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heartbreak and grief with listeners. Among
the women moved by his story is journalist
Image courtesy: nzherald to the straight-laced Walter, she proposes
Annie (Meg Ryan). Despite being engaged
to Sam that they meet atop the Empire
State Building on Valentine’s Day. Sam
receives hundreds of letters from women,
Meanwhile Sam is attracted to a woman he
on a work-cum-socialising week, so after but Jonah picks that one letter from Annie.
a chance encounter, he hires Hollywood spots in the city. Does magic happen? Of
Boulevard hooker Vivian Ward (Julia course it does! A film that evokes enough
Roberts) as his escort and gets her to move sighs for multiple viewings.
into his five star hotel suite. She is so
beautiful and good-natured that he ends Notting Hill (1999):
up falling in love with her. She is new to
Los Angeles and to the sex business, and to
look the part of Edward’s date, she is given
a transformation—there is the classic scene
of a snooty boutique attendant snubbing Image courtesy: entertainment.ie
her, before she realizes her error. After
living a week of luxury and privilege will
Vivian be able to return to the streets? If
it is a woman as gorgeous as Julia Roberts
with that blinding smile, is that even a Richard Curtis, the master of romcoms
valid question? directed this sweet story about William
Thacker (Hugh Grant), a bookshop
Sleepless In Seattle (1993): owner, and Anna Scott (Julia Roberts), a
beautiful and popular movie star. They
meet casually and after a few minor
disasters, like him spilling orange juice
over her dress, they get along well. But
can a relationship between a modern-
day princess and a commoner survive—
especially under the glare of the tabloid
press? Then comes that immortal dialogue:
Nora Ephron could do romance like no William: I live in Notting Hill. You live
other—lending humour and warmth even in Beverly Hills. Everyone in the world
to romcom cliches. In this update of An knows who you are, my mother has trouble
Affair To Remember (1957), Tom Hanks remembering my name.
plays Sam, a lonely widower, whose cute Anna: I’m also just a girl, standing in front
eight-year-old son Jonah calls up a radio of a boy, asking him to love her.
station to talk about his depressed, literally Always has people reaching for their
sleepless, father. Sam then shares his hankies.
SENIORS TODAY | ISSUE #56 | FEBRUARY 2024 33
