The Notebook

Plot

In 2004, the elderly Duke reads from a notebook to another nursing home patient, recounting Noah Calhoun and Allison "Allie" Hamilton's love story.

In 1940, at Seabrook Island, South Carolina's carnival, lumber mill worker Noah is instantly smitten with 17-year-old heiress Allie, there for the summer. She is initially unimpressed, but he charms her and they have a summer romance. Although vastly different, they fall madly in love.

At August's end, Noah discovers Allie will be attending Sarah Lawrence College. Showing her the abandoned Windsor Plantation, he reveals his dream to repair it. Starting to make love, their friend Fin bursts in as the police have been enlisted to find her. Allie's mother Anne forbids her from seeing him again. Overhearing, Noah tells Allie he does not see their future together. Distraught, she breaks up with him then immediately regrets it.

The next morning, Anne announces their immediate early return to Charleston. Allie rushes to the mill to see Noah, but he is away, so she asks Fin to tell Noah she loves him. Noah later rushes to see Allie, but it is too late.

Noah writes Allie every day for a year, but she never receives his letters. With silence from her, he feels forgotten so stops writing. Noah and Fin fight in WWII, where Fin is killed in the Battle of the Bulge. Meanwhile, Allie meets Captain Lon Hammond Jr. as a nurse, a young lawyer from old Southern money. Allie's parents are pleased they fall in love and become engaged.

Noah returns from the war, discovering his father has sold their home so Noah can buy the Windsor Plantation. Soon after, his father dies, and Noah begins repairing the house. Although meaning to sell it, he rejects all offers. Noah casually sees war widow Martha Shaw. She wants more, but he cannot forget Allie.

As Allie is trying on wedding dresses, she sees a newspaper photo of Noah at Windsor Plantation and faints. Her feelings come rushing back, so is compelled to see him before marrying Lon. Driving to Seabrook alone, Allie and Noah have not seen one another for seven years. Noah is stunned, the nervous Allie crashes her car while trying to leave. In the house they chat, then she reveals her engagement. They also reminisce about that summer and how in love they were.

The next day, they go for a boat ride and Noah shows Allie a beautiful spot with geese. It begins to rain and, returning to the dock, Allie emotionally confronts Noah for not writing and that she waited for him the whole time. He tells her of the 365 letters— every day for a year. Declaring things are not over, Noah passionately kisses Allie. They go back to the house and make love.

Noah and Allie spend the next few days in romantic bliss. Martha eventually appears and is happy to see Noah with his true love. Anne arrives to warn Allie that Lon is in Seabrook. Allie is angry with her mother for keeping Noah's letters from her. Anne points out a man from the lumber mill to Allie she had once loved. Due to their different social classes, she believed they had no future. Anne still wonders what their lives would have been like had she chosen differently. She hands Allie Noah's letters, suggesting she choose wisely.

Upon Allie's return, Noah asks Allie what she is going to do. When she cannot answer definitively, they argue explosively. Noah feels betrayed that Allie is leaving again after sleeping together. She reminds him she is still engaged to Lon. Noah asks Allie to stay with him, but Allie is unsure they can make things work. Acknowledging their relationship will not be easy, Noah is willing to put in the effort because he wants to be with her forever. Allie is torn as the choice will hurt either Noah or Lon. Noah insists she choose who she truly wants to be with, regardless of the consequences.

At her hotel, sobbing and confused after reading the letters, Allie has a clarifying conversation with Lon. Finally, Allie returns to Noah.

Back in 2004, the elderly woman is revealed to be dementia-afflicted Allie. Duke is actually Noah, who uses the pseudonym to not startle her. The book he reads to her is her journal, detailing their love story to help her remember him. Noah has kept his promise to read it to her daily.

When Noah finishes reading the notebook, Allie remembers it is their story. She finally recognizes him, they embrace, then dance to their song, "I'll Be Seeing You", and she asks after their children. However, the dementia quickly returns, she panics at seeing a stranger touching her, so is sedated.

Later, Duke has a heart attack and is treated in the nursing home while Allie is taken to the dementia ward. Upon his recovery, Noah sneaks into her room in the night while the nurse turns a blind eye. Allie instantly recognizes him and they kiss, declaring she does not want to forget and wants them to "leave" together. The next morning, their bodies are found together, holding hands.

Cast

• Ryan Gosling as Noah Calhoun (young)
  • James Garner as Duke / Noah (old)
• Rachel McAdams as Allison "Allie" Calhoun (née Hamilton), Noah's wife
  • Gena Rowlands as old Allie
• Sam Shepard as Frank Calhoun, Noah's father
• Joan Allen as Anne Hamilton, Allie's mother
• James Marsden as Lon Hammond Jr.
• Kevin Connolly as Fin
• David Thornton as John Hamilton, Allie's father
• Jamie Brown as Martha Shaw
• Heather Wahlquist as Sara Tuffington
• Ed Grady as Harry
• Obba Babatunde as Bandleader
• Starletta DuPois as Nurse Esther
• Paul Johansson as Anne Hamilton's ex-boyfriend (uncredited)
• Chubbs as Abner, a domesticated pig

Production

The film rights to Nicholas Sparks' novel were acquired by New Line Cinema in 1996, represented by producer Mark Johnson. Jeremy Leven was hired to write the script, which caught the attention of director Steven Spielberg in 1998, who wished to film it with Tom Cruise as Noah Calhoun. Spielberg's commitment to other projects led to Jim Sheridan becoming attached to direct the following year. M. Night Shyamalan was also approached to direct but couldn't do it due to commitments to The Sixth Sense. Filming was to start in 1999 but pushed back over rewrites. Sheridan eventually backed out by October 2000 to work on In America. Martin Campbell entered negotiations to direct in March 2001, Early in development George Clooney was going to play Noah, and Paul Newman the older Noah, but after Clooney watched some Paul Newman movies he went up to Newman and said he did not look like him.

Casting

Cassavetes wanted someone unknown and "not handsome" to portray Noah; he chose Ryan Gosling for the role. Hayden Christensen was originally considered for the role. Gosling was initially surprised by this: "I read [the script] and I thought, 'He's crazy. I couldn't be more wrong for this movie.'" "It gave me an opportunity to play a character over a period of time – from 1940 to 1946 – that was quite profound and formative." To prepare for the part, Gosling temporarily moved to Charleston, South Carolina, prior to filming. During two months, he rowed the Ashley River and made furniture. When James Garner was approached for the role of the older Noah, he asked his agent if the script was for a television film, until he read it again and realized it had a universal appeal. A nationwide search was conducted to find the right actress to play Allie. Actresses who auditioned or considered for the role included Jessica Biel, Britney Spears, Jaime King, Jane McGregor, Jennifer Lawrence, Kate Beckinsale, Kate Bosworth, Amy Adams, Mandy Moore, Scarlett Johansson, Claire Danes, Jennifer Love Hewitt, Ashley Judd, and Reese Witherspoon, with the choice narrowed down to Britney Spears and Rachel McAdams with McAdams winning the role. On casting her, Cassavetes said: "When Rachel McAdams came in and read, it was apparent that she was the one. She and Ryan had great chemistry between them." She commented: "I thought it would be a dream to be able to do it. I read the script and went into the audition just two days later. It was a good way to do it because I was very full of the story." Gosling commented that, "I think that it's pretty fair to say that we probably wouldn't have made the film if we hadn't found Rachel... Really, Allie drives the movie. It's her movie and we're in it. It all kind of depended on an actress." In comparison to the book, the role was extended. McAdams spent time in Charleston before filming to familiarize herself with the surroundings, and took ballet and etiquette classes. She had a dialect coach to learn the Southern accent. Bradley Cooper was considered for Lon Hammond, while the studio pushed for Cole Hauser; but James Marsden was eventually cast.

Filming

The Notebook was filmed mostly on location in South Carolina, as well as the wintery battlefield just outside Montreal. Production offices for the film were set up at the old Charleston Naval Shipyard in North Charleston.

Much of the film's plot takes place in and around Seabrook Island, an actual town which is one of the South Carolina "sea island" localities, located 20 mi southwest of Charleston. None of the filming took place in the Seabrook area, however, and instead utilized the surrounding areas. Specifically, the house that Noah is seen fixing up is a private residence at Wadmalaw Island, another locality situated 10 mi closer to Charleston. The house was not actually in a dilapidated state at the time and instead was made to look that way by special effects. Contrary to the suggestion in the film's dialogue, neither the house nor the Seabrook area was home to South Carolina Revolutionary hero Francis Marion, whose plantation was actually located northwest of Charleston. The Boone Hall Plantation served as Allie's summer house.

Many of the scenes set in Seabrook were filmed in the town of Mt. Pleasant, (a suburb of Charleston). Other locations included: Edisto Island, Cypress Gardens (in Moncks Corner, South Carolina) with trained birds that were brought in from elsewhere.

The nursing home scenes were filmed at Rice Hope Plantation, located in Georgetown County. The college depicted briefly in the film is identified in the film as Sarah Lawrence College, but the campus that is seen is the College of Charleston.

Music

The soundtrack to The Notebook was released on June 8, 2004.

Reception

Box office

The film was released on June 25, 2004, in the United States and Canada and grossed $13.5 million from 2,303 theaters in its opening weekend, ranking number 4 at the box office. The film grossed a total of $115.6 million worldwide, $81 million in Canada and the United States and $34.6 million in other countries. It is the 15th highest-grossing romantic drama film of all time.

Critical response

According to review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, 54% of 182 critics gave the film a positive review, with an average rating of 5.7/10. The website's critics consensus reads, "It's hard not to admire its unabashed sentimentality, but The Notebook is too clumsily manipulative to rise above its melodramatic clichés." Metacritic assigned the film a weighted average score of 53 out of 100, based on 34 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews". Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "A" on an A+ to F scale.

Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times praised the film, awarding it three-and-a-half stars out of four, calling the photography "striking in its rich, saturated effects" and stating that the "actors are blessed by good material." Peter Lowry of Film Threat gave the film three-and-a-half stars out of five; praising the performances of both Gosling and McAdams, he wrote: "Gosling and especially McAdams give all-star performances, doing just enough to hand the reins over to the pros, who take what's left of the film and finish the audience off with some touching scenes that don't leave a dry eye in the house." About the film itself, he added: "Overall, The Notebook is a surprisingly good film that manages to succeed where many other 'chick flick' like romances fail."

Stephen Holden of The New York Times gave the film a positive review, stating that "the scenes between the young lovers confronting adult authority have the same seething tension and lurking hysteria that the young Warren Beatty and Natalie Wood brought more than 40 years ago to their roles in Splendor in the Grass." Ann Hornaday of The Washington Post also gave the film a positive review, she also praised the performances of Gosling and McAdams, stating: "Never mind that McAdams and Gosling don't for a minute call to mind 1940s America; they're both suitably attractive and appealing. Gosling, who delivered a searing and largely unseen screen debut performance in the 2001 drama The Believer, is particularly convincing as a young man who charms his way past a girl's strongest defenses." About the film, she added: "Audiences craving big, gooey over-the-top romance have their must-see summer movie in The Notebook." William Arnold of the Seattle Post-Intelligencer praised the performance of McAdams but criticized the performance of Gosling, stating that he "just doesn't have the kind of star power or chemistry with McAdams to anchor this kind of minor-league Gone with the Wind." He also added about the film that it "doesn't completely work on its own terms, mainly because its romantic casting just doesn't spark: It doesn't make us fall in love with its lovers." Wesley Morris of The Boston Globe gave the film two-and-a-half stars, praising the performances of its cast members, writing about McAdams that "she's soulfully committed to the suds in the story and fiercely attentive to the other actors". He added about Gosling: "Gosling is adept at playing sociopaths and intense brooders, and there's reason to think, early on, that Noah might be similarly off, as when he threatens to drop from a Ferris wheel unless Allie agrees to go on a date with him." About the film, he wrote: "Considering the sunny, relatively pleasurable romantic business that precedes it, the elderly stuff seems dark, morbid, and forced upon us."

Jessica Winter of The Village Voice gave the film a mixed review, stating: "Amid the sticky-sweet swamp of Jeremy Leven's script, Rowlands and Garner emerge spotless and beatific, lending a magnanimous credibility to their scenes together. These two old pros slice cleanly through the thicket of sap-weeping dialogue and contrivance, locating the terror and desolation wrought by the cruel betrayals of a failing mind." Robert Koehler of Variety also gave the film a mixed review, he however, praised the performances, writing that "already one of the most intriguing young thesps, Gosling extends his range to pure romance without sacrificing a bit of his naturally subversive qualities, and even seems comfortable looking beautiful in a manly American way. The head-turner is McAdams, doing such a different perf from her top bitch in Mean Girls that it's hard to tell it's the same actor. She skillfully carries much of the film's emotional weight with a free and easy manner."

In June 2010, Entertainment Weekly included Allie and Noah in its list of the "100 Greatest Characters of the Last 20 Years." The periodical listed The Notebook in their 25 Sexiest Movies Ever. Us Weekly included the film in its list of the 30 Most Romantic Movies of All Time. Boston.com ranked the film the third Top Romantic Movie. The Notebook appeared on Moviefone list of the 25 Best Romance Movies of All Time. Marie Claire also put the film on its list of the 12 Most Romantic Movie Scenes of All Time. In 2011, The Notebook was named the best chick-flick during ABC News and People television special Best in Film: The Greatest Movies of Our Time. The scene where Noah climbs the Ferris Wheel because he wants a date with Allie made the list of Total Film 50 Most Romantic Movie Moments of All Time. The kiss in the rain was ranked No. 4 in Total Film 50 Best Movie Kisses list. In 2025, it was one of the films voted for the "Readers' Choice" edition of The New York Times list of "The 100 Best Movies of the 21st Century," finishing at number 296.

Awards and nominations

Home media

The Notebook was released on VHS and DVD on February 8, 2005, and Blu-ray on May 4, 2010. By February 2010, the film had sold over 11 million copies on DVD.

In February 2019, subscribers to the UK version of Netflix reported that the version of the film on the streaming service had an alternate ending, which substituted a more light-hearted conclusion than the emotional end of the original release. Netflix responded that this alternate version of the film had been supplied to them in error, and soon replaced it with the original version.

Television series

On August 11, 2015, it was reported that a television series was in development by The CW. The series was to follow Noah and Allie's courtship following the events of the film, and in a post-WWII world. As of January 2026, no further news has been revealed.

Stage musical

Main article: The Notebook (musical)

On January 3, 2019, Ingrid Michaelson announced she would be writing the music and lyrics for a musical adaption of The Notebook with a book by Bekah Brunstetter. Sparks will also be involved as a producer alongside Kevin McCollum and Kurt Deutsch.

The production was initially slated for fall 2020 but was delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic. Michaelson and Brunstetter used the additional time to hold online previews and tweak their work.

The musical opened on September 6, 2022, at the Chicago Shakespeare Theatre and received generally positive reviews. Stephen Oxman of the Chicago Sun-Times said, "I simply was not expecting to fall in love with 'The Notebook,'... But I have." Adding, "It’s a significant leap in artistic quality over its sources, which it respects, while also providing a clear, resonant, and unique voice of its own." Jonathan Abarbanel of Theater Mania noted what while the musical used the novel for its basis rather than the film, he noted that Michaelson and Brunstetter shifted the time period twenty years to begin in the late 1960s causing Noah to leave for the Vietnam War rather than World War II. The production closed on October 30, 2022.

In August 2023, it was announced that the show would open on Broadway in the spring of 2024 at the Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre. The show opened on March 14, with a cast that included Maryann Plunkett as Older Allie, Dorian Harewood as Older Noah, Joy Woods as Middle Allie, Ryan Vasquez as Middle Noah, Jordan Tyson as Younger Allie, and John Cardoza as Younger Noah.

References

References

1. (2004-05-25). "''THE NOTEBOOK'' (12A)". [[British Board of Film Classification]].
2. Fleming, Michael. (March 19, 2007). "Sparks Adaptation Is 'Dear' to Tatum".
3. Lyttelton, Oliver. (June 25, 2014). "4 Ways 'The Notebook' Rewrote the Weepie and Changed Hollywood". [[Yahoo! Movies]].
4. Greve, Joan E.. (June 25, 2014). "9 Best Quotes from The Notebook".
5. (July 3, 2014). "'The Notebook' director claims Ryan Gosling tried to have Rachel McAdams removed from film. There is also an encore from Jake Gyllenhaal where he appears as the bus driver at 53:04.". [[NME]].
6. (November 8, 2012). "The Notebook Special Edition on ABC Family This Sunday". Nicholas Sparks.
7. (September 12, 2016). "We just noticed that this "One Tree Hill" star is also in "The Notebook"". Yahoo! News.
8. (January 13, 1997). "Jacobson goes to London by the book".
9. Fleming, Michael. (April 6, 1998). "Spielberg scans 'Notebook'".
10. Fleming, Michael. (March 22, 2001). "'Zorro' marks sequel".
11. (March 10, 1999). "Sheridan may open Sparks' 'Notebook'".
12. https://ew.com/nicholas-sparks-reveals-m-night-shyamalan-almost-adapted-the-notebook-11824084
13. Fleming, Michael. (May 19, 2000). "Inside Moves".
14. Harris, Dana. (March 6, 2002). "Cassavetes opens 'Notebook'".
15. Highfill, Samantha. (October 18, 2020). "Yes, George Clooney almost played Ryan Gosling's Noah in 'The Notebook'".
16. Ravitz, Justin. (December 12, 2011). "Ryan Gosling: Notebook Director Told Me I Wasn't "Handsome" or "Cool"".
17. (2021-06-25). "All of the Stars Who Were Almost Cast in The Notebook".
18. Pickle, Betsy. (June 25, 2004). "'Notebook' Love Scenes were 'Embarrassing', says Actor". [[Pittsburgh Post-Gazette]].
19. "The Notebook Production Notes".
20. (August 26, 2004). "The Notebook Trivia". [[Philippine Daily Inquirer]].
21. Fischer, Paul. (June 23, 2004). "James Garner for "The Notebook"".
22. (November 2, 2011). "Jessica Biel: 'The Notebook' Is The Film That Got Away". [[HuffPost.
23. "Valentine's Flashback: 'The Notebook'".
24. (November 13, 2013). "Ten things you never knew about The Notebook".
25. Sharf, Zack. (2023-10-23). "Britney Spears Gets Teary-Eyed and Runs Lines With Ryan Gosling in 'Notebook' Audition Tape; Casting Director Shares Video and Calls Her 'Phenomenal'".
26. "Britney Spears Opens Up: Why She 'Finally' Feels 'Free' to Share Her Story in Bombshell Memoir, New Interview — 'No More Lies' (Exclusive)".
27. Wloszczyna, Susan. (June 24, 2004). "Hot off 'The Notebook'". [[USA Today]].
28. Murray, Rebecca. (2004). "Ryan Gosling Talks about "The Notebook"".
29. Thompson, Bill. (February 19, 2003). "'Notebook' pivotal for McAdams". [[The Post and Courier]].
30. Walker, Robon. (June 18, 2004). "The gossip's now over Rachel". [[The Journal (Newcastle upon Tyne newspaper).
31. Deziel, Shanda. (July 14, 2005). "Rachel's all the rage".
32. Otto, Jeff. (June 23, 2004). "IGN Interviews Rachel McAdams".
33. "The Notebook: 2004".
34. "Movies Filmed in South Carolina – The Notebook".
35. McGuire, Judy. (February 28, 2009). "Romance, Movie Style – Love on Location – The Notebook".
36. gray, Jefferson M.. (August 3, 2011). "Francis Marion Foils the British".
37. (July 1, 2014). "Ryan Gosling Wanted To Kick Rachel McAdams Off The Notebook Set And More You Didn't Know About The Film".
38. "Rice Hope Plantation – Oatland – Georgetown County".
39. [http://www.theost.com/2004/the_notebook.html "The Notebook Soundtrack"]. ''TheOST''. Retrieved January 7, 2014.
40. "The Notebook (2004) – Weekend Box Office Results".
41. "The Notebook (2004)".
42. "Romantic Drama Movies at the Box Office".
43. "The Notebook (2004)".
44. "The Notebook Reviews".
45. "Find CinemaScore".
46. Ebert, Roger. (June 25, 2004). "The Notebook". [[Chicago Sun-Times]].
47. Lowry, Peter. (June 28, 2004). "The Notebook".
48. Holden, Stephen. (June 25, 2004). "When Love Is Madness and Life a Straitjacket". The New York Times.
49. Hornaday, Ann. (June 25, 2004). "A Tear-Stained 'Notebook'". The Washington Post.
50. Arnold, William. (June 24, 2004). "Touching 'Notebook' overcomes flaws to satisfy romance fans in need of a good cry". Seattle Post-Intelligencer.
51. Morris, Wesley. (June 25, 2004). "Love shows its age in 'Notebook'". The Boston Globe.
52. Winter, Jessica. (June 15, 2004). "Old Pros Lend Credibility to Young Lovebirds' Magical Hysteria Tour". The Village Voice.
53. Koehler, Robert. (May 20, 2004). "The Notebook".
54. Vary, Adam B.. (June 1, 2010). "The 100 Greatest Characters of the Last 20 Years: Here's our full list!".
55. (January 2, 2011). "25 Sexiest Movies Ever!".
56. (February 14, 2012). "30 Most Romantic Movies of All Time – The Notebook".
57. (June 7, 2013). "Top 25 romantic movies". The Boston Globe.
58. (February 5, 2008). "Best Romance Movies of All Time".
59. (February 1, 2011). "The 12 Most Romantic Movie Scenes of All Time Read more: The Most Romantic Scene from The Notebook".
60. Cox, Carmen. (March 22, 2011). "Best in Film: The Greatest Movies of Our Time". [[ABC News Radio]].
61. Kinnear, Simon. (February 13, 2012). "50 Most Romantic Movie Moments Of All Time".
62. Kinnear, Simon. (February 14, 2013). "50 Best Movie Kisses".
63. "Readers Choose Their Top Movies of the 21st Century".
64. (2004). "5th Annual Golden Trailer Award Winner and Nominees".
65. "CA The Notebook.pdf".
66. "Artis Award Winners – 2005".
67. "2005 MTV Movie Awards".
68. "The 11th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards".
69. (August 15, 2005). "'Notebook' Wins Eight Teen Choice Awards". Fox News.
70. "The Notebook – DVD Sales".
71. Kaufman, Amy. (February 4, 2010). "Nicholas Sparks is a master of romance". [[Los Angeles Times]].
72. (February 28, 2019). "Netflix streamers in the UK just wanted to watch 'The Notebook' and sob. Instead, they got a bird scene". [[CNN]].
73. Goldberg, Lesley. (August 11, 2015). "The Notebook TV Series In Works At The CW". [[The Hollywood Reporter]].
74. Baumgartner, Scott. (January 3, 2019). "'The Notebook' Is About to Become a Musical".
75. McNary, Dave. (January 3, 2019). "'The Notebook' to Become a Broadway Musical".
76. Houlihan, Mary. (September 6, 2022). "'The Notebook' musical arrives after a delay that added depth". Chicago Sun-Times.
77. Jones, Chris. (October 7, 2022). "Review: 'The Notebook' musical has gorgeous songs and real romance — see it before it heads to Broadway". [[Chicago Tribune]].
78. Vitello, Barbara. (October 10, 2022). "Lovely score, impressive performances power Chicago Shakespeare's superb 'Notebook'". [[Daily Herald (Arlington Heights, Illinois).
79. Oxman, Steven. (October 7, 2022). "Superb score, writing, cast transform 'The Notebook' into a stage musical for the ages". Chicago Sun-Times.
80. Abarbanel, Jonathan. (October 18, 2022). "Review: 'The Notebook' Keeps Its Romantic Heart Intact in New Ingrid Michaelson Musical".
81. Glikas, Bruce. "Photos: Inside THE NOTEBOOK Opening Night Party".