William Bennett and Notting Hill (film): Difference between pages

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{{Infobox Film
{{current}}
| name = Notting Hill
{{otheruses}}
| image = NottingHillRobertsGrant.jpg
| caption = The film's poster.
| producer = [[Duncan Kenworthy]]
| director = [[Roger Michell]]
| writer = [[Richard Curtis]]
| starring = [[Julia Roberts]]<br>[[Hugh Grant]]<br>[[Rhys Ifans]]<br>[[Emma Chambers]]<br>[[Tim McInnerny]]<br>[[Gina McKee]]<br>[[Hugh Bonneville]]
| music = [[Trevor Jones (composer)|Trevor Jones]]
| cinematography = Michael Coulter
| editing = Nick Moore
| distributor = [[Music Corporation of America|MCA]]-[[Universal Studios|Universal]]<br />[[PolyGram Filmed Entertainment]]
| released = {{flagicon|UK}} [[May 21]], [[1999]]</br>{{flagicon|USA}} [[May 28]], [[1999]]
| runtime = 124 min.
| budget = $42 million
| gross = $116 million
| language = [[English language|English]]
| website = http://www.notting-hill.com/
| imdb_id = 0125439
| amg_id = 1:179536
}}
'''''Notting Hill''''' is a [[1999 in film|1999]] [[romantic comedy film]] set in the [[Notting Hill]] district of [[London]], [[England]], [[United Kingdom|United Kingdom]], that was released on [[May 21]] [[1999]]. The [[screenplay]] was written by [[Richard Curtis]] who had previously written ''[[Four Weddings and a Funeral]]''. It was produced by [[Duncan Kenworthy]], and directed by [[Roger Michell]]. The film stars [[Julia Roberts]], [[Hugh Grant]], [[Rhys Ifans]], [[Emma Chambers]], [[Tim McInnerny]], [[Gina McKee]] and [[Hugh Bonneville]].
 
Bookshop owner William Thacker's world begins to turn upside down after the world's most famous actress, Anna Scott, visits his store. Later, Will knocks his orange juice into Anna as she passes him in the street. After she gets changed at his house, Anna surprises Will with a kiss. The pair then begin a relationship, but encounter numerous problems on the way.
'''William John Bennett''' (born [[July 31]], [[1943]]) served as [[United States Secretary of Education]] from [[1985]] to [[1988]]. He was also the first person to occupy the post of "[[drug czar]]".
 
The film was well received by critics, and charted well at the box office, becoming the highest grossing British film yet released. The film won a [[British Academy of Film and Television Arts|BAFTA]], and both won and was nominated for several others.
Bennett was born in [[Brooklyn, New York]]. After moving to [[Washington, DC]], he attended [[Gonzaga College High School]]. He graduated from [[Williams College]], and went on to get a PhD from the [[University of Texas]] in Political Philosophy. He also has a law degree from [[Harvard Law School]].
 
==Plot==
From [[1976]] to [[1981]], he was the executive director of the [[National Humanities Center]], a private research facility in [[North Carolina]]. In 1981, President [[Ronald Reagan]] appointed him to head the [[National Endowment for the Humanities]], where he served until Reagan appointed him [[United States Secretary of Education|Secretary of Education]] in [[1985]]. Bennett resigned from this post in [[1988]] and, later that year, was appointed to the post of Director of the [[Office of National Drug Control Policy]] by [[George H. W. Bush|President Bush]]. He was confirmed by the Senate in a 97-2 vote.
[[Image:Notting_Hill.jpg|thumb|left|200px|Will and Anna together on a date.]]
William Thacker is the owner of an [[independent bookstore]] which specializes in [[travel writing]] in [[Notting Hill, London, England|Notting Hill]]. Witty, cultivated and handsome, he has not been coping well with his divorce and is currently sharing his house with an eccentric [[Wales|Welsh]] wannabe artist named Spike. One day, Thacker encounters world famous [[Hollywood]] actress Anna Scott during her trip to London, when she enters his shop to purchase a book. Shortly thereafter, the pair accidentally collide in the street, causing William to spill his orange juice on the both of them. He offers his house, which is just across the road, as a place for Anna to get changed. She accepts and they repair to his abode. Having got changed, Anna surprises Will with a kiss. She makes sure that Will does not tell anyone about it, and leaves.
 
Days later, Will asks Spike if he has any messages. Spike has trouble writing down, or remembering any messages left for Will, but does recall "Some American girl called Anna" calling a few days previous. Anna is staying at the Ritz, under a pseudonym, and asks Will to come and visit her. When he arrives, Anna's room has become the centre for a press day and as a result, Will is mistaken for a member of the press. He has to interview every single cast member of Anna's new film ''Helix'', even though he has not seen the film himself. Will does get to talk to Anna, and invites her to his sister Honey's birthday party.
Long active in [[United States Republican Party]] politics, he is now an author, speaker, and host of the weekday radio program ''[[Morning in America]].''
 
There, at Max and Bella's house, Anna feels at home with Will's circle of friends, putting up a good case for the "last brownie". The pair go on several dates, to the cinema and to a restaurant. Anna invites Will back to her hotel room, only to find that her American boyfriend, although Anna asserts that they have broken up, but Will has to leave anyway. Some time later, Anna arrives on Will's doorstep, hoping for a place to stay. Some degrading images of her have been leaked to the press and she needs to hide out. The pair bound once again, with Will helping Anna learn lines for her new film. That night, the pair sleep together for the first time. In the morning, Will is stunned to see a throng of reporters at their doorstep, it seems that careless talk by Spike down at the pub the previous night had alerted the media to Anna's whereabouts. She leaves in a hurry, and William decides once and for all to forget her.
Bennett and his wife, Elayne, have two sons, John and Joseph.
 
Later, Anna returns to England to make another film. She invites Will to the set of the film, he listens to the sound recording whilst Anna is busy filming. He overhears her telling her co-star that Will is "just some guy", and leaves. The next day, Anna comes to the bookshop once again, hoping to resume their love affair, but William turns her down. Will consults his friends on his decision, leading him to realize that he has just made the biggest mistake of his life. He and his friends search for Anna, racing across London in Max's car. They reach Anna's press conference before she leaves for the [[United States]], and Will successfully persuades her to stay in England with him. Anna and Will get married, with the film concluding with a shot of Will and a pregnant Anna sitting on a park bench in Notting Hill.
==Political Viewpoints==
 
==Cast and characters==
Bennett tends to take a [[Conservatism|conservative]] position on [[affirmative action]], [[school choice|school vouchers]], curriculum reform, and religion in education. As Education Secretary, he asked colleges to better enforce drug laws, supported a classical education rooted in Western culture, and derided [[multiculturalism|multicultural]] courses. He frequently criticized schools for low standards.
*'''[[Julia Roberts]]''' as '''Anna Scott''': A world famous film star. She meets Will whilst filming in Notting Hill, when she comes into his book shop.
*'''[[Hugh Grant]]''' as '''William Thacker''': Owner of a travel book shop in Notting Hill, who has recently divorced his wife. He meets Anna Scott when she comes in looking for a book.
*'''[[Rhys Ifans]]''' as '''Spike''': Will's strange Welsh flatmate, who dreams of being an artist. He is described by Will as "the stupidest person in the world".
*'''[[Emma Chambers]]''' as '''Honey Thacker''': Will's ditzy younger sister, she is a huge fan of Anna Scott.
*'''[[Tim McInnerny]]''' as '''Max''': Will's best friend, who Will often stays with. He and Bella host Honey's birthday party.
*'''[[Gina McKee]]''' as '''Bella''': Max's wheelchair bound wife.
*'''[[Hugh Bonneville]]''' as '''Bernie''': A failing stockbroker and a friend of Will. He fails to realise who Anna Scott is upon first meeting her.
*'''[[James Dreyfus]]''' as '''Martin''': Harry's assistant at his bookshop.
*'''Richard McCabe''' as '''Tony''': A failing restaurateur, whose restaurant the group often attend.
*'''[[Dylan Moran]]''' as '''Rufus''': A thief who attempts to steal from Will's bookshop. Despite being caught on the CCTV he professes his innocence, and conceals the stolen book in his underpants.
 
[[Alec Baldwin]] makes an uncredited appearance as Anna's American boyfriend.<ref name=variety>{{cite web|url=http://www.variety.com/review/VE1117907270.html?categoryid=31&cs=1&p=0|title=Notting Hill|accessdate=2007-05-19|date=[[1999-04-30]]|author=Elley, Derek|publisher=Variety}}</ref> [[Sanjeev Bhaskar]] has a cameo role as one of the loud and offensive men in the restaurant Anna and Will attend.<ref name=bfi>{{cite web|url=http://www.bfi.org.uk/features/ultimatefilm/chart/details.php?ranking=95&cc=on|title=95: NOTTING HILL|accessdate=2007-05-19|publisher=British Film Institute}}</ref> A young [[Mischa Barton]] makes a brief appearance as the [[child actor]] whom William interviews for ''Horse & Hound'' magazine.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mailonsunday.co.uk/pages/you/article.html?in_article_id=449705&in_page_id=1908|title=Mischa Barton: Little Miss Sunshine|accessdate=2007-05-19|date=[[2007-05-12]]|author=Gordon, Jane|publisher=The Mail on Sunday}}</ref>
Bennett has tangled with the educational establishment (which he dubbed "the blob" or <u>blo</u>ated educational <u>b</u>ureaucracy) over the following reform measures, which he espoused:
 
==Production==
* Competency testing for teachers
===Development===
* Opening the teaching profession to knowledgeable individuals who have not graduated from "schools of education"
Richard Curtis spoke at length as to how he originally came up the idea for the film.
* Performance-based pay
{{cquotetxt|When I was lying sleepless at nights I would sometimes wonder what it would be like if I just turned up at my friends' house, where I used to have dinner once a week, with the most famous person at that time, be it [[Madonna]] or whomever. It all sprang from there. How would my friends react? Who would try and be cool? How would you get through dinner? What would they say to you afterwards? That was the starting point, the idea of a very normal person going out with an unbelievably famous person and how that impinges on their lives.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.notting-hill.com/behindscenes/index.html|title=Behind-the-Scenes|accessdate=2007-05-22|publisher=Notting Hill.com}}</ref>}}
* Holding educators accountable for how much children learn
* An end to tenure
* A national examination to find out exactly how much our children know
* Parental choice of schools [http://www.amazon.com/gp/reader/0671797190/ref=sib_fs_pop/102-1238761-6183333?%5Fencoding=UTF8&p=S014&checkSum=UbyI1K8PemRb%2BNvVBOSWZTfDsmrcHrudWdK6ZgGHXw8%3D#reader-page (The De-Valuing Of America, page 44)]
 
''Four Weddings and a Funeral'' director [[Mike Newell (director)|Mike Newell]] was approached for the film, but rejected it to work on ''[[Pushing Tin]]'' instead. He did later admit that in commercial terms he had made the wrong decision, but did not regret it.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://efilmcritic.com/feature.php?feature=78|title=The man who told Notting Hill to 'sod off'|accessdate=2007-05-21|author=Chris Parry|publisher=eFilm Critic}}</ref> The film's producer Duncan Kenworthy then turned to Roger Michell, stating that "Finding someone as good as Roger, was just like finding the right actor to play each role. Roger shone out."<ref name=production>{{cite web|url=http://www.notting-hill.com/behindscenes/index.html|title=About the Production|accessdate=2007-05-22|publisher=Notting Hill.com}}</ref>
Bennett is a staunch supporter of the [[War on Drugs]] and has been criticized for his extreme views on the issue. On a television show, he said that a listener's suggestion to [[beheading|behead]] drug dealers would be 'morally plausible'.
 
===Casting===
Bennett is a member of the [[Project for the New American Century]] (PNAC) and was one of the signers of the [[January 26]], [[1998]] PNAC Letter sent to President [[Bill Clinton]] urging Clinton to remove [[Iraq|Iraqi]] leader [[Saddam Hussein]] from power. He is also a member of the [[Heritage Foundation]].
Julia Roberts was the production team's "one and only" choice for the role of Anna, although Michell and Kentworthy did not expect her to accept the part. She did however take the role, with her agent citing it as "the best romantic comedy she had ever read".<ref name=production/> Roberts herself commented that after reading the script she decided she was "going to have to do this".<ref name=dreamteam>{{cite web|url=http://www.notting-hill.com/behindscenes/index.html|title=A Romantic Comedy Dream Team|accessdate=2007-05-22|publisher=Notting Hill.com}}</ref> The decision to cast Hugh Grant as Will was unanimous, as together Grant and Curtis had a "writer/actor marriage made in heaven". Michell stated that "Hugh does Richard better than anyone else, and Richard writes Hugh better than anyone else", and that Grant is "one of the only actors who can speak Richard's lines perfectly".<ref name=production/> The casting of Hugh Bonneville, Tim McInnerny, Gina McKee, Emma Chambers and Rhys Ifans as Will's group of friends was "rather like assembling a family". Michell explained that "When you are casting a cabal of friends, you have to cast a balance of qualities, of types and of sensibilities. They were the jigsaw that had to be put together all in one go, and I think we've got a very good variety of people who can realistically still live in the same world."<ref name=production/>
 
==Books=Filming===
Curtis chose the setting of Notting Hill for the film as he lived there and knew the area well, stating "Notting Hill is a melting pot and the perfect place to set a film".<ref name=___location>{{cite web|url=http://www.notting-hill.com/behindscenes/index.html|title=Notting Hill, the place, the movie ___location|accessdate=2007-05-22|publisher=Notting Hill.com}}</ref> This left the producers with a challenge of having to film in a heavily populated area. Kenworthy noted "Early on, we toyed with the idea of building a huge exterior set. That way we would have more control, because we were worried about having Roberts and Grant on public streets where we could get thousands of onlookers." In the end they decided to take the risk anyway and film in the actual streets.<ref name=___location/> Michell was worried "that Hugh and Julia were going to turn up on the first day of shooting on Portobello Road, and there would be gridlock and we would be surrounded by thousands of people and paparazzi photographers who would prevent us from shooting". The ___location team, and security forces prevented this, as well as preventing problems the presence of a film crew may have caused the residents of Notting Hill, who Michell believes were "genuinely excited" about the film.<ref name=___location/> The film's ___location manager Sue Quinn described her job of finding suitable locations and getting permission to film there as "a mammoth task". She said
Bennett's best-known written work may be ''[[The Book of Virtues: A Treasury of Great Moral Stories]]'' (1993), which he edited; he has also authored and edited ten other books, including ''The Children&#8217;s Book of Virtues'' and ''The Death of Outrage: [[Bill Clinton]] and the Assault on American Ideals'' (1998).
{{cquotetxt|The major problem we encountered was the size of our film unit. We couldn't just go in and shoot and come out. We were everywhere. Filming on the London streets has to be done in such a way that it comes up to health and safety standards. There is no such thing as a road closure. We were very lucky in the fact that we had 100% cooperation from the police and the Council. They looked favorably on what we were trying to do and how it would promote the area.<ref name=___location/>}}
Quinn and the rest of her ___location team had to send letters to thousands of people in the area, promising that they would donate to each person's favourite charity, resulting in over two hundred different charities receiving money from the film project.<ref name=___location/>
 
The film's production designer was [[Stuart Craig]] who was pleased for the chance to do a contempory film, stating on the film "we're dealing with streets with thousands of people, market traders, shop owners and residents which makes it really complex".<ref name=___location/> Filming began on [[April 17]] [[1998]], in both West London and at [[Shepperton Studios]].<ref name=production/> Will's bookshop was situated on [[Portobello Road]], which was one of the main areas in which filming took place. Other places within Notting Hill where filming took place included Westbourne Park Road, [[Golborne Road]], [[Landsdowne Road]] and the Coronet Cinema.<ref name=___location/> After filming for a period of six weeks in Notting Hill, filming moved to the [[Ritz Hotel]], where filming had to take place at night, the [[Savoy Hotel]], the Nobu Restaurant, the [[Zen Garden]] and [[Kenwood House]].<ref name=___location/> One the film's final scenes takes place at a film premiere, which presented difficulties for the production team. Michell wanted to film the scene in [[Leicester Square]], but the request was declined due to huge problems that fans attending a [[Leonardo DiCaprio]] premiere had caused the police. Through a health and safety act, the production received permission to film and constructed the scene in just twenty-four hours.<ref name=___location/> Interior scenes were the last scenes to be filmed, with them taking place at Shepperton Studios.<ref name=___location/>
Other books:
 
The film features the [[1950 in art|1950]] [[Marc Chagall]] painting ''[[La Mariée]]''. In the story, Anna sees a print of the painting in William's home, and later gives him what is presumably the original. According to director Michell in an article in ''[[Entertainment Weekly]]'', the painting was chosen because screenwriter Curtis was a fan of Chagall's work, and because ''La Mariée'' "depicts a yearning for something that's lost." Producers had a reproduction made for use in the film, but had to first get permission from the painting's owners as well as clearance from the British [[Design and Artists Copyright Society]]. Finally, according to producer Kenworthy, "we had to agree to destroy it. They were concerned that if our fake was too good, it might float around the market and create problems." The article also noted that "some experts say the real canvas could be worth between $500,000 and $1 million."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,273720,00.html|title=Flashes|date=[[1999-06-11]]|accessdate=2007-05-20|author=Joe Dziemianowicz; Clarissa Cruz|publisher=[[Entertainment Weekly]]}}</ref>
*''Body Count: Moral Poverty...and How to Win America's War Against Crime and Drugs'' (1996)
*''The De-Valuing of America: The Fight for Our Culture and Our Children'' (1992)
*''Moral Compass: Stories for a Life's Journey'' (1995)
*''Our Sacred Honor'' (1997, compilation of writings by founding fathers)
*''Why We Fight: Moral Clarity and the War on Terrorism'' (2003)
 
==Controversies=Music===
Music for the film was composed by ''Four Wedding and a Funeral'' composer Trevor Jones.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.filmtracks.com/titles/notting_hill.html|title=Notting Hill|accessdate=2007-05-23|publisher=Filmtracks.com}}</ref> Several additional songs written by other artists appeared on the film's soundtrack. These include [[Elvis Costello]]'s [[cover version|cover]] of the [[Charles Aznavour]] song "[[She (Charles Aznavour song)|She]]", as well as [[Ronan Keating]]'s specially recorded cover version of "[[When You Say Nothing at All]]", the song reached number one in the British charts.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio2/soldonsong/songlibrary/whenyousaynothingatall.shtml|title='When You Say Nothing at All'|accessdate=2007-05-21|publisher=BBC}}</ref> Originally, Charles Aznavour's version of the song was used in the film, but American test screening audiences could not understand it. Costello was then brought in by Richard Curtis to record a cover version of the song.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/395140.stm|title=Elvis alive and well in Notting Hill|accessdate=2007-05-23|author=Darryl Chamberlain|date=[[1999-07-20]]|publisher=BBC News}}</ref>
===Gambling ===
 
==Reception==
In [[2003]], it became widely known that Bennett was a high-stakes [[Gambling|gambler]] who had lost millions of dollars in [[Las Vegas, Nevada|Las Vegas]]. As a [[Roman Catholic Church|Catholic]], Bennett was not prohibited from gambling, but some felt it conflicted with his public image as a leading voice for conservative morals.
===Critical reaction===
The film was meet with generally positive reviews, scoring an 85% "Cream of the Crop" rating at [[Rotten Tomatoes]].<ref name=rt>{{cite web|url=http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/notting_hill/|title=Notting Hill (1999)|accessdate=2007-05-21|publisher=[[Rotten Tomatoes]]}}</ref> "Variety's Derek Elley said that "It's slick, it's gawky, it's 10 minutes too long, and it's certainly not "''Four Weddings and a Funeral'' Part 2" in either construction or overall tone", giving it an overall positive review.<ref name=variety/> Cranky Critic called it "Bloody damned good", as well as saying that it was "A perfect date flick."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.crankycritic.com/archive99/nottinghill.html|title=Notting Hill|accessdate=2007-05-19|publisher=Cranky Critic}}</ref> Nitrate said that "''Notting Hill'' is whimsical and light, fresh and quirky", with "endearing moments and memorable characters".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nitrateonline.com/1999/rnottinghill.html|title=Notting Hill|accessdate=2007-05-19|author=Savada, Elias|date=[[1999-05-28]]|publisher=Nitrate}}</ref> In his review of the film's DVD John J. Puccio noted that "The movie is a fairy tale, and writer Richard Curtis knows how much the public loves a fairy tale", calling it "a sweet film".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.dvdtown.com/reviews/notting-hill/739/2|title=Notting Hill <nowiki>[Ultimate Edition]</nowiki>|accessdate=2007-05-20|author=John J. Puccio|publisher=DVD Town.com}}</ref> Desson Howe of the [[Washington Post]] gave the film a very positive review, praising Rhys Ifans peformance as Spike.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/style/movies/reviews/nottinghillhowe.htm?movieslede=y|title='Notting Hill': Easy to Love|accessdate=2007-05-21|date=[[1999-05-28]]|author=Desson Howe|publisher=[[Washington Post]]}}</ref> James Sanford gave ''Notting Hill'' three and a half stars, saying that "Curtis' dialogue may be much snappier than his sometimes dawdling plot, but the first hour of "Notting Hill" is so beguiling and consistently funny it seems churlish to complain that the rest is merely good."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.interbridge.com/jamessanford/1999/notting.html|title=Notting Hill|accessdate=2007-05-21|author=James Sanford|publisher=Kalamazoo Gazette}}</ref> Sue Pierman of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel stated that "''Notting Hill'' is clever, funny, romantic - and oh, yes, reminiscent of ''Four Weddings and a Funeral''", but that the film "is so satisfying, it doesn't pay to nitpick."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www2.jsonline.com/enter/movies/reviews/may99/m.nott28052799.asp|title='Notting Hill' is perfect romantic fit for Roberts, Grant|accessdate=2007-05-21|date=[[1999-05-27]]|author=Sue Pierman|publisher=Milwaukee Journal Sentinel}}</ref> [[Roger Ebert]] praised the film, saying "the movie is bright, the dialogue has wit and intelligence, and Roberts and Grant are very easy to like."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/19990528/REVIEWS/905280301/1023|title=Notting Hill|accessdate=2007-05-21|date=[[1999-05-28]]|author=Roger Ebert|publisher=Chicago Sun-Times}}</ref> Kenneth Turan gave a good review, concluding that "the film's romantic core is impervious to problems".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.calendarlive.com/movies/reviews/cl-movie990527-6,0,7251334.story|title=Notting Hill|accessdate=2007-05-21|date=[[1999-05-28]]|author=Kenneth Turan|publisher=Calender Live}}</ref> [[CNN]] reviewer Paul Clinton said that ''Notting Hill'' "stands alone as another funny and heartwarming story about love against all odds".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cnn.com/SHOWBIZ/Movies/9905/27/review.notting.hill/|title=Review: Julia, Hugh a perfect match for 'Notting Hill'|accessdate=2007-05-21|date=[[1999-05-27]]|author=Paul Clinton|publisher=CNN}}</ref>
 
Widgett Walls of Needcoffee.com gave the film "three and a half cups of coffee", stating that "the humor of the film saves it from a completely trite and unsatisfying (nay, shall I say enraging) ending", but criticised the film's soundtrack.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.needcoffee.com/html/reviews/nhill.html|title=Notting Hill (1999)|accessdate=2007-05-21|publisher=Needcoffee.com|author=Widgett Walls}}</ref> Dennis Schwartz gave the film a bad review with a grade of "C-" citing "this film was pure and unadulterated balderdash".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sover.net/~ozus/nottinghill.htm|title=NOTTING HILL|accessdate=2007-05-21|date=[[2000-11-29]]|author=Dennis Schwartz|publisher=Ozus' World Movie Reviews}}</ref>
Bennett was never accused of nor admitted to having a "problem" with gambling and has maintained that his habit did not put himself or his family in any financial jeopardy. After Bennett's gambling habit became public knowledge, Bennett did say that he did not believe that his habit set a good example, and now claims to have quit gambling for good.
 
''Notting Hill'' was placed 95th on the [[British Film Institute]]'s "list of the all-time top 100 films", the results of the list were based on estimates of each film's British cinema admission level.<ref name=bfi/>
===Controversial Radio Show Comment===
 
===Box office performance===
On [[September 28]], [[2005]], a caller to Bennett's radio talk show ''Morning in America'' proposed the idea that the [[Social Security (United States)|Social Security]] system might be solvent today if abortion hadn't been permitted following the [[Roe v. Wade]] decision. Bennett countered, that opposition to the abortion cannot be defended by the pragmatic reasons, like economics, because then, other pragmatic reasons, like crime statistics in the African American community, may end up being used in support of the abortion. In his argument, he used the book [[Freakonomics]], that illustrated a link between the legalization of the abortion, and a subsequent crime reduction. His remark has been labeled as racist by many liberal media outlets and liberal politicians:
The film had its world premiere at the [[Odeon]], Leicester Square on [[April 27]] [[1999]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/329426.stm|title=Notting Hill premieres in Leicester Square|accessdate=2007-05-23|date=[[1999-04-27]]|publisher=BBC News}}</ref> The premiere received media attention in the British tabloid press, as Julia Roberts attended sporting unshaven arm pits.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.theglobeandmail.com/series/field/stories/mclaren02.html|title=Letter from Notting Hill|accessdate=2007-05-23|date=[[2002-12-20]]|author=Leah McLaren|publisher=Globe and Mail}}</ref> ''Notting Hill'' charted well at the box office, earning $116,089,678 as its overall domestic gross, with a worldwide gross of $363,889,678, losing out to ''[[Star Wars Episode 1: The Phantom Menace]]''.<ref name=boxoffice>{{cite web|url=http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=nottinghill.htm|title=NOTTING HILL|accessdate=2007-05-20|publisher=[[Box Office Mojo]]}}</ref> It totaled $27.7 million over its opening weekend, breaking American box office records,<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/358820.stm|title=Notting Hill has The Force|accessdate=2007-05-23|date=[[1999-06-02]]|publisher=BBC News}}</ref> and making it the biggest ever opening for a romantic comedy film at that point, beating previous record holder ''[[My Best Friend's Wedding]]''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.boxofficemojo.com/news/?id=1046&p=.htm|title=Weekend Box Office|accessdate=2007-05-20|date=[[1999-06-02]]|author=Brandon Gray|publisher=[[Box Office Mojo]]}}</ref> ''Notting Hill'' made another $15 million the following week,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.boxofficemojo.com/news/?id=1048&p=.htm|title=Weekend Box Office|accessdate=2007-05-20|date=[[1999-06-07]]|author=Brandon Gray|publisher=[[Box Office Mojo]]}}</ref> but then began to lose out.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.boxofficemojo.com/news/?id=1053&p=.htm|title=Weekend Box Office|accessdate=2007-05-20|date=[[1999-06-21]]|author=Brandon Gray|publisher=[[Box Office Mojo]]}}</ref> One month after its release, ''Notting Hill'' lost its record for highest grossing opening weekend for a romantic comedy film to ''[[Runaway Bride (1999 film)|Runaway Bride]]''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.boxofficemojo.com/news/?id=1065&p=.htm|title=Weekend Box Office|accessdate=2007-05-20|date=[[1999-08-03]]|author=Brandon Gray|publisher=[[Box Office Mojo]]}}</ref> It was the sixteenth highest grossing film of 1999,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.boxofficemojo.com/yearly/chart/?yr=1999&p=.htm|title=1999 DOMESTIC GROSSES|accessdate=2007-05-20|publisher=[[Box Office Mojo]]}}</ref> and as of May 2007 is the 104th highest grossing film of all time.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.boxofficemojo.com/alltime/world/?pagenum=2&p=.htm|title=WORLDWIDE GROSSES|accessdate=2007-05-20|publisher=[[Box Office Mojo]]}}</ref> At the time, it had become the highest grossing British film of all time.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/431153.stm|title=Notting Hill breaks film record|accessdate=2007-05-23|date=[[1999-08-26]]|publisher=BBC News}}</ref>
 
===Awards===
CALLER: I noticed the national media, you know, they talk a lot about the loss of revenue, or the inability of the government to fund Social Security, and I was curious, and I've read articles in recent months here, that the abortions that have happened since Roe v. Wade, the lost revenue from the people who have been aborted in the last 30-something years, could fund Social Security as we know it today. And the media just doesn't -- never touches this at all.
''Notting Hill'' won the Audience Award for Most Popular Film at the [[British Academy of Film and Television Arts|BAFTA]]s in 2000,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0855372.html|title=2000 British Academy of Film and Television Awards|accessdate=2007-05-22|publisher=infoplease.com}}</ref> and was nominated in the categories of The Alexander Korda Award for Outstanding British Film of the year, and Best Performance by an Actor in a supporting role for Rhys Ifans.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/662167.stm|title=Bafta nominations in full|accessdate=2007-05-22|date=2000-03-01|publisher=BBC News}}</ref> The film also won Best Comedy Film at the [[British Comedy Awards]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.britishcomedyawards.com/pastwinners99.html|title=The Past Winners 1999|accessdate=2007-05-22|publisher=British Comedy Awards}}</ref> The film's soundtrack won Best Soundtrack at the [[Brit Awards]], beating ''[[Star Wars - Episode I: The Phantom Menace]]''.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/in_depth/entertainment/2000/brit_awards/625884.stm|title=Brits 2000: The winners|accessdate=2007-05-22|date=[[2000-03-03]]|pblisher=BBC News}}</ref> The film won Best British Film, Best British Director for Roger Michell, and Best British Actor for Hugh Grant at the [[Empire Awards]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.britishtheatreguide.info/news/library/soft/blwh-022000.htm|title=What are they doing?|date=2000-02-20|accessdate=2007-05-21|publisher=British Theatre Guide}}</ref>
The film received three nominations at the [[Golden Globes]], in the categories Best Motion Picture - Comedy/Musical, Best Motion Picture Actor - Comedy/Musical for [[Hugh Grant]], and Best Motion Picture Actress - Comedy/Musical for [[Julia Roberts]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thegoldenglobes.com/welcome.html?movie/notting_hill.html|title=Notting Hill|publisher=TheGoldenGlobes.com|accessdate=2007-05-22}}</ref>
 
==References==
BENNETT: Assuming they're all productive citizens?
{{Reflist|2}}
 
==External links==
CALLER: Assuming that they are. Even if only a portion of them were, it would be an enormous amount of revenue.
{{wikiquotepar|Notting Hill}}
*[http://www.notting-hill.com/ ''Notting Hill''] official site
*{{imdb title|id=0125439|title=Notting Hill}}
*{{rotten-tomatoes|id=notting_hill|title=Notting Hill}}
*{{metacritic film|id=nottinghill|title=Notting Hill}}
*{{mojo title|id=nottinghill|title=Notting Hill}}
 
[[Category:1990s Romantic comedy films]]
BENNETT: Maybe, maybe, but we don't know what the costs would be, too. I think as -- abortion disproportionately occur among single women? No.
[[Category:1999 films]]
 
[[Category:British films]]
CALLER: I don't know the exact statistics, but quite a bit are, yeah.
[[Category:English-language films]]
 
[[Category:Films set in London]]
BENNETT: All right, well, I mean, I just don't know. I would not argue for the pro-life position based on this, because you don't know. I mean, it cuts both -- you know, one of the arguments in this book Freakonomics that they make is that the declining crime rate, you know, they deal with this hypothesis, that one of the reasons crime is down is that abortion is up. Well --
[[Category:Films shot in Super 35]]
 
CALLER: Well, I don't think that statistic is accurate.
 
BENNETT: Well, I don't think it is either, I don't think it is either, because first of all, there is just too much that you don't know. But I do know that it's true that if you wanted to reduce crime, you could -- if that were your sole purpose, you could abort every black baby in this country, and your crime rate would go down. That would be an impossible, ridiculous, and morally reprehensible thing to do, but your crime rate would go down. So these far-out, these far-reaching, extensive extrapolations are, I think, tricky.
 
(Click here [http://mediamatters.org/items/200509280006] for a transcript of the entire conversation.)
 
Subsequently, [[Senate Minority Leader]] [[Harry Reid]] and [[House Minority Leader]] [[Nancy Pelosi]], as well as civil rights groups, condemned Bennett's statements and demanded an apology. [[President George W. Bush]] called Bennett's statements "not appropriate" in a statement read by White House Press Secretary [[Scott McClellan]]. [http://www.nytimes.com/2005/10/01/politics/01bennett.html]
 
Bennett has responded to the criticism, later issuing a statement to clarify his position. He said, in part:
 
:"A thought experiment about public policy, on national radio, should not have received the condemnations it has. Anyone paying attention to this debate should be offended by those who have selectively quoted me, distorted my meaning, and taken out of context the dialogue I engaged in this week. Such distortions from 'leaders' of organizations and parties is a disgrace not only to the organizations and institutions they serve, but to the [[First Amendment to the United States Constitution|First Amendment]]."
 
(Click here [http://www.bennettmornings.com/agnosticchart?charttype=minichart&chartID=11&formatID=1&size=3&useMiniChartID=true&destinationpage=/pg/jsp/general/featured.jsp#0] for Bennett’s full statement.)
 
==Trivia==
 
While a graduate student in philosophy at the University of Texas, Bennett, then a [[rock and roll]] fan, was set up on a blind date with [[Janis Joplin]], who was then at the height of her singing career. According to ''[[People (magazine)|People]]'' magazine, the date "must surely rank as one of the least likely blind dates of all time." When asked what he and Janis did on their date, Bennett joked, "Hey, a gentleman doesn't tell."
 
==See also==
*[[Legalized abortion and crime effect]]
*[[Race and crime]]
 
{{start box}}
{{succession box |
before= [[Terrell Bell]] |
title= [[United States Secretary of Education]] |
years= 1985&ndash;1988 |
after= [[Lauro Cavazos]]
}}
{{end box}}
{{USSecEd}}
 
==External links==
*[http://www.bennettmornings.com Morning in America]
 
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