Taking Hugh for Granted

Join Oscar and Diggory as they discuss Hugh Grant's fascinating portrayal of Polish composer and pianist Frédéric Chopin in Impromptu (Lapine, 1991). 

Set in 1830s France, Impromptu follows George Sand (played by Judy Davis), who is known as an eccentric maneater, traversing the world without a care for societal norms and leaving a trail of adoring men in her wake. However, when she meets pianist and composer Frédéric Chopin (played by Hugh Grant), George Sand is overcome. Chopin must be hers.

Make sure you're following Taking Hugh for Granted on Instagram and Facebook (@TakingHughforGranted) as well as Twitter (@TakingHugh). You can get in touch with us there or via our email [email protected]

For those of you that want to skip disclaimers, opening theme tunes, salutations, synopses and go straight to the film analysis, head to 5:19

Sit in as juror while Oscar and Diggory judge whether A Very English Scandal (BBC, 2018) has been taking Hugh for granted. 

Based on real events taking place in the UK during the 1960s and 70s, Liberal Party leader Jeremy Thorpe (played by Hugh Grant) attempts to have his former lover, Norman Scott (played by Ben Wishaw), murdered for fear exposure of their homosexual relationship may end his political career. When the plot is exposed, Thorpe and Scott must go to trial. 

Make sure you're following Taking Hugh for Granted on Instagram and Facebook (@TakingHughforGranted) as well as Twitter (@TakingHugh). You can get in touch with us there or via our email [email protected]

For those of you that want to skip disclaimers, opening theme tunes, salutations, synopses and go straight to the film analysis, head to 2:35

Entangle yourself in a forbidden romance with Oscar and Diggory as they watch The Bengali Night (Nicolas Klotz, 1988), discuss their dreams and reveal the abysmal results they received in their French results back in school. 

The film, also known as La Nuit Bengali, follows British Engineer Allan (played by Hugh Grant), who falls in love with his employer's eldest daughter Gayatri (played by Supriya Pathak). As their passion ignites, an East-meets-West clash of cultures leads to surprising and tragic consequences.

Make sure you're following Taking Hugh for Granted on Instagram and Facebook (@TakingHughforGranted) as well as Twitter (@TakingHugh). You can get in touch with us there or via our email [email protected]

For those of you that want to skip disclaimers, opening theme tunes, salutations, synopses and go straight to the film analysis, head to 4:26

Toot along to the tune of Music and Lyrics (Marc Lawrence, 2007) as your hosts, Oscar and Diggory, conduct yet another investigation to find out whether we've been taking Hugh for granted. 

Alex Fletcher (played by Hugh Grant) is a washed up singer who is given a couple days to compose a chart-topping hit for an aspiring teen sensation. Though he's never written a decent lyric in his life, he meets Sophie Fisher (played by Drew Barrymore) and sparks begin to fly both on and off the page.

Make sure you're following Taking Hugh for Granted on Instagram and Facebook (@TakingHughforGranted) as well as Twitter (@TakingHugh). You can get in touch with us there or via our email [email protected]

For those of you that want to skip disclaimers, opening theme tunes, salutations, synopses and go straight to the film analysis, head to 4:05

Climb aboard an Istanbul-bound cruise ship with Oscar and Diggory as they embark on another quest to find out whether we've been taking Hugh for granted. This time the boys are taking a look at Bitter Moon (Polanski, 1992) in which Nigel (played by Hugh Grant) meets a mysterious American named Oscar (played by Peter Coyote) and his beautiful French wife Mimi (played by Emmanuelle Seigner). Over the course of several days, Oscar regales the story of how he met Mimi, their salacious steamy love affair and its torrid, bitter break down.

The boys also give an update on how the podcast will be affected going forward during the outbreak of Covid-19 and welcome the debut of Synopsis Simon Haines, Synopsis Simon's stand-in. You can find him on Twitter @thesimonhaines and even on IMDB. Thank you so much to Simon for taking part.

For those of you that want to skip disclaimers, opening theme tunes, salutations, synopses and go straight to the film analysis, head to 4:57

Volunteer as tribute to listen to this special 'Question and Answer' episode, Oscar and Diggory field questions from loyal THFG listeners. Oscar and Diggory discuss how they met, which films they wish Hugh Grant had been cast in and set the parameters for The Hughnger Games: a hunger games style battle royale scenario in which it's last Hugh standing. 

Also, Oscar and Diggory interview Mary, one of the first listeners to the podcast. They talk to her about how she found the podcast, her love of British actors and of course, which Hugh Grant film she'd take to a desert island with her. Thank you so much again to Mary for taking part. 

Make sure you're following Taking Hugh for Granted on Instagram and Facebook (@TakingHughforGranted) as well as Twitter (@TakingHugh). You can get in touch with us there or via our email [email protected]

This week we step inside the world of Bridget and her diary in Bridget Jones’s Diary (Sharon Maguire, 2001). Bridget, portrayed by Renée Zellweger, is an average woman struggling with her perceived imperfections like her age, weight, job and her lack of a man. As a New Year’s resolution she decides to take control of her life by starting a diary in which she will always tell the complete truth. When her charming though disreputable boss, Daniel Cleaver (Hugh Grant) takes an interest in her, Bridget finds it hard to stay away, despite her better judgement. Perhaps, Mark Darcy (Colin Firth) is a better fit for her? For now, it’s Sunday morning and Bridget has woken up with a headache, a hangover and her boss...

Make sure you're following Taking Hugh for Granted on Instagram and Facebook (@TakingHughforGranted) as well as Twitter (@TakingHugh). You can get in touch with us there or via our email [email protected]

For those of you that want to skip disclaimers, opening theme tunes, salutations, synopses and go straight to the film analysis, head to 6:13

It's back to school with Oscar and Diggory as Hugh Grant gives us a lesson in how to manage your day in 30 minute chunks, pretend you have a son and ruin any chances you had with the ladies in About a Boy (Chris Weitz and Paul Weitz, 2002).

Thirty-eight-year-old Will Freeman (played by Hugh Grant) is a slacker who has lived comfortably off the royalties of a song written by his deceased father, and as such has never had to work a day in his life. In search of available women, Will invents an imaginary son and starts attending single parent meetings. As a result, he meets Marcus (played by Nicholas Hoult), an odd 12-year-old boy with problems at school. Gradually, they become friends and as Will teaches Marcus how to be the cool kid at school, Marcus helps Will to realise growing up has nothing to do with age. 

For those of you that want to skip disclaimers, opening theme tunes, salutations, synopses and go straight to the film analysis, head to 5:18

This episode we invite you to dip into the Valentines chocolate box of romantic delights that is Notting Hill (Roger Michell, 1999), full of soft centres, fingers of fudge and, if you fancy something hard, there are plenty of nutty nuggets to wrap your lips around... It's a date!

William Thacker (played by Hugh Grant) is a bookseller at a shop in the Notting Hill district of West London. When world famous super star actress Anna Scott (played Julia Roberts) walks in to his shop, an unlikely relationship starts to take shape. But Anna’s notoriety, fame and actor boyfriend lead William to question: can the most famous film star in the world really fall for just an ordinary guy?

Who needs a bunch of red roses when you have two wise weeds in Diggory and Oscar, who as ever and always endeavour to the heart of whether we have been taking Hugh for granted. 

Make sure you're following Taking Hugh for Granted on Instagram and Facebook (@TakingHughforGranted) as well as Twitter (@TakingHugh). You can get in touch with us there or via our email [email protected]

For those of you that want to skip disclaimers, opening theme tunes, salutations, synopses and go straight to the film analysis, head to 4:23

Diggory, Oscar and Paddington Bear (voiced by Ben Wishaw) invite you to join in the investigation as to who has stolen Aunt Lucy's 100th Birthday present. With Paddington framed and jailed, the lead suspect soon becomes the devilish and egotistical actor Phoenix Buchanan (played by Hugh Grant). 

We have the return of new regular feature 'Synopsis Simon', discuss Oscar's final foray in to acting and of course do a deep dive in to what many believe is one of Hugh Grant's greatest performances on the big screen.

Make sure you're following Taking Hugh for Granted on Instagram and Facebook (@TakingHughforGranted) as well as Twitter (@TakingHugh). You can get in touch with us there or via our email [email protected]

For those of you that want to skip disclaimers, opening theme tunes, salutations, synopses and go straight to the film analysis, head to 4:06