London is a
city of culture, history and charm, and has been the setting for a huge number
of films of many genres. However, when it comes to romance, London provides
that special something – be it a stunning historic backdrop, cosy tearooms or
busy streets where two people fall in love. Here at
Lovestruck.com, we thought we’d look at the best London scenes from our
favourite romantic flicks:
Love Actually (2003)
This classic
rom com, from Richard Curtis, outlining the complex love lives of eight
different couples living in London, is always a huge hit. The film opens and
closes with real footage from Heathrow Airport and features many London
hotspots throughout. At the start of the film, Peter and Juliet, played by
Chiwetel Ejiofor and Keira Knightly get married at the Grosvenor Chapel in
Mayfair, while later Peter’s best friend Mark (Andrew Lincoln) later declares
his undying love with cue cards at the couple’s house at 27 St Luke’s Mews in
Notting Hill. Mark’s ‘South Bank’ gallery was an empty house on Great Sutton
Street. Selfridges is the department store where Harry, played by Alan Rickman,
goes to buy his assistant a present and is served by Rowan Atkinson and almost
all the characters attend a nativity play at Elliott School in Putney.
Top Quote:
“True love lasts a lifetime.”
Date Idea: Head
to one of the regular lunchtime recitals at the Grosvenor Chapel
(www.grosvenorchapel.org.uk).
One Day (2011)
This adaptation of David Nicholls bestselling novel follows the lives of Emma (Anne Hathaway) and Dexter (Jim Sturgess) who meet at Edinburgh University and after becoming firm friends, eventually fall in love. The plot sees the characters in the same day every year and was shot across 50 locations, including London. Landmarks in the film include the Lady Chapel at Westminster Cathedral and the nearby Big Ben, the West End's Sanderson Hotel and the Parliament Hill Lido in Hampstead, where Emma swims and the Rio Cinema in Dalston, where Emma goes on a date with boyfriend Ian, played by Rafe Spall.
Favourite Quote: “Whatever happens tomorrow, we had today.”
Date Idea: Sunday matinee film at the Rio (www.riocinema.org.uk), followed by a follows by a meal at Mexican restaurant Mezcal Cantina, in memory of Emma’s doomed job at the “graveyard of ambition.”
Sliding Doors (1998)
This
British-American comedy sees Gwyneth Paltrow playing Helen, who follows two
parallel story lines after catching – or missing – the tube one morning. When
she makes the train, she falls in love with James, played by John Hannah after
learning her boyfriend is cheating on her. When she misses the train, she only
finds out about the infidelity much later but fate leads her back to James.
London
underground features heavily and it is at London Embankment that Helen misses
the tube, although they were shot at Waterloo and Bank stations. There are also
scenes from Fulham Broadway and by the Thames, near Hammersmith Bridge.
Favourite
Quote: “James: What are you doing Saturday?
Helen: Probably killing myself.
James: Excellent. What time does that finish? Do
you like boats?”
Date Idea: Head to Dine On The Tube, an underground supper
club at Basement Galley (www.basementgalley.com)
Bridget Jones’s Diary (2001)
The film adaptation of Helen Fielding’s book, features
Bridget at 30-something Londoner set on self-improvement. Her love life sees
her embark on a romance with handsome playboy Daniel Cleaver (Hugh Grant),
while eventually landing the gorgeous Mark Darcy (Colin Firth). Bridget’s flat is
above the Globe Pub in Borough Market and the fictitious Greek restaurant that
Mark and Daniel comes to blows is Bedales, a wine shop nearby. Daniel’s Cleaver
apartment is on Clink Street a minute or so away and Bridget gets advice from
her date at the Maghreb restaurant, which is now Momo on Heddon Street. Bridget
has two embarrassing career moments in the film, one at the launch of Kafta’s
Motorbike, which was filmed at The ICA on the Mall and later she reports from
court outside the Royal Courts of Justice on the Strand. However, romance is
always on the cards and her romantic kiss with Mark in the snow is outside the
Royal Exchange Buildings, near Bank.
Favourite
Quote: “It
is a truth universally acknowledged that when one part of your life starts
going okay, another falls spectacularly to pieces.”
Date
Idea: A look around Borough Market (www.boroughmarket.org.uk) followed by a
wine-tasting evening at Bedales (wws.bedaleswines.com).
Notting Hill (1999)
No list of
romantic films set in London would be complete without Notting Hill, another
gem of a film from Richard Curtis. The story sees the famous actress Anna Scott
(Julia Roberts) walk into the bookshop of William Thacker (Hugh Grant). After a
second chance encounter, they meet again and romance begins to blossom. In the
opening scene, William is seen walking down Portobello Road Market and Hugh’s
house in on Westbourne Park Road and Bella and Max’s house is on Lansdowne
Road, nearby. Opposite the tube station is the Coronet Cinema, where William
sees Anna in sci-fi short, Helix and it is in the communal Rosmead Gardens,
where Anna and William break into after having too much to drink at a dinner party. Anna stays at The
Ritz in central London, while the press conference for her film takes place at
The Savoy.
Favourite
Quote: “I’m just a girl, standing in front on a boy, asking him to love her.”
Have you got
other favourite London-based films that you think deserve a mention? Tell us
@lovestruck
