Focus Features

On March 9, 1994, a small British movie with low expectations called Four Weddings and a Funeral went on release. The romantic comedy was an early screenwriting effort of Brit humor writer Richard Curtis - creator of TV's Mr. Bean and Blackadder - and was inspired by his courtship of Emma Freud, his longtime partner. Hugh Grant (then a relative unknown) and US actress Andie MacDowell played the movie's disgustingly good-looking protagonists who can't quite get it together, while a very strong supporting cast (Kristin Scott Thomas, Simon Callow, John Hannah, Rowan Atkinson et al) had a lot of fun with Curtis' memorable characters and very funny script. Grant, all floppy hair and stuttering, became an instant star, while the movie's charm translated around the world. It rapidly became the biggest grossing British movie of all time, bringing in an amazing $240 million, and was nominated for Best Picture and Best Original Screenplay at the Oscars that year. It also marked the start of a highly successful partnership between Curtis and Grant, who would reteam again in 1999 on Notting Hill, in 2003 on Love Actually, and on both Bridget Jones movies, every time emulating or eclipsing the huge global box office haul of Four Weddings. Curtis moved up from scribe to writer-director on Love Actually, and most recently directed the Focus Features movie Pirate Radio.

On March 9, 1994, a small British movie with low expectations called Four Weddings and a Funeral went on release. The romantic comedy was an early screenwriting effort of Brit humor writer Richard Curtis - creator of TV's Mr. Bean and Blackadder - and was inspired by his courtship of Emma Freud, his longtime partner. Hugh Grant (then a relative unknown) and US actress Andie MacDowell played the movie's disgustingly good-looking protagonists who can't quite get it together, while a very strong supporting cast (Kristin Scott Thomas, Simon Callow, John Hannah, Rowan Atkinson et al) had a lot of fun with Curtis' memorable characters and very funny script. Grant, all floppy hair and stuttering, became an instant star, while the movie's charm translated around the world. It rapidly became the biggest grossing British movie of all time, bringing in an amazing $240 million, and was nominated for Best Picture and Best Original Screenplay at the Oscars that year. It also marked the start of a highly successful partnership between Curtis and Grant, who would reteam again in 1999 on Notting Hill, in 2003 on Love Actually, and on both Bridget Jones movies, every time emulating or eclipsing the huge global box office haul of Four Weddings. Curtis moved up from scribe to writer-director on Love Actually, and most recently directed the Focus Features movie Pirate Radio.