Notting Hill Page #7

ANNA:

'For June, who loved this garden --

from Joseph who always sat beside

her.'

We cut in and see an inscription carved into the wood. She

doesn't read the dates, carved below -- 'June Wetherby, 1917

- 1992.' She is slightly chocked by it.

ANNA:

Some people do spend their whole

lives together.

He nods. They are standing on either side of the bench,

looking at each other. The camera glides away from them, up

into the night sky, leaving them alone in the garden. Music

plays.

INT. WILLIAM'S LIVING ROOM - EVENING

William in a towel rushes downstairs, having just had a shower.

He shoots past Spike.

WILLIAM:

Bollocks, bollocks, bollocks. Have

you seen my glasses?

SPIKE:

No, 'fraid not.

WILLIAM:

Bollocks.

(still searching --

with no help from

Spike)

This happens every time I go to the

cinema. Average day, my glasses are

everywhere -- everywhere I look,

glasses. But the moment I need them

they disappear. It's one of life's

real cruelties.

SPIKE:

That's compared to, like,

earthquakes in the Far East or

testicular cancer?

WILLIAM:

Oh sh*t, is that the time? I have to

go.

INT. WILLIAM'S LIVING ROOM/CORRIDOR - EVENING

He sprints downstairs, now fully dressed.

WILLIAM:

(not meaning it)

Thanks for your help on the glasses

thing.

SPIKE:

(sincerely)

You're welcome. Did you find them?

WILLIAM:

Sort of.

INT. CINEMA - NIGHT

Mid-film. We move across the audience. And there is in the

middle of it, we see Anna, watching the screen, and next to

her, William, watching the film keenly, through his scuba-

diving goggles.

INT. RESTAURANT - NIGHT

A very smart Japanese restaurant. We see Anna and William

sitting, near the end of their meal.

ANNA:

So who left who?

WILLIAM:

She left me.

ANNA:

Why?

WILLIAM:

She saw through me.

ANNA:

Uh-oh. That's not good.

We've been aware of the conversation at a nearby table --

now we can hear it. Two slightly rowdy men.

LAWRENCE:

No - No- No! Give me Anna Scott any

day.

William and Anna look at each other.

GERALD:

I didn't like that last film of hers.

Fast asleep from the moment the

lights went down.

Again -- Anna reacts.

LAWRENCE:

Don't really care what the films are

like. Any film with her in it --

fine by me.

GERALD:

No -- not my type at all really. I

prefer that other one -- blonde --

sweet looking -- has an orgasm every

time you take her out for a cup of

coffee.

Anna mouths 'Meg Ryan.'

LAWRENCE:

Meg Ryan.

William and Anna smile -- they're enjoying it.

GERALD:

Drug-induced, I hear -- I believe

she's actually in rehab as we speak.

LAWRENCE:

Whatever, she's so clearly up for it.

Anna's twinkle fades.

LAWRENCE:

You know -- some girls, they're all

'stay away chum' but Anna, she's

absolutely gagging for it. Do you

know that in over fifty percent of

languages the word for "actress" is

the same as the word for "prostitute."

This is horrible.

LAWRENCE:

And Anna is your definitive actress

-- someone really filthy you can just

flip over...

WILLIAM:

Right, that's it.

He gets up and goes round the corner to the men. There are in

fact four of them, the two meeker men, Gavin and Harry, hanging

on the other guys' witty words.

WILLIAM:

I'm sorry to disturb you guys but --

LAWRENCE:

Can I help you?

WILLIAM:

Well, yes, I wish I hadn't overheard

your conversation -- but I did and I

just think, you know...

He's not a very convincing or frightening figure.

WILLIAM:

...the person you're talking about

is a real person and I think she

probably deserves a little bit more

consideration, rather than having

jerks like you drooling over her...

LAWRENCE:

Oh sod off, mate. What are you, her

dad?

Anna suddenly appears at his side and whips him away without

being recognized.

WILLIAM:

I'm sorry.

ANNA:

No, that's fine. I love that you

tried... time was I'd have done the

same.

They walk on and then...

ANNA:

In fact -- give me a second.

And she walks straight back to their table.

ANNA:

Hi.

LAWRENCE:

Oh my God...

ANNA:

I'm sorry about my friend -- he's

very sensitive.

LAWRENCE:

No, look, I'm sorry...

ANNA:

Please, please -- let's just leave

it there. I'm sure you meant no harm,

and I'm sure it was just friendly

banter and I'm sure you d*cks are all

the size of peanuts. A perfect match

for the size of your brains. Enjoy

your meal. The tuna's really good.

And she walks away. Gerald turns to Lawrence.

GERALD:

You prick.

EXT. RITZ ARCADE - NIGHT

They are walking.

ANNA:

I shouldn't have done that. I

shouldn't have done that.

WILLIAM:

No, you were brilliant

ANNA:

I'm rash and I'm stupid and what

am I doing with you?

WILLIAM:

I don't know, I'm afraid.

ANNA:

I don't know either.

They have arrived at the end of the arcade.

ANNA:

Here we are.

(pause)

Do you want to come up?

WILLIAM:

(he hoes)

There seem to be lots of reasons

why I shouldn't.

ANNA:

There are lots of reasons. Do you

want to come up?

His look says yes.

ANNA:

Give me five minutes.

He watches her go -- and stands in the street. Music plays.

INT. RITZ CORRIDOR/ANNA'S SUITE - NIGHT

William coming along the hotel corridor. He knocks on the

door.

ANNA:

Hiya.

There's something slightly awry. He doesn't notice.

WILLIAM:

Hi.

He kisses her gently on the cheek.

WILLIAM:

To be able to do that is such a

wonderful thing.

ANNA:

(pause)

You've got to go.

WILLIAM:

Why?

ANNA:

Because my boyfriend, who I thought

was in America, is in fact in the

next room.

WILLIAM:

Your boyfriend?

He is duly shocked. She's trying to be calm.

ANNA:

Yes...

JEFF (V.O.)

Who is it?

Jeff drifts into view behind. He is a very famous film star and

looks the part -- well built, very handsome. Unshaven, he has

magic charm, whatever he says. Over a t-shirt, he wears a

shirt, which he unbuttons as he talks.

WILLIAM:

Ahm... room service.

JEFF:

How you doing? I thought you guys

all wore those penguin coats.

WILLIAM:

Well, yes -- usually -- I'd just

changed to go home -- but I thought

I'd just deal with this final call.

JEFF:

Oh great. Could you do me a favour

and try to get us some really cold

water up here?

WILLIAM:

I'll see what I can do.

JEFF:

Still, not sparkling.

WILLIAM:

Absolutely. Ice cold still water.

JEFF:

Unless it's illegal in the UK to

serve liquids below room temperature:

I don't want you going to jail just

to satisfy my whims...

WILLIAM:

No, I'm sure it'll be fine.

JEFF:

And maybe you could just adios the

dishes and empty the trash.

WILLIAM:

Right.

And he does just that. Scoops up the two used plates and heads

to the bin.

ANNA:

Really -- don't do that -- I'm sure

this is not his job.

JEFF:

I'm sorry. Is this a problem?

WILLIAM:

Ah -- no. It's fine.

JEFF:

What's your name?

WILLIAM:

Ahm... Bernie.

Jeff slips him a fiver.

JEFF:

Thank you, Bernie.

(to Anna)

Hey -- nice surprise, or nasty

surprise?

ANNA:

Nice surprise.

He kisses her.

JEFF:

Liar.

(to William)

She hates surprises. What are you

ordering?

ANNA:

I haven't decided.

JEFF:

Well, don't over-do it. I don't want

people saying, 'There goes that

famous actor with the big, fat

girlfriend."

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