I caught up with the movie, Notting Hill, again last night after 8 years(a re-run on Cable TV). Starring Julia Roberts and Hugh Grant, it struck me how this could be one of the greatest love stories ever made(along with 'Pretty Woman', of course).
A very good-looking female who makes $15 million per movie meets the regular Joe who owns a not-too flourishing bookshop, but has a good network of family and friends and seems content. Then they fall in love. He strives to show her normalcy, she is drawn away by the pressures and stress of being a household showbiz name.
At the end of this tale, she follows her heart, comes pleading and tells him, "I'm just a girl asking a boy to love me".
Incredible. It made me feel very good. It also made me realize how far my life had drifted from what was my target when I was a child. I just wanted to be happy, have great endings like this in life. And so you might say, it's just a movie- Isn't Julia Roberts the quintessential 'Runaway Bride' in reality? And wasn't Mr Grant, in reality, caught with the prostitute, Divine Brown in his car a few years ago, while he was still engaged to Elizabeth Hurley?
Ok, if those thoughts have crossed your mind, you're as jaded as I am and you need to sit and strive for beauty again. Really.
I think we allow something to be taken from us as we grow 'older and wiser'. We allow life to tell us what direction we ought to be heading, what manner we ought to love others. In reality, I do not have the supportive family network that supported H. Grant in his time of need; I do not have the patience to suffer rejection, anyone that says no to me cant be good for me, "I've grown older and wiser".
I'd like to leave this earth having experienced the purity of emotions like those that propelled the two lead actors in Notting Hill, again. Last time I felt like that, I was 14 or 15 years old and the skies were blue then. I believed in innocence and didn't realise bad things happen to good people and that only the strong survive.
But like in 'desiderata', we should stop to smell the roses. "What is this world if full of care, we have no time to stand and stare?"
So this street-wise Lagosian was made to sit and think yesterday. There is beauty out there in all areas, and not just in love. May our eyes be open to see.
12 comments:
I absolutely love Julia Roberts.
I don't want to be anyone else (As in I'm comfortable being myself). But if I was asked to be any celebrity, It will be Julia.
Yeah there is so much beauty out there.
I like the post.
Meanwhile I tagged you on my blog :-). That's if you don't mind.
Thanx, nilla. I think she's a beautiful woman, inside and out.
And I don't mind the tag. Had decided to tag myself because I liked the questions on ur blog and then saw my name ;-)
Julia Roberts is by far my favourite actress and one of the most beautiful women on TV.I love nottinghill and i've watched it over and over again and i love spikey with his whole understanding of pandora's box.heheheheee!
I believe the songs used in that movie are some of the best ever created. The title song, 'She', is extraordinary. There's a part where H. Grant walks down the road to his store and the seasons change as he does so... you just pray for family and friends like that.
As for the mad welsh man, spike, he's a major part of that movie's beauty.
Please somehow or the other, transfer this your new found positive and non-jaded romantic attitude and ideals to me... I need someone to break my cycle of cynicism toward romance...
damsel,
I'm the 'Girl Whisperer'. First lessons free.
"What is this world if full of care, we have no time to stand and stare?"... "No time to stand, when moon is past and watch our feet, how they can dance.."
I love that poem. Nice insights to life man.
Wolzie,
You should see The Notebook, I think it'll appeal to you. I finally watched it yesterday after much noise from folks. This flick has been out for a while and I had to dig through the shelf at Hollywood video to get me a copy....else I would have turned into an irrate customer..:-). Its one of those that makes one believe in love.
I've seen nottinghill a few times and I always enjoy every minute of it. Love has a way of seeing beyond the glitz and glamor.
Did you like dreamgirls? I thought it captured the ruthlessness of the American music industry in earlier times pretty well. It's Diana Ross' life with the Supremes told on screen. Deena's character was something or don't you think so? I can't wait till next month for Eddie Murphy and Jennifer Hudson (Effie White) to go home with Oscars. They've won all major awards for their roles in dream girls and academy awards will be the crowning glory.
Ok Girl Whisperer....how much do you charge for the second lesson? And you had better charge in Naira...:-)!..V
Thanx mack. You're a learned young man.
@anon. V- I'll be sure to look out for 'The Notebook'.
Yeah, I loved 'Dream Girls' and it was good to see Eddie Murphy extend his range. As for the 'girls' themselves, they were all extra-ordinary.
Second lessons at "the Girl Whisperer's?". Depends on how willing you are to learn from this tutor. Might give you a scholarship if you do well.
I was touched when I read this... for obvious reasons... Here's to stopping and smelling the roses every once in a while... cheers papi
cheers Storm, you're beautiful.
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