Four weddings revisited

I was having a look at Prime last night to see if there was anything I fancied watching and discovered there was a “classic” film section. Hmm. Not a single film was anything I’d call a “classic”, but there was one that took my fancy: Four Weddings and a Funeral. Haven’t seen it for years and it felt like the mood I was in.

A few things about this film.

One rainy day in Paris in 1994, Mike and I decided to go to the cinema. We checked the listings. As I knew from previous visits to Paris, it was important to find a “VO” screening, rather than a “VF” screening – the former an abbreviation for “version originale”, as opposed to a dubbed “version française”. We’d been in London just before and had heard good things about Four Weddings and a Funeral. Off we went and generally enjoyed it very much. (Although I missed out on the sign language conversations between the brothers, as the subtitles were in French.) I came away thinking it was a delightful film which could have been ruined by Andie McDowell’s lack of acting ability if the acting of everyone else hadn’t been so good. A great way to spend a rainy evening.

As it happened, Mike’s dad (a dedicated Francophile) had also been in Paris that year and the first time we saw him after our return he mentioned seeing an absolutely wonderful French film. As he began talking about it we realised he was referring to Four Weddings and a Funeral. So I corrected him. Obviously he’d been to see the dubbed version of the film. He would not believe me, said the film was quintessentially French and the Brits just couldn’t make anything that good. Honestly, could anything be more quintessentially British than that particular film? But he was a stubborn bugger.

Watching it again last night something struck me. The film could have been perfect if a certain other actress had played Carrie. I could see her in it, hear her voice in all the lines. It would be five years before that casting cock up was addressed, albeit in an inferior film. The writer must have had Julia Roberts in mind. I suspect she was even approached, but they couldn’t afford her. So instead we got McDowell with her lovely smile and appalling delivery. (Although I don’t think even Roberts could have done much with “Is it still raining? I hadn’t noticed.” Terrible line.)

I don’t know how long it’s been since the last time I watched this film, but it’s definitely been a while. No surprise that the years have not improved McDowell’s acting. (How could they?) But there was one big surprise.

Remember the dreadful folk duo at the first wedding?

Yes, the female half was none other than Nicola Walker! And, I now know, because I’ve just checked, it was her very first appearance on film or television. 

Worth watching it again just for that discovery.