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Screenplay (Continued)

INT. WILLIAM'S KITCHEN - DAY

Anna is on the phone. Spike is blithely heading downstairs to

the kitchen in just his underpants.

SPIKE:

Morning, daring ones.

He does a thumb up to William -- very excited about what he knows

was a 'result.'

ANNA:

(on the phone)

It's Anna. The press are here. No, 

there are hundreds of them. My

brilliant plan was not so brilliant

at all. Yeh, I know, I know. Just get

me out then.

(she hangs up)

Damnit.

She heads upstairs.

WILLIAM:

I wouldn't go outside.

SPIKE:

Why not?

WILLIAM:

Just take my work for it.

The moment William goes upstairs, Spike heads for the front

door.

EXT. WILLIAM'S HOUSE - DAY

From outside -- we see this scrawny bloke in the frame of the 

doorway, in his gay underpants. A thousand photos. Spike

poses athletically.

INT. WILLIAM'S CORRIDOR - DAY

Spike closes the door and wanders along to a mirror in the hall-

way, muttering.

SPIKE:

How did I look?

Inspects himself.

SPIKE:

Not bad. Not bad at all. Well-chosen

briefs, I'd say. Chick love grey.

Mmmmm. Nice firm buttocks.

INT. WILLIAM'S BEDROOM - DAY

William enters. He's unhappy for her. She's almost dressed.

WILLIAM:

How are you doing?

ANNA:

How do you think I'm doing?

WILLIAM:

I don't know what happened.

ANNA:

I do. Your furry friend thought he'd

make a buck or two telling the papers

where I was.

She's pacing.

WILLIAM:

That's not true.

ANNA:

Really? The entire British press just

woke up this morning and thought 'Hey --

I know where Anna Scott is. She's in 

that house with the blue door in Notting

Hill.' And then go out in your god damn

underwear.

SPIKE:

(dropping in)

I went out in my god damn underwear too.

WILLIAM:

Get out, Spike.

(he does)

I'm so sorry.

ANNA:

This is such a mess. 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.

WILLIAM:

You do?

It's a difficult moment -- defining where they stand.

ANNA:

As far as they're concerned I do. And

now tomorrow there'll be pictures of 

you in every newspapers from here to

Timbuctoo.

WILLIAM:

I know, I know -- but... just -- let's

stay calm...

ANNA:

You can stay calm -- it's the perfect

situation for you -- minimum input, 

maximum publicity. Everyone, you ever

bump into will know. 'Well done you --

you slept with that actress -- we've 

seen the pictures.'

WILLIAM:

That's spectacularly unfair.

ANNA:

Who knows, it may even help business.

Buy a boring book about Egypt from the

guy who screwed Anna Scott.

She heads out.

INT. STAIRS/LIVING ROOM - DAY

WILLIAM:

Now stop. Stop. I beg you -- calm down.

Have a cup of tea.

ANNA:

I don't want a god damn cup of tea. I 

want to go home.

The doorbell goes.

WILLIAM:

Spike, check who that is... and for 

God's sake put some clothes on.

Spike leans merrily out of the window.

SPIKE:

Looks like a chauffeur to me.

INT. WILLIAM'S KITCHEN/CORRIDOR - DAY

They move from the kitchen into the corridor.

ANNA:

And remember -- Spike owes you an 

expensive dinner. Or holiday --

depending if he's got the brains to get

the going rate on betrayal.

WILLIAM:

That's not true. And wait a minute...

this is crazy behavior. Can't we just

laugh about this? Seriously -- in the 

huge sweep of things, this stuff 

doesn't matter.

SPIKE:

What he's going to say next is -- there

are people starving in the Sudan.

WILLIAM:

Well, there are. And we don't need to 

go anywhere near that far. My best 

friend slipped -- she slipped down-

stairs, cracked her back and she's in a

wheelchair for the rest of her life. 

All I'm asking for is a normal amount

of perspective.

ANNA:

You're right: of course, you're right.

It's just that I've dealt with this

garbage for ten years now -- you've had

it for ten minutes. Our perspectives are

different.

WILLIAM:

I mean -- today's newspapers will be 

lining tomorrow's waste paper bins.

ANNA:

Excuse me?

WILLIAM:

Well, you know -- it's just one day.

Today's papers will all have been 

thrown away tomorrow.

ANNA:

You really don't get it. This story

gets filed. Every time anyone writes

anything about me -- they'll dig up 

these photos. Newspapers last forever.

I'll regret this forever.

He takes this in. That's the end.

WILLIAM:

Right. Fine! I will do the opposite,

if it's all right by you -- and always be

glad you came. But you're right -- you

probably better go.

She looks at him. The doorbell goes again. She opens the door.

Massive noise and photos. Outside are her people, including

Karen, a chauffeur, two bodyguards. And then the door is shut

and they're all gone. Silence.

INT. WILLIAM'S KITCHEN/CORRIDOR - DAY

Spike and William sitting there. Pause.

WILLIAM:

Was it you?

SPIKE:

I may have told one or two

people down at the pub.

WILLIAM:

Right.

He puts his head in his hands. It's over now.

EXT. LONDON - DAY

As full, sad music plays -- William begins to walk through 

Notting Hill.

This walk takes six months... as he walks, the seasons actually

and magically change, from summer, through autumn and winter,

back into spring...

First it is summer -- summer fruits and flowers -- a six-month 

pregnant woman -- Honey with another leather-jacket boyfriend.

As he walks on the rain starts to fall -- he turns up his coat 

collar -- umbrellas appear. Followed by winter coats -- 

chestnuts roasting -- Christmas trees on side and the first hint 

of snow.

Then he comes to Blenheim Crescent, which is startling snowscape,

for the hundred yard, right across Ladbroke Grove.

By the time he reaches the purple cafe, the snow is melting and

in a few yards, it is spring again. He passes Honey again --

arguing with her boyfriend, walking away tearful. Then turns

past 'the pregnant woman' -- now holding her three-month baby.

The camera holds on her.

INT. BOOKSHOP - DAY

A grey day in the bookshop. Martin and William. As ever. A

feeling that things in there ever change.

Ten seconds pass. Honey rushes in. Spike, still feeling in 

disgrace, comes with her but lingers in the doorway.

HONEY:

Have we got something for you. 

Something which will make you love me so

much you'll want to hug me every single

day for the rest of my life.

WILLIAM:

Try me. What is it?

HONEY:

The phone number of Anna Scott's agent

in London and her agent in New York. You think about her

all the time -- now you can ring her!

WILLIAM:

Well, thanks, that's great.

HONEY:

It is great, isn't it. See you tonight.

Hey, Marty-- sexy cardy.

And she rushes out. William looks at the piece of paper, folds

it and then places it gently in the garbage bin.

INT. TONY'S RESTAURANT - NIGHT

Bella bangs a spoon on a wine bottle. All the friends are

gathered in the restaurant.

BELLA:

I have a little speech to make -- I won't

stand up because I can't... be bothered.

Exactly a year ago today, this man here

started the finest restaurant in London.

TONY:

Thank you very much.

BELLA:

Unfortunately -- no one ever came to eat

here.

TONY:

A tiny hiccough.

BELLA:

And so much face the fact that from next

week, we have to find somewhere near to

eat.

Tony's brave face breaks. The dream is over.

BELLA:

I just want to say to Tony -- don't take 

it personally. The more I think about

things, the more I see no rhyme or reason

in life -- no one knows why some things

work out, and some things don't -- why

some of us get lucky -- and some of us...

BERNIE:

... get fired.

BELLA:

No!

BERNIE:

Yes, they're shifting the whole outfit

much more towards the trading side -- 

and of course...

(he owns up)

I was total crap.

They're all rather stunned.

TONY:

So we go down together! A toast to 

Bernie -- the worst stockbroker in the 

whole world!

They toast him.

HONEY:

Since it's an evening of announcements

... I've also got one, Ahm... I've decided to get

engaged.

Total bewilderment from the others.

HONEY:

I've found myself a nice, slightly odd

looking bloke who I know is going to 

make me happy for the rest of my life.

Special cut to Bernie -- the shot shows he had special feelings

for Honey.

WILLIAM:

Wait a minute -- I'm your brother and I

don't know anything about this.

MAX:

Is it someone we know?

HONEY:

Yes. I will keep you informed.

As she sits down, Honey leans toward Spike and whispers.

HONEY:

By the way -- it's you.

SPIKE:

Me?

HONEY:

Yes. What do you think?

SPIKE:

Groovy.

MAX:

Any more announcements?

WILLIAM:

Yes -- I feel I must apologize to 

everyone for my behavior for the last

six months. I have, as you know, been

slightly down in the mouth.

MAX:

There's an understatement. There are

dead people on better form.

WILLIAM:

But I wish to make it clear I've turned

a corner and henceforward intend to be

impressively happy.

INT. TONY'S RESTAURANT - NIGHT

Two hours later. They've had a very good time. There's been a 

chocolate cake. Lots of alcohol. Tony is playing 'Blue Moon'

on the piano, and Bernie joins him, singing.

At one table Bella and Honey sit -- beer and wine on the table.

BELLA:

I'm really horribly drunk.

Elsewhere, Max and William are relaxed together.

MAX:

So -- you've laid the ghost.

WILLIAM:

I believe I have.

MAX:

Don't give a damn about the famous girl.

WILLIAM:

No, don't think I do.

MAX:

Which means you won't be distracted by

the fact that she's back in London, 

grasping her Oscar, and to be found 

filming most days on Hampstead Heath.

He puts down a copy of the 'Evening Standard' with a picture of

Anna on its cover.

WILLIAM:

(immediate gloom)

Oh God no.

MAX:

So not over her, in fact.

EXT. HAMPSTEAD HEATH - DAY

Cut to the wide sweep of Hampstead Heath. William entirely 

alone. He marches up a hill... goes over the crest of it -- and

sees a huge film crew and hundreds of extras in front of the 

radiant white of Kenwood House, with its lawn and its lake.

Back

Screenplay Continued

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