The 2004 American romantic drama The Notebook stars Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams and was directed by Nick Cassavetes. It was turned into a screenplay by Jan Sardi and Jeremy Leven. The Notebook film was based on the 1996 novel of the same name by Nicholas Sparks. It is set in the 1940s and tells the tale of a heiress and a poor mill worker that fall in love during a sacred summer.
At a present day nursing home, an old man named Duke reads a romantic story from his notebook to a female patient. The story goes as follows:
“In 1940, at a carnival in Seabrook Island, South Carolina, poor lumber mill worker Noah Calhoun sees 17-year-old heiress Allison “Allie” Hamilton, who is spending the summer in town with her parents. He pursues her and they begin a summer romance. One night, Allie goes to Noah’s house and meets his father, Frank Calhoun, who immediately likes her. A few days later, Noah is invited to a luncheon at Allie’s house by her parents, John and Anne Hamilton, but they are unimpressed with Noah and he doesn’t fit in with the other wealthy attendees. That evening, Noah takes Allie to the abandoned Windsor Plantation that he intends to buy and restore for them. While there, Allie asks Noah to make love to her for the first time, but then grows nervous and starts rambling. They are interrupted by Noah’s friend Fin with the news that Allie’s parents have the police out looking for her. When Allie and Noah return to her parents’ mansion, Allie’s parents, particularly her mother Anne, make it clear they do not approve of the relationship and forbid her from seeing him. Overhearing Allie’s mother’s insults, Noah leaves and Allie chases after him. An argument ensues, and Allie breaks up with Noah, but she immediately regrets it. The next morning, Anne announces that the family is returning home to Charleston that day. Allie tries to find Noah at work but fails, so she asks Fin to tell him she loves him. Noah rushes to Allie’s home, but finds the gates locked.”
