Shouldn't there be black people in this film?
By liquorice
@liquorice (3887)
May 15, 2008 8:43am CST
I love this film, but one of the main criticisms about it is that Notting Hill is an area of London with a sizeable Caribbean population, yet the film, in it's many shots of the area, hardly showed any black people at all.
Well, I suppose that it is a fictional film and in fiction the writer has the license to create any sort of fictional situation, so why not create a fictional Notting Hill with all white people, ...or a fictional San Fransisco with all green people, or a fictional Paris with all giant sea creatures (well, you get what I'm trying to say...).
On the other hand if it's a film that lots of people are going see, especially if it's a film that will be shown around the world, isn't it a bit confusing to portray a place in a different way to how it really is?
If I was a black person I would probably be a bit offended that they chose to show hardly any black people in the film, especially when they play such a massive part in the history and character of the area, and are responsible for the Notting Hill Carnival, a hugely popular and colourful annual event that really puts Notting Hill on the map, and contributes millions of pounds to the UK economy each year.
1 person likes this
2 responses
@Angelwriter (1954)
• United States
8 Jun 08
I'm a black person and I love this film. But, I don't know anything about Notting Hill, the place. Although, I don't think it would matter to me, since it's not really about Notting Hill. It's simply set there.
And, while I think there should be black people in films, I'm not offended when I see a movie with an all white cast. Or an all black cast. Or Asian. Or pick any ethnicity. Or when the cast is mixed. I can understand why some people might have concerns, but for the most part, when I watch something, I'm not doing a head count. To me, this was a romantic comedy about a regular guy who fell in love with an actress. And, only the Hugh Grant, Julia Roberts, and the people in their immediate circle mattered as far as characters. Sure, they could have cast a black person or more as one of William's friends, or Anna's, and the movie would have been just as good. But, I didn't find it lacking because they didn't.
1 person likes this
@liquorice (3887)
•
10 Jun 08
Thanks for your reply. It's really interesting to hear your view, and I get what you're saying. The point of the film was to tell this love story, and I loved it too. They could have had a black main character, but I was mainly struck with the extras that they cast, as it's in the crowd scenes that the lack of ethnic minorities is most apparent. When they had street scenes and showed the market, etc.. there weren't many black people in sight (if any). The writers have artistic license to do what they like, but it just disturbs me a bit me when a film (or a book) portrays a place so inaccurately. It made me wonder why they would choose to do it this way. I'm glad you enjoy this film too.
1 person likes this
@Angelwriter (1954)
• United States
13 Jun 08
I guess I never paid attention to the crowd scenes. It's been a few months since I've watched it, but I'm sure I would only have paid attention to the extras that interacted with the main cast. So, until you pointed it out, I never even noticed whether there were black people.
Anyway I do see your point, since it would have been a realistic depiction of the racial makeup of the area. On an academic level, I can even argue that they should have had black actors, especially in the crowd scenes. But, like I said, on a personal level it doesn't bother me.
2 people like this
@p1kef1sh (45681)
•
11 Jun 08
I know Notting Hill quite well and it had never occurred to me that there were few if any black people in the film. I think that there should be a reasonable depiction of an area generally, london is an ethnically diverse city and maybe films shot there should reflect that. What I don't understand is when there is obvious tokenism, be it gender, race, able/disabled. Robin Hood has a multi ethnic cast even! As does just about every TV historical programme. Great for the individual actors, but hardly representative of the urban or rural ethnic makeup of the time.
1 person likes this
@liquorice (3887)
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9 Sep 08
Yes, I agree. Yes, obvious tokenism like that make me laugh too! And I've also noticed it in programmes like Dr Who where there are various ethnic minority extras in times when there probably wouldn't have been.
The funniest example of cultural inaccuracy that I've seen, (although a bit different to your examples), was a cartoon version of a biblical story in set in Israel, but with an all-Welsh cast!
