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The Notebook jumped from Nicholas Sparks’ book to film. This love story though the ages closes out the Movies That Make You Cry triple. Barb & Cory open The Notebook and are reminded that love takes work! Read along with them.
The Notebook:
Duke (James Garner) starts each day hopeful and ready to work. He spends his day reading a love story to Allie (Gena Rolands). They are in assisted living. She has memory issues and he has heart issues. He brightens her day by reading the story of Noah (Ryan Gosling) & Allie (Rachel McAdams). As the day progresses and the story unfolds, she begins to remember the story. Until finally she remembers that it is their story. But her memory fails and she lashes out at Duke. Duke confides in the new doctor that she slowly lost her memory and lashes out at him and their kids. He is hopeful that he can bring her back. Before she lost it all, she wrote their love story down in a notebook and asks him to read it to her. She said if it was humanly possible she would come back to him. So he is committed to do that for her.
Noah and best friend Fin (Kevin Connolly) work at the saw mill. Allie’s family is in town for the Summer. Noah knows that he wants her and no one else, so he pursues her at any means. But thanks to Fin’s girl Sara Tuffington (Heather Wahlquist) Allie and Noah go on a double date. Allie is about to go to college and from the start Noah calls her out. She does little for herself. Painting is the only thing she does for herself. Their love draws her out of her shell and starts her growth. Noah is a dedicated man and well rounded, but not the type of man Allie’s parents wish for her. On the cusp of real intimacy together, Allie is taken away and her mother cuts off communication by hiding all 365 of Noah’s letters.
Noah and Fin head to Atlanta and then enlist in the army for WWII. They see battle in Africa and Europe (where Fin is killed). Allie is in college and volunteers as a nurse to help the men who could be Noah or his friends. One of those men is Lon Hammon (James Marsden). Once he is well, he begins to court her. They find love and get engaged, much to her parents delight. Noah is back from the war and with his father’s support and money, he seeks to bring the old plantation house back to life. He designs and rebuilds to the specifications he and Allie wanted. He sees Allie and realized he has lost her. But he cannot let the house go. He continues to work on it and finds companionship in war widow Martha Shaw (Jamie Anne Allman). But he cannot give her what she wants and she knows he sees Allie when he looks at her.
Allie sees his photo with the house in the paper. She has to know her heart before she gets married to Lon. She visits Noah and their love is set ablaze again. When Martha appears and sees the two of them together, she knows what love is and wishes them well. Allie’s mom comes and shares her story of forbidden summer love with Allie. She gives Allie Noah’s letters and tells her to choose wisely. Noah begs Allie to choose what she wants, not what he, Lon, or her parents what for her. He tells her that love will be hard, but he wants it with her. Allie returns to the Inn and talks with Lon. All looks lost, but Allie chooses the the hard work of love over safety.
Duke is so upset with Allie’s most recent finding and losing of herself that he has a heart attack. When he finally returns he sneaks into to Allie’s room. She remembers him and their love. Their love provides them with a miracle. They pass away in each other’s arms with hearts and minds full of love.
Summary:
The Notebook combines a flashbacks, story telling, family drama, World War II and so much more. Yes, the love story in the flashbacks may be a bit trope. But the love story in modern day breaks those trope rules. Noah’s love for Allie is the kind we all want for marriage. But we too often neglect one vital fact. Love is more than a feeling, it is a daily commitment. What makes the love story so special is that Noah is working each day until the last one to love Allie. May we all work that hard for our love!
“So it’s not gonna be easy. It’s going to be really hard; we’re gonna have to work at this everyday, but I want to do that because I want you. I want all of you, forever, everyday. You and me… everyday.”
Music:
The soundtrack was composed by Aaron Zigman
It features Billie Holiday’s “I’ll Be Seeing You”
You can buy the soundtrack here.
Name That Movie:
The clue this week was: We left off at “Dogma” it co-starred and was directed by Kevin Smith. Kevin made his feature debut with this self-financed independent movie.
Which lead us to the following movie: The movie is “Clerks.”
The next Triplecast is: “9 to 5”; movies set in minimum wage environments. Cory be joined by TripleCast’s new full time host, John McGrail, and we’ll be discussing Clerks, Empire Records and Waiting.
Feedback:
Send in your Triplecast ideas, thoughts, memories and feedback by calling 304-837-2278 or by visiting www.goldenspiralmedia.com/feedback
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