THE NOTEBOOK
US, 2004, 128 minutes, Colour.
Ryan Gosling, Rachel Mc Adam, James Garner, Gena Rowland, James Marsden, Joan Allen, Sam Sheppard.
Directed by Nick Cassavetes.
If ever there was a big-budget Hollywood feature that proved that you can make a movie today just as they used to, it is The Notebook. It is lush and romantic, pretty as many pictures, its heart beating on its sleeve. Not a film for the cynics.
Based on a bestseller by Nicholas Sparks, it begins in the present with an old man reading a story from a notebook to an old lady in a home for the elderly. It is James Garner reading to Gena Rowlands (mother of the director, Nick Cassavetes). The woman is afraid, disturbed and suffering from dementia. But she listens attentively to what she says is a good story.
Then we see the story, coming back to the present every so often. It is the 1940s in the American south. Summer and holidays. Noah, who works in a lumber mill and has very few prospects, is attracted to Allie, a vivacious young girl from a wealthy family who is on holidays. They fall in love, they… well, it is not too hard to anticipate what will happen…
Ryan Gosling gives a credible performance with a difficult role: an earnest young man in love, disappointed in love, off to World War II and the attempt to settle after the war. Rachel Mc Adam is wonderfully spirited as the emotional young girl, pressurised to conformity by her mother (Joan Allen) and then trying to find her true self.
The danger with this kind of film, inviting us to lose ourselves in the emotions of the characters, is that it can become too much, at times too twee, at times too melodramatic. But, this is what the film intends to be and does it.
1. A pleasing film? Old-fashioned in style? In theme? The adaptation of a popular novel? An old-fashioned film for the beginning of the 21st century?
2. The film’s perspective on the 20th century, the 1940s, its lifestyle, the experience of the war, class differences, marriage, happiness and possibilities in life? The symbol of the scenes of the rowing on the river and their beauty?
3. The 1940s, Seabrook as a town, the detail of life, homes, mansions, the shops, the carnival and the ferris wheel? The transition to the 50s, the building of the house, the portrait of society, business? Authentic atmospheres, the brightness of the colour photography, the mood of the score?
4. The glimpse of World War II, the battle sequences, the death of Finn, Noah’s experience, the effect of war and its impact?
5. The title, Noah narrating the film, Allie and her writing the notebook – and its being used to stimulate her memory, even if for a short time?
6. James Garner and Gena Rowlands and their screen presence, the sequences of the reading of the notebook, Allie and her listening? Her interest in the story, wanting to know what happened? At the home, the treatment for each of them, the senility and loss of memory, the shift of moods? The nursing staff and their care? The opinions of the doctors and their scepticism about memory regain? Noah and the reading, sharing everything with Allie, stimulating her memory, having meals, the candle-lit table? The insertion of the flashbacks? The revelation of who Allie was? The children visiting? The doctor and his wariness? Allie and her coming back, asking for how long, even for five minutes? Noah and the children, his decision to stay with Allie, love and care until the end?
7. The 1940s and Noah and Finn, young men, their work in the lumber industry, the scenes of the logging, the deliveries? Their life, friendship, family? Noah’s father and his being genial, support of his son, welcoming Allie? The discussions with his son? The carnival sequence, the ferris wheel, Noah showing off, pressurising Allie for the outing, her consenting? The detail of the summer, their time together?
8. Allie, her age, from the city, her friends? The background of her family, their wealth, snobbery? The summer, friendship with boys, Noah and his approach, her avoiding him, the ferris wheel, her giving in? The detail of their time together, walking, the movies, talking? On the river? Noah’s father, Allie’s parents and the formality of the meal, the interrogation of Noah about how much he earned? Noah taking Allie to the mansion, the preparation for the sexual interlude, the interruption, her parents being strict with her, sending her away? Her anger, her arguments with her mother, her desperation? Noah and his reaction, his love for Allie, feeling that he should let her go?
9. Noah, writing a letter every day, Allie’s mother not delivering the letters? His decision to stop writing, his going to the war, the harsh experience, the pathos of Finn’s death? His return home, going back to work, his father selling their house and buying the mansion, the years of rebuilding? His sad life, the liaison with the widow, his glimpsing Allie? The photograph being taken?
10. Allie and her studies, her friends at college, her parents and their happiness with her progress, her decision to go nursing during the war, the disfigured men, her care for them, her care for Lon? Lon and his flirting with her, their meeting after his recovery? His falling in love with her? The dance, the proposal at the microphone? Her loving Lon, the preparation for the marriage, the wedding dress? The irony of her seeing the photo?
11. The sketch of Allie’s parents, the father and his southern style, talk, love for his daughter? The mother, her pressure on Allie, her joy at the engagement, the dance (and even her jitterbugging)? The wedding dress, the plans? Her wariness about Allie going back to Seabrook, her taking Allie to see the man that she had fallen in love with when a girl, the story of the pressure from her parents?
12. Allie’s return to Seabrook, Noah’s reaction, their talking, sharing, the sexual relationship, Allie’s options? Her anger with her mother?
13. Her mother, relenting, her talking with Lon, her doing the decent thing and letting her go?
14. The importance for the audience of being able to see the young Allie, know her story, see the older Allie, regret her loss of memory, her wanting to know the details of the story? The build-up to Allie and Noah coming together, their long marriage and their love?
15. The aftermath of the marriage, Noah and his heart trouble, his being absent, the return, the decision to always love and stay with Allie?
16. The film as a love story? As a story of ageing? As a story of the ravages of age and senility?
