Bridget Jones's Diary (film)

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This article is about the 2001 film. For the 1996 novel on which the film was based, see Bridget Jones's Diary.
Bridget Jones's Diary

Theatrical release poster
Directed by Sharon Maguire
Produced by Helen Fielding
Tim Bevan
Jonathan Cavendish
Eric Fellner
Written by Helen Fielding
Andrew Davies
Richard Curtis
Starring Renee Zellweger
Hugh Grant
Colin Firth
Gemma Jones
Jim Broadbent
Music by Patrick Doyle
Cinematography Stuart Dryburgh
Editing by Martin Walsh
Distributed by Miramax Films(USA)
StudioCanal(France)
Universal Pictures(other countries)
Release date(s) April 13, 2001
Running time 97 min.
Country Flag of the United Kingdom
Language English
Budget $26 million
Gross revenue $281,929,795
Followed by The Edge of Reason
IMDb profile

Bridget Jones's Diary is a British 2001 romantic comedy film, based on the novel, also called Bridget Jones's Diary, by Helen Fielding. The adaptation starred Renee Zellweger as Bridget, Hugh Grant as the caddish Daniel Cleaver and Colin Firth as Bridget's 'true love' Mark Darcy. A sequel, Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason, was released in 2004.

Before the film came out a considerable amount of controversy surrounded the casting of the American Zellweger as what some saw as a quintessentially British heroine. However, her performance is widely considered to be of a high standard.

Helen Fielding has stated in many interviews that her novel was based upon both Jane Austen's work Pride and Prejudice and the popular 1995 BBC adaptation, Pride and Prejudice. This was also reflected in the decision to cast Colin Firth as Darcy, since he played the 'real' Mr Darcy in the BBC adaptation of Pride and Prejudice. This is not the film's only connection to that serial – the screenplay was co-written by Andrew Davies, who had written the adaptation of Austen's novel for the BBC.[1]

The director of the film, Sharon Maguire, is one of Fielding's friends whom the character of "Shazzer" was reportedly based on. In the film "Shazzer" was played by Sally Phillips, who originally auditioned for the role of Bridget, but was not considered a big enough name for the part. Kate Winslet also auditioned for the part and was almost considered for it, but eventually was dismissed since she was too young (25 at the time the auditions took place) to play Bridget.

Renee Zellweger was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actress for her role in the film.

Contents

[edit] Plot

Bridget Jones is frustrated; she is thirty-something, still single, and worried about her weight. She works at a book publishing company in London where her main focus is fantasizing about her boss Daniel Cleaver. On New Year's Day, she finally decides to turn it all around and starts her own diary, which covers all her attempts to stop smoking, lose weight, and catch her Mr. Right. Lawyer Mark Darcy, Bridget's mother's favourite choice for a future husband, does not appeal to Bridget at all. After seeing him at a Christmas party at her parents' house, she finds Mark to be annoying and arrogant.

Bridget and Daniel begin to flirt heavily at work and eventually start dating, despite the fact that he is a notorious womanizer with a questionable personality. Bridget learns from Daniel that he and Mark have a history and as a result, hate each other dearly. Daniel informs Bridget of their fallout, telling her that Mark broke their friendship by sleeping with his fiancee.

After Daniel's dubious character becomes clearer and clearer to Bridget, she breaks off their relationship when she catches him with another woman, a colleague of his from work in New York. In the meantime, she gets to know Mark and finds him to be a sincere man whom she enjoys spending time with. Just as Bridget and Mark's mutual attraction for each other comes together at a birthday dinner party hosted by Bridget, Daniel comes back into the picture claiming Bridget's attention. Mark originally leaves the party, but comes back to face Daniel. Mark punches Daniel and the two fight, resulting in Daniel passing out. Bridget, still thinking that Daniel had been the wronged one, chastises Mark. Afterward, she tells Daniel that she doesn't want to be with him.

Bridget eventually learns the truth about Mark and Daniel's fallout, in which Daniel had seduced Mark's ex-wife when they were still married. At a dinner party the same day, Bridget confesses her feelings for Mark, only to find out that he is engaged to his colleague.

Bridget is further disheartened once Mark's parents announce at the party that Mark is going to New York. Just as Bridget starts to embark on a trip to Paris with her friends to mend her broken heart, Mark returns to stay with Bridget.

As they're about to sleep together, Bridget exits to her bedroom to change her undergarments. While Bridget is changing, Mark spies her diary, in which she has written many insults about him. Bridget returns to find that he has left. Realizing that he had read her diary and that she might potentially lose him again, Bridget runs outside after him in a thin coat and her undergarments. Unable to find him and disheartened she is about to return home when Mark appears holding a new diary. It becomes apparent that the new diary was to be a gift from Mark to replace Bridget's current diary which she has filled up. They kiss in the snow-covered streets and the movie concludes.

[edit] Cast

[edit] Soundtrack

The movie's soundtrack was composed by Patrick Doyle.

It also features two hit songs which were released as singles, "Out of Reach" by Gabrielle and "It's Raining Men" by Geri Halliwell. Robbie Williams contributed two songs to the soundtrack and Sheryl Crow contributed one.

This is the CD:

  1. "Killin' Kind" by Shelby Lynne
  2. "Kiss That Girl" by Sheryl Crow
  3. "Love" by Rosey
  4. "Have You Met Miss Jones?" by Robbie Williams
  5. "All by Myself" by Jamie O'Neal
  6. "Just Perfect" by Tracy Bonham
  7. "Dreamsome" by Shelby Lynne
  8. "Not Of This Earth" by Robbie Williams
  9. "Out of Reach" by Gabrielle
  10. "Someone Like You" by Van Morrison
  11. "It's Raining Men" by Geri Halliwell
  12. "Stop, Look, Listen (To Your Heart)" by Diana Ross and Marvin Gaye
  13. "I'm Every Woman" by Chaka Khan
  14. "Pretender Got My Heart" by Alisha's Attic
  15. "It's Only A Diary" by Patrick Doyle

[edit] Other songs

Other songs in the movie not listed on the soundtrack CD include:

[edit] Soundtrack chart positions

Year Chart Position
2001 Australian ARIA Albums Chart 1
Preceded by
Moulin Rouge! (soundtrack) by Various artists		 Australian ARIA Albums Chart number-one album
August 13 - September 9, 2001
September 17 - September 23, 2001		 Succeeded by
A Funk Odyssey by Jamiroquai

[edit] Details

  • In Germany, the title is: Bridget Jones – Schokolade zum Frühstück, meaning "Bridget Jones - Chocolate for Breakfast"
  • In the United Kingdom the film grossed a very impressive £41,692,598.
  • In the United States the film made $71,500,556.
  • The film has made $281,929,795 worldwide.
  • Controversial author Salman Rushdie makes a cameo appearance as himself, with both Bridget and Daniel asking him for directions to the lavatory.
  • Toni Collette had to turn down the part of Bridget Jones, because of her commitments to perform on Broadway.


[edit] See also

[edit] References

  1. ^ Vanity Fair (Italy), Oct 16, 2003, article on Colin Firth

[edit] External links