There are all sorts of sources for comedy in this scene: there is Carrie's long history, that she remembers everyone in vivid detail, that Charles is 1) surprised 2) alarmed 3) out-matched and 4) befuddled to the point where he is clawing at his face in response, and that as the answer goes on, he wishes he had never brought it up. There is the struggle he maintains to keep everything light and funny, while giving in to these sudden shocks to his system and not look like a jerk. It's a bit of a losing battle.
The cutting helps. It starts slowly back and forth, doing the "we're together/we're apart" movie "thing" starting with the two-shot of the pair just bantering together, and then, when Carrie starts to count—and recount—they're in separate corners and separate shots, the cutting back and forth favoring Carrie and coming back to Charles for reactions, which increase in rate the longer she talks.
The post-production team also play a little audio trick, not too unlike the scene in Taxi Driver where the camera exits the scene of a phone-call, reflecting the character's own desire to end the conversation. A couple of times, Carrie's words are lowered in volume to break the monologue in points where there is no obvious comedy, just more of the ticking off of numbers. In those spots the volume of the MUZAK background is dialed up, reflecting Charles "zoning out" the information due to his increasing discomfort. Nothing big, but a nice little touch.
It's a funny scene, played expertly.
CARRIE: Anyway, I reckon I've had my fair run at it. 
CHARLES: What is a fair run these days,
down your way? 
CARRIE: I don't know.
More than one. 
CARRIE: Well... 
CARRIE: The first one - of course,
not easily forgotten - was kinda nice. 
CARRIE: Two... hairy back.
Three, four, five... Six was
on my birthday in my parents' room.
- 
CHARLES: Which birthday?
- 
CARRIE: I grew up in the country.
Lots of rolling around in haystacks.
OK... 
CARRIE: Seven...
CARRIE: ...hmmm.
CARRIE: Eight, unfortunately, was quite a shock. Nine, against a fence.
Very uncomfortable. Don't try it. 
CHARLES: I won't. 
CARRIE: Ten...oh, was gorgeous. 
CARRIE: Just heaven, just...uh, He was wonderful.
- 
CHARLES: I hate him. 
CARRIE: Eleven, obviously after ten, 
CARRIE: ...disappointing. 
CARRIE: 12 through 17, the university years.
Sensitive, caring, intelligent boys.
Sexually speaking, a real low patch. 
CARRIE: Umm, 
CARRIE: 18 broke my heart. Years of yearning.
- 
CHARLES: I'm sorry. 
CARRIE: 20...Oh, my God!
I can't believe I've reached twenty. 
CARRIE: Twenty-one, elephant tongue. 
CARRIE: 22 kept falling asleep.
That was my first year in England. 
CHARLES: I do apologize. 
CARRIE: Twenty-three and 24 together. 
CARRIE: Now, that was something.
- 
CHARLES: Seriously?
... 
CARRIE: Twenty-seven...oof, that was a mistake.
- 
CHARLES: Suddenly at 27 you make a mistake?
- 
CARRIE: Oh yes, he kept screaming. 
CARRIE: I nearly gave up on the whole thing. 
CARRIE: But Spencer changed my mind. That's... 
CARRIE: 28. His father-29. 
CHARLES: With his father?
. 
CARRIE: Mmmm, 30, ugh. Thirty-one... 
CARRIE: ...Oh, my God. 
CARRIE: Thirty-two - was lovely. 
CARRIE: And then un fiancé, that's 33. 
CHARLES: Wow! 
CHARLES: So...
CHARLES: ...I came after your fiancé? 
CARRIE: No, you were 32. 
CHARLES: Oh.
CARRIE: So there you go. 
CARRIE: Less than Madonna, 
CARRIE: ...more than Princess Di - I hope. 
CARRIE: And how about you?
How many have you slept with? 
CHARLES: Christ! Nothing like that many. 
CHARLES: I don't know...
I don't know what the fuck
I've been doing with my time. 
CHARLES: Work, probably. Yeah, work.
I have been working late...
CHARLES: ...a lot.
The Set-Up: "Serial monogamist" Charles (Hugh Grant) meets American Carrie (Andie MacDowell) at Wedding #1, sleeps with her, sees her again at Wedding #2 and meets her fiancé (Corin Redgrave), sleeps with her—again—then runs into her after receiving her wedding invitation and helps her make a final decision on her wedding dress. They go to lunch—as Charles has 30 minutes before he goes to meet his brother—so there's time for small talk...as long as it's not long and involved, and since Charles and Carrie basically flirting, there's no danger of that...
Is there?
Action...
CHARLES: Well, come on. Tell me.
I've seen the dress. We have no secrets.
CARRIE: Seventeenth.
-
CHARLES: We've only reached 17?
-
CARRIE: Very off-putting.
Words by Richard Curtis
Pictures by Michael Coulter and Mike Newell
Four Weddings and a Funeral is available on DVD and Blu-Ray from M-G-M Home Entertainment.
* I did a Google Search—and yes, there are.
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