Writing Screenwriter
Richard Curtis's own experiences as a wedding attendee inspired
Four Weddings and a Funeral. According to Curtis, he began writing the script at age 34, after realising he had attended 65 weddings in an 11-year period. At one wedding, he was propositioned by a fellow guest, but he turned her down and forever regretted it; accordingly, he based the origin of Charles and Carrie's romance on that situation. He has commented on director Mike Newell's influence; "I come from a school where making it funny is what matters. Mike was obsessed with keeping it real. Every character, no matter how small, has a story, not just three funny lines. It's a romantic film about love and friendship that swims in a sea of jokes." Curtis chose to omit any mention of the characters' careers, because he did not think a group of friends would realistically discuss their jobs while together at a wedding. Jennings would eventually go on to play a supporting role in Mindy Kaling's
2019 television miniseries adaptation of the film. The team continued holding auditions for over a year, seeing roughly 70 actors for the role of Charles before Hugh Grant. Grant was ready to give up acting as a career when he received the script for
Four Weddings and a Funeral; he stated in 2016 that: "I wasn't really getting any work at all, and then to my great surprise this script came through the letterbox from my agent, and it was really good. And I rang on and said there must be a mistake, you've sent me a good script." Initially, writer Richard Curtis, who had modelled the character of Charles after himself, was opposed to casting Grant in the role, because he thought Grant was too handsome. Curtis favoured casting
Alan Rickman, but Rickman refused to audition. Curtis was eventually persuaded by Newell and the producers to approve Grant's casting.
Jeanne Tripplehorn was originally cast as Carrie, but she had to drop out before filming when her mother died. The role was offered to
Marisa Tomei, but she turned it down because her grandfather was sick at the time.
Sarah Jessica Parker was also reportedly considered. Andie MacDowell was in London doing publicity for
Groundhog Day when she read the script and was subsequently cast. Grant's participation hit another stumbling block when his agent requested a £5,000 rise over the £35,000 salary Grant was offered. The producers initially refused because of the extremely tight budget, but eventually agreed. The supporting cast members were paid £17,500 apiece.
Production Duncan Kenworthy produced the film while on sabbatical from
Jim Henson Productions. Grant was encouraged by director Mike Newell to mess up and trip over his lines, written in "convoluted
syntax" as Grant describes them, in order to give Charles a stammering, nervous quality. Exterior shots of guests arriving for the funeral were filmed in
Thurrock,
Essex, overlooking the
River Thames with the backdrop of the
Dartford River Crossing and the
Queen Elizabeth II Bridge. Stately homes in
Bedfordshire (
Luton Hoo for the wedding two's reception) and
Hampshire provided exteriors for weddings.
Post-production According to Hugh Grant, the initial screening of a rough cut of
Four Weddings went very badly. Throughout production,
Gramercy Pictures, the U.S. distributor for the film, sent frequent transatlantic faxes objecting to the explicit language and sexual content, fearing the final product would not be suitable for American distribution or television airings. They particularly objected to the opening scene of the movie, in which Charles and Scarlett say the word "
Fuck" over and over, after an initial screening of the movie in
Salt Lake City led the conservative
Mormon members of the city council to walk out. Accordingly, Mike Newell and the actors agreed to reshoot the scene with the British swear word "
Bugger" to be used in the American version. The executives also objected to the title, believing
Four Weddings and a Funeral would turn off male viewers from the film. In its place they suggested such titles as
True Love and Near Misses,
Loitering in Sacred Places,
Skulking Around and
Rolling in the Aisles, none of which were accepted.
Music and soundtrack The
original score was composed by British composer
Richard Rodney Bennett. The movie also featured a soundtrack of popular songs, including a
cover version of
The Troggs' "
Love Is All Around" performed by
Wet Wet Wet that remained at number 1 on the
UK Singles Chart for fifteen weeks and was then the ninth biggest selling single of all time in Britain. This song would later be adapted into "Christmas Is All Around" and sung by the character of Billy Mack in Richard Curtis' 2003 film
Love Actually, in which Grant also stars. The soundtrack album sold more than 750,000 units. ==Release==