Love Actually is one of our all-time favourite feel-good films to watch at Christmas time.
The 2003 rom-com, which boasts a star-studded cast, examines the complexities of the one emotion that connects us all: love.
From the heartbreaking scene where Emma Thompson’s character discovers her husband is cheating on her, to Liam Neeson’s character’s speech about his late wife – there are PLENTY of tear-jerking moments in this film.
But one heartbreaking storyline didn’t make the final cut.
It involves the stern headmistress of the school that hosts the Christmas concert, played by Anne Reid, and her terminally ill partner Geraldine, played by Harry Potter actress Frances de la Tour.
In a deleted scene, the couple are shown sharing wine and laughing together before the film cuts to them cuddling and Geraldine coughing painfully.
In another deleted scene later on in the film, Emma Thompson’s character makes an emotional speech at the school concert, saying: “I’d just like to say to our headmistress, on behalf of all the parents, that we think it’s very brave her being here today in light of her recent loss.”
“Geraldine was a wonderful and wicked woman, and sorrow is particularly hard at Christmas.”
Director Richard Curtis said in a bonus DVD interview that he regretted the couple’s tragic story not making it into the final cut of the beloved movie.
He said: “I was really sorry to lose this. The idea was meant to be that you just casually meet this very stern headmistress, but later on in the film we suddenly fell in with her and you realise that, no matter how unlikely it seems, any character you come across in life has their own complicated tale of love.”
“It jumps rather quickly at the end because you find out what’s happened to them in a bleak manner.”
You can watch the deleted storyline below:
