIN – IN THAT SMALL SPACE. SECON TIME SAYING GOODBYE. A STRANGE FEELING OF INTIMACY. “Oh hell.” AND SHE KISSES HIM. TOTAL SILENCE. A REAL SENSE OF THE STRANGENESS OF THOSE LIPS, THOSE FAMOUS LIPS ON HIS. THEY PART.
10.  See Spike enter. See Anna leave. Understand: This is about an ordinary and boring life made extraordinary by extraordinary love.
11.  See William the next day. Back at work. A little sad to see a bus with Anna’s face out the window.
12. William at dinner with four friends.
    1. They know the chef. Again, that small town, everyone supports each other feel. They literally say they think he’ll have the most successful restaurant in London in a week.
13. William asks after his friend’s lives. “Bell – any news on the kids front? We hopeful godparents are getting seriously impatient.”
    1. Bernie hesitates, then this line of action: SHE’S DEALING HERE WITH SOEMTHING THAT IS TERRIBLY SERIOUS TO HER.
14. William almost tells his secret about Anna, but doesn’t.
15. We see William and friends outside after eating. Just chatting. Setting up some future relationships. Also: Seeing another image of Anna. His friends think she’s gorgeous. They also set up that there’s a party later.
16. We see William at home with Spike, who is wearing Willy’s scuba stuff. This is the second indication that Willy loves scuba. (he earlier revealed that he liked it to Anna, after saying he hates selling books).
    1. HE SELLS TRAVEL BOOKS but feels stuck here. Nice move, Richard Curtis.
17.  We see William learn that Anna called him! She left a name for the Ritz but Spike forgot what that Alias is. Then he calls and gets through anyway.
18. We see William arrive with flowers to her hotel, but it’s a press junket. He arrives with another guy! And he says he’s from the Hare and the Hound. William gets called inside.
19. SHE TAKES THE FLOWERS. PAUSE. A LOT OF TENSION. THESE TWO PEOPLE HARDLY KNOW EACH OTHER – AND THE FIRST AND LAST TIME THEY MET THEY KISSED.
    1. William continues the conversation under the guise of a horse interviewer, because Anna’s press guy comes in and takes ntoes or whatever.
    2. William botches his chance. She’s leaving town soon.
    3. William is forced to do the WHOLE CIRCUIT of actors as the interviewer, but that’s okay cuz then he ends up back with Anna.
    4. He invites her to his sister’s bday party that night and she tags along.

 
NOTE: They did a lot to make this a BIG CONCEPT. It’s not just a simple fated love story. It’s a fated love story about a movie star and a very small-town, bored as fuck guy. Got so much out of it.