Four Weddings and a Funeral

Four Weddings and a Funeral

Ah, the joy of watching re-runs on DVD. One of the rarest of my moments indeed, this viewing was done on an original DVD! (whether I purchased it or not, it’s entirely another story). “Four Weddings and a Funeral” is a 1993 effort by Mike Newell who directed the fourth Harry Potter movie.

Watching this breakout British movie, which was also the highest grossing British movie until 1999, it was evidently clear that Newell's directional strength quite lies in ensemble of characters, each one characteristically doing their own thing but they end up interconnecting somehow or rather. It works pretty well with the Harry Potter story of ensemble of characters and alongside of it set up in a Brit environment.



Not to forget, it was also Hugh Grant’s breakout film role. Funny how he thought it was an awful film when he was acting in it. On the contrary, it’s one of Rowan Atkinson’s favorite films. His character was a debutante priest whose one of the most memorable lines in the movie (or in British film history) was hysterical-fits-of-laughter inducing ones like “to take him as your awful wedded wife” (to think of it, quite aptly put) and “in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy spigot”.



My new habit of visiting imdb.com after every movie viewing made a discovery that Andie Macdowell was cast just two weeks before the shoot began. ( Jeanne Tripplehorn was originally cast but backed out due to her mother’s sudden passing at that time). Macdowell took up the role without much hesitation and also waiving the actor’s fee but only just netting a small percentage of the film’s takings. The end result? She got 2 million pounds. Hugh Grant, however, was only paid 100,000 pounds for his role.



Was Macdowell a Christian? I could relate to that, and as my testimony, it is in giving generously with the heart that we are able to receive more than what we would expect to. Aside from the fixed tithing that is done for every wage earned, the heart should tithe as well. Not as a requirement, but more as a generous pay-it-forward scheme to reach out to people by the basis of “see a need, meet it” to everyone around you. It is simply done as to reflect how He has unconditionally blessed us out of His love.


From what I have experienced, the more that I give without expectations, everything is returned in the most awesome mysterious ways. Prior to this, I have heard about these testimonies quite often. I’m glad to confirm that now, being action speaks louder than words, the experience is amazingly true.

Last updated: 2009-08-11 21:50:50 by joekhor