LOVE ACTUALLY Richard Curtis, 2003 INTRODUCTION Love Actually is a 2003 romantic comedy film written and directed by Richard Curtis. The screenplay deals with different aspects of love as shown through ten separate stories involving a wide variety of individuals, many of whom are shown to be interlinked as their tales progress. Set primarily in London, the story begins five weeks before Christmas and is played out in a weekly countdown until the holiday, followed by an epilogue that takes place one month later. The film begins with a voiceover from David, the Prime Minister, commenting that whenever he gets gloomy with the state of the world he thinks about the arrivals terminal at Heathrow Airport, and the love felt there as friends and families welcome their arriving loved ones. David's voiceover also relates that all the known messages left by the people who died on the 9/11 planes were messages of love and not hate. The film then tells the 'love stories' of many people, culminating in a final scene at the airport enacted to the tune of The Beach Boys' "God Only Knows" that closes their stories. The film ends with a montage of anonymous persons greeting their arriving loved ones that slowly enlarges and fills the screen, eventually forming the shape of a heart. CHARACTERS These are the main characters in Love, Actually. In each box by the pictures, write a few lines explaining who they are and what kind of “love story” is going on between them. These words might help you: romantic, heartbroken, caring, disloyal, cheating, attractive, straightforward, natural, handsome, grief‐stricken, caring, concerned, funny, optimistic, idealistic, cheerful, sexy, shy, eccentric, scheming, ageing, honest, experienced, helpful, loyal, ironic. 1. Billy Mack and Joe Billy Mack Joe 2. Juliet, Peter and Mark Juliet Mark Peter Jamie Aurélia 3. Jamie and Aurélia 1
4. Harry, Karen and Mia Harry Karen Mia 5. David and Natalie David Natalie 6. Daniel, Sam and Joanna Daniel Sam Joanna 7. Sarah, Karl and Michael Sarah Karl Michael 8. Colin, Stacey, Jeannie, Carol‐Anna, Harriet and Carla Colin Stacey Jeannie and Carol‐Anne Harriet and Carla 2
9. John and Judy John Judy Rufus 10. Rufus PLOT Here follows a summary of the movie plot. However, all points contain mistakes that you should correct. PART 1 (minutes 0:00‐0:45) 1. Love Actually consists of several unconnected stories about a group of Londoners and their love lives, set in the hectic week before Christmas. ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 2. Billy Mack, an ageing rock star, is in a recording studio. He is recording a Christmas song which he thinks is very good. The song is a cover of John Lennon’s ‘Imagine’ with some changes in the lyrics. ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 3. Daniel is struggling to come to terms with the recent death of his mother. He calls his friend, Karen, whose daughter has been given the part of the octopus in a Christmas play. ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 4. Mark, who runs restaurant, organizes and films Peter and Juliet’s wedding. Mark is Peter’s best man and he pretends not to like Juliet very much, although he is secretly in love with her. At the end of the wedding, there’s a lovely surprise for the newly‐wed couple. A gospel choir sings The Beatles’ ‘All You Need Is Love’ while several guests participate dancing. ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 5. A new Prime Minister enters Downing Street and is attracted to Natalie, a member of his security staff. ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 6. Jamie, a writer, comes back early from Peter and Juliet’s wedding to discover that his girlfriend is having an affair with his best friend. ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 7. Daniel attends his wife’s funeral with his eleven‐year‐old son, Sam. ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 8. The next day, Mark’s friend Sarah is at the office of her company, Fairtrade. She admits to her boss Harry that she is in love with him. ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 9. After failing several times trying to woo English girls, Colin Frissell, a designer at Fairtrade, informs a friend he plans to go to the US and find love there because, as he sees it, that country is full of gorgeous women who will fall head over heels for him because of his looks. Tony, his friend, tries to discourage him. ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 10. John and Judy who up to this point were unknown to each other, work as stand‐ins for the sex scenes in a movie. Because of the various sexual activities they have to simulate, and frequent nudity, they are very uncomfortable with each other. ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 3
11. On a radio interview about his new Christmas song, Billy says he’s a happy and successful man. ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 12. The Prime Minister discusses an upcoming visit from the French President with his ministers and blushes when he meets Natalie again. ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 13. Daniel tells Karen that Sam is behaving strangely, and Daniel thinks this is because of his mother’s death. However, he discovers that it’s because Sam is being bullied at school. ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 14. Jamie leaves London for his farmhouse in Italy and begins writing again. ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 15. Billy gives an interview on a TV show that upsets his long‐suffering manager, Joe. During that interview, Billy mocks the rival band (Blue) by writing on a poster “we like men”. Then he recommends children to become rock stars because all girls will love them. ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 16. Juliet asks Mark if she can see the video film that he shot at the wedding, which Mark is happy to show her. ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 17. At Fairtrade, Harry, the boss, begins to flirt with his secretary Mia. ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 18. The Prime Minister is upset because he has caught the French President looking at his secret papers. ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 19. In Italy, Jamie meets and falls in love with his attractive Spanish cleaning lady, Aurelia. ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 20. The Prime Minister stands up to the French President during his visit, and the British public dislikes this. The Prime Minister’s sister, Karen, calls him, then tells her husband Harry that she thinks her life is dull compared with the Prime Minister’s. ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. PART 2 (minutes 00:45‐ 1:23) 21. In France, Aurélia, who speaks only Spanish, jumps into a lake to because it’s unusually hot for that time of the year. Jamie jumps in as well. Although they have communication problems, their love grows. ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 22. Juliet visits Mark unexpectedly and discovers that Mark’s has recorded a football match on her wedding tape. ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 24. The Prime Minister has Natalie transferred to another job because he doesn’t like her any more. ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 25. Daniel’s son Sam is sad because Joanna is going back to America. Sam watches a music video of Billy Mack’s Christmas song. He thinks that if he is a guitarist in a rock group, Joanna might fall in love with him ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 26. Aurélia helps to pack Jamie’s car for his Christmas trip to England. She’s happy because he’s leaving and so she can take a holiday. ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 27. At the Fairtrade Christmas party, Harry dances with his wife Karen. ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 4
28. Karl invites Sarah to dance. She invites him up to her flat, but their romantic evening is interrupted by a telephone call from Sarah’s father, who is having a heart attack. ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 29. At home after the party, Karen warns Harry to be careful of Mia. The next day, Mia asks Harry to buy her a new stapler for the office. ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 30. During a TV interview, Billy Mack promises that if he’s song hits number one he will perform it on television wearing a Santa Claus costume. ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 31. Jamie, back in London, is studying Spanish. ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 32. Harry and Karen go to a department store to do some Christmas shopping. While Karen is somewhere else, he tries to buy a necklace for Mia, but finally he changes his mind because the necklace is too expensive. ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. PART 3 (1:23‐ 2:09) 33. The first place Colin goes after landing in the USA is a bar where he meets Stacey, Jeannie and Carol‐Anne, three stunningly attractive women who fall for his accent and invite him to stay at their home, with them and their housemate Harriet ("the sexy one"). They warn him that he will have to sleep on the couch. ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 34. On Christmas Eve, and Karen’s family is opening presents. She opens a gift from Harry, a book, which she likes a lot. ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 35. Billy’s song has unexpectedly become the Christmas Number 1 hit and he is invited to Mick Jagger’s Christmas party. ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 36. After having dinner with his family and sharing the Christmas presents, Jamie returns to Italy to get Aurelia. ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 37. On Christmas Eve, Sarah and Karl go to Karl’s house. Sarah switches off her mobile and they make love at last. …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 38. Mark shows up at Juliet and Peter's door posing as a carol singer with a portable CD player, and uses a series of cardboard signs to silently tell her that how he really feels about her. Juliet slams the door on his face. ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 39. Billy leaves Mick Jagger’s party early to be with Joe, who is about to spend Christmas alone. They he tells him that he had decided to look for a new manager. ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 40. The Prime Minister is alone in 10 Downing Street. He finds a Christmas card from Natalie. As he knows her exact address, he goes to her house on Christmas Eve and accompanies her to a Christmas party in famous disco club. ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 41. After the Nativity play, there is a concert and Sam plays the guitar while Joanna sings a ‘Silent Night’ to him. ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 42. The Prime Minister and Natalie try to be inconspicuous, so nobody finds out that they are at the party. …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 5
43. After the concert, Karen confronts her husband, Harry. She tells him that she has a love affair with Billy Mack. ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 44. Daniel encourages Sam to tell Joanna that he loves her, but she and her family have left for the airport. Daniel and Sam follow, but Joanna’s plane takes off before Sam can reach her. ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 45. In Italy, Jamie visits Aurelia’s family. They all go to the shop where Aurelia works and, using his new Spanish, Jamie asks her to marry him. ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 46. One month after Christmas, the Arrivals Hall at Heathrow Airport is a busy but happy place. Billy Mack and his girlfriend are met by the components of the band Blue. ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 47. Colin returns to England with Harriet for himself, and her sister Carla, who hugs and kisses Colin’s sister at the airport ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 49. Jamie arrives next with Aurélia and introduces her to his friends Peter, Juliet and Mark. Peter is not with them. Aurélia still knows no English. ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 50. Harry is met by his wife and children. Karen seems very happy to see her husband again. ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 51. Joanna is met by Sam and Daniel (who has become friendly with Carol, a young mother, and the Prime Minister is met by the members of his cabinet. ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. Love, actually, is all around! DISCUSSION How many kinds of love are there? What’s, in your opinion, the most important one? Write a list of things that you consider more important than love. 6
LANGUAGE TO LEARN: DAVID (voiceover): ‘Whenever I get gloomy with the state of the world, I think about the arrivals gate at Heathrow Airport. General opinion's starting to make out that we live in a world of hatred and greed, but I don't see that. It seems to me that love is everywhere. Often it's not particularly dignified or newsworthy, but it's always there ‐ fathers and sons, mothers and daughters, husbands and wives, boyfriends, girlfriends, old friends. When the planes hit the Twin Towers, as far as I know none of the phone calls from the people on board were messages of hate or revenge ‐ they were all messages of love. If you look for it, I've got a sneaky feeling you'll find that love actually is all around.’ BILLY: ‘This is shit, isn't it?’ JOE: ‘Yep, solid gold shit, maestro.’ JAMIE: ‘You sure you don't mind me going without you?’ JAMIE’S GIRLFRIEND: ‘No, really. I'm just feeling so rotten.’ DANIEL: ‘Karen, it's me again. I'm sorry, I literally don't have anybody else to talk to.’ KAREN: ‘Absolutely. Horrible moment, though. Can I call you back?’ DANIEL: ‘Of course.’ KAREN: ‘Doesn't mean I'm not terribly concerned that your wife just died.’ PETER: ‘No surprises?’ MARK: ‘No surprises.’ PETER: ‘Not like the stag night?’ MARK: ‘Unlike the stag night.’ PETER: ‘You admit the prostitutes were a mistake?’ MARK: ‘I do.’ PETER: ‘And it would've been much better if they'd not turned out to be men?’ MARK: ‘That is true.’ DAVID: ‘Anything to put off actually running the country.’ DAVID: ‘Good morning. I had an uncle called Terence. Hated him, I think he was a pervert. But I very much like the look of you.’ JAMIE’S BROTHER: ‘Oh, I just popped over to borrow some old CDs.’ COLIN: ‘I've worked out why I can't find true love.’ COLIN: ‘American girls would dig me with my cute British accent.’ TONY (COLIN’S FRIEND): ‘Guys, time's tight and we have to get the actors in.’ JOHN: ‘It's junction 13 that's just murder, isn't it? Total gridlock this morning.’ SARAH: ‘I think it all hangs on the next song.’ HARRY: ‘How are you doing, Mia? Settling in fine? Learning who to avoid?’ HARRY: ‘I just thought that maybe the time had come to do something about it.’ SARAH: ‘Like what?’ HARRY: ‘Invite him out for a drink then casually mention you'd like to marry him and have lots of sex and babies.’ BILLY: ‘When I was young and successful, I was greedy and foolish and now I'm left with no one, wrinkled and alone.’ BILLY: ‘Come on, Mikey, you know as well as I do the record's crap. But wouldn't it be great if number one this Christmas wasn't some smug teenager but an old ex‐heroin addict searching for a comeback at any price?’ BILLY: ‘So if you believe in Father Christmas, children, like your Uncle Billy does, buy my festering turd of a record.’ MINISTER: ‘There's a strong feeling in the party we mustn't allow ourselves to be bullied like the last government.’ NATALIE: ‘I was hoping you'd win, not that I wouldn't have been nice to the other bloke, just always given him the boring biscuits with no chocolate.’ DAVID: ‘God, come on, get a grip. You're the Prime Minister, for God's sake.’ JOHN: ‘So what do you reckon to our new prime minister?’ JUDY: ‘Oh, I like him. I can't understand why he's not married, though.’ JOHN: ‘You know the type, he's married to his job. Either that or gay as a picnic basket.’ TONY: ‘There are a few babes in America, I grant you, but they're going out with rich, attractive guys.’ COLIN: ‘You know perfectly well that any bar anywhere in America contains ten girls more beautiful and more likely to have sex with me than the whole of the United Kingdom.’ TONY: ‘That is total bollocks. You're mad.’ 7
HARRY: ‘Find a venue, over‐order on the drinks, bulk buy the guacamole and advise the girls to avoid Kevin if they want their breasts unfondled.’ HARRY: ‘Oh, Christ, you haven't got some horrible six‐foot, tight‐T‐shirt‐wearing boyfriend?’ MIA: ‘No. I'll just be hanging around the mistletoe, hoping to be kissed.’ KAREN: ‘Get a grip. People hate sissies.’ DANIEL: ‘Are you being bullied? Or is it something worse?’ SAM: ‘I know I should be thinking about Mum and I am but I'm in love. I was before she died and there's nothing I can do about it.’ SAM: ‘She's the coolest girl in school. And everyone worships her because she's heaven.’ DAVID: ‘Erm, I'm starting to feel... uncomfortable about us working so closely every day and me knowing so little about you, it seems elitist and wrong.’ DAVID: Well, erm, where do you live, for instance?’ NATALIE: ‘Wandsworth. The dodgy end. I've just split up with my boyfriend, so I'm back with my mum and dad for a while. He said no one'd fancy a girl with thighs the size of tree trunks.’ DAVID: ‘You know, erm... being Prime Minister, I could just have him murdered.’ BILLY MACK: ‘Here's an important message from your Uncle Bill ‐ don't buy drugs. Become a pop star and they give you them for free.’ JULIET: ‘I've just tried the wedding video and it's a disaster. ‐ 'It's come out all blue and wibbly.' MARK: ‘I'll have a look but I'm pretty sure I wiped it, so don't get any hopes up.’ MIA: ‘It's an art gallery. Full of dark corners for doing dark deeds.’ DAVID: ‘Just never been able to tie a girl down. Not sure that politics and dating go together.’ US PRESIDENT: ‘Really? I've never found that.’ DANIEL: ‘Yeah, you're still sickeningly handsome, whereas I look like my Aunt Mildred.’ US PRESIDENT: ‘Sorry if our line was firm but there's no point in tiptoeing around today, then just disappointing you for four years.’ DAVID: ‘And a friend who bullies us is no longer a friend. And since bullies only respond to strength, from now onward, I will be prepared to be much stronger.’ DAVID: ‘All right. Er, yes, I'm very busy and important, how can I help you?’ KAREN: ‘Have you gone completely insane?’ DAVID: ‘You can't always be sensible. ‐ 'You can if you're Prime Minister.’ KAREN: ‘Which doll for Daisy's friend Emily? The one that looks like a transvestite or the one that looks like a dominatrix?’ JAMIE: ‘Just leave them, please! They're not important. They're not worth it!’ JAMIE: ‘Oh, God, she's in. And now she'll think I'm a total spaz if I don't go in too.’ DANIEL: It's freezing! AURÉLIA (in Portuguese)‘This stuff better be good.’ DANIEL: ‘It's not worth it, this isn't bloody Shakespeare.’ AURÉLIA (in Portuguese): ‘I don't want to drown saving some shit my grandmother could have written.’ AURÉLIA (in Portuguese): ‘Maybe you could name one of the characters after me.’ JULIET: ‘I was just passing and I thought we might check that video thing out.‘ JULIET: ‘I know you're Peter's best friend and I know you've never particularly warm to me. Look, don't, don't argue. We've never got friendly. But I wanted to say, I hope that can change. I'm nice. I really am. Apart from my terrible taste in pie and... It would be great if we could be friends.’ MARK: ‘ I've probably taped over it.’ JULIET: ‘Oh, that's gorgeous. Thank you so much, Mark, this is exactly what I was hoping for.’ MARK: ‘You can just show yourself out, can't you? It's a... self‐preservation thing, you see.’ DANIEL: ‘But, erm, you know Natalie who works here?’ PM’s SECRETARY: ‘The chubby girl?’ DANIEL: ‘Ooh, would we call her chubby?’ PM’s SECRETARY: ‘I think there's a pretty sizeable arse there, yes, sir. Huge thighs.’ 8
DANIEL: ‘You know, Sammy, I'm sure she's unique and extraordinary but general wisdom is that in the end, there isn't just one person for each of us.’ SAM: ‘I have a plan.’ DANIEL: ‘Thank the Lord. Tell me.’ SAM: ‘Well, girls love musicians, don't they?’ DANIEL: ‘ Uh‐huh.’ SAM: ‘Even the weird ones get girlfriends.’ DANIEL: ‘ That's right.’ DANIEL: ‘Meat Loaf definitely got laid at least once. I think it's brilliant, I think it's stellar. Apart from the one obvious tiny little baby little hiccup.’ HARRY: ‘Where's Sarah, by the way?’ MIA: ‘She couldn't make it in. Family thing.’ HARRY: ‘There's a word for hangover I've never heard before.’ HARRY: ‘See you later.’ MIA: ‘Yes. Looking forward to it.’ HARRY: ‘So, erm, what do you need? Something along the stationery line? Are you short of staplers?’ KAREN: ‘Sorry I'm late, I had to drop off Bernie at rehearsal.’ HARRY: ‘Yes. That necklace there, how much is it?’ RUFUS: ‘It's £270, sir.’ HARRY: ‘Erm, all right. Er, I'll have it.’ RUFUS: ‘Lovely. Would you like it... giftwrapped?’ HARRY: ‘ Yes, all right.’ RUFUS: ‘Lovely. Let me just pop it in the box.’ HARRY: ‘Are you gonna dip it in yogurt? Cover it with chocolate buttons?’ TONY: ‘You're not actually going ahead with this stupid plan?’ COLIN: ‘I bloody am.’ JOHN: ‘Look, erm... sorry to be a bit forward and all that but... you don't fancy going for a Christmas drink, do you? I mean, nothing implied. Just maybe go and see something Christmassy or something. Obviously, if you don't want to, you don't have to. I... I'm rambling now, sorry.’ JUDY: ‘No. That would be lovely.’ JOHN: ‘Oh, great. Yeah! You know, that is really great. Normally, I'm really shy, takes me ages to get the courage up, so thank you.’ COLIN: ‘America, watch out! Here comes Colin Frissell. And he's got a big knob.’ STACEY: ‘Are you from England?’ COLIN: ‘Yes.’ STACEY: ‘ Oh... that is so cute. Hi, I'm Stacey. Wait till Carol‐
Anne gets here. She's crazy about English guys.’ CAROL‐ANNE: ‘Well, step aside, ladies. This one's on me.’ JEANNIE: ‘No, no, no, listen. This may be a bit pushy cos we just met you but... why don't you come back and sleep at our place?’ DANIEL: ‘But the thing about romance is people only get together right at the very end.’ BILLY MACK: ‘Er, either I could behave like a real rock'n'roll loser and get drunk with my fat manager... or, when I hang up, I'll be flooded by invitations to a large number of glamorous parties.’ BILLY MACK: ‘No. I realised that Christmas is the time to be with the people you love. And I realised that, as dire chance and fateful cockup would have it, here I am, mid‐fifties, and without knowing it, I've spent most of my adult life with a chubby employee. And, much as it grieves me to say it, it might be that the people I love is, in fact... you. I left Elton's and a hefty number of half‐naked chicks with their mouths open in order to hang out with you at Christmas. Come on, let's get pissed and watch porn.’ PETER: ‘Who is it?’ JULIET: ‘It's carol singers.’ PETER: ‘Give them a quid and tell them to bugger off.’ KAREN: ‘Watch he keeps his hands off you. 20 years ago, you'd have been his type.’ KAREN: ‘Imagine your husband bought a gold necklace and come Christmas gave it to somebody else. Would you wait around to find out if it's just a necklace, or if it's sex and a necklace, or if worst of all it's a necklace and love? Would you stay, knowing life would always be a little bit worse? Or would you cut and run?’ HARRY: ‘Oh, God. I am so in the wrong. The classic fool.’ KAREN: ‘Yes, but you've also made a fool out of me, and you've made the life I lead foolish too.’ DANIEL: ‘Even better. Sam, you've got nothing to lose and you'll always regret it if you don't. You've seen the films, kiddo. It ain't over till it's over.’ 9