Nora Ephron died the other day, so here’s a scene, as written (so some of this doesn’t appear in the final film), from my personal favorite Ephron film, Sleepless In Seattle. What’s going on here is that there’s a guy named Sam (Tom Hanks) and his son named Jonah, and their wife and mother has died. They are deeply saddened by this, obviously, so they try to get a change of scenery by moving to Seattle. Problem is, Sam is still having a terribly rough time of it, so Jonah one night calls a radio talk show that focuses on people’s life problems.
And driving in her car, on the other side of the country, is Annie (Meg Ryan), who listens to this…and pretty much falls in love with Sam just from the voice in her speakers.
INT. CAR - NIGHT
Annie driving. Presents on the front seat. She's
singing "Sleigh Ride" and doing all the sound effects
and clipclops and giddyups. After a moment, she
realizes she doesn't know all the words and turns on the
radio.
DR. MARSHA'S FIELDSTONE'S VOICE
Welcome back to "You and Your
Emotions." I'm Dr. Marcia
Fieldstone broadcasting across
America from the top of the
Sears Tower in Chicago where we
would have a fantastic view of
Santa Claus and his reindeer if
there was a -- oops, never
mind. Tonight we're talking
about wishes and dreams.
What's your wishes this Christmas
Eve? Maybe the best present
you can give yourself is a call
to me. The number is --
ANNIE
Give me a break.
Annie changes the station.
RADIO VOICE
The subject of the evening's
medical update is You and Your
Spleen and our host --
She flips the dial back the other way.
DR. MARCIA FIELDSTONE (V.O.)
Our caller is from Seattle.
Annie changes the station.
RADIO VOICE
Coming up, Jingle Bells
backwards, sung by the New
Jersey Cape Mayettes --
Annie twists the dial back the other way. We hear a
YOUNG BOY's voice.
BOY'S VOICE (V.O.)
Hello, this is Jonah --
(there's a bleep as
Jonah says his last
name)
Annie's hand lingers on the dial.
DR. MARCIA FIELDSTONE (V.O.)
No last names, Jonah. Hello
there, you sound younger than
our usual callers. How come
you're up so late?
JONAH (V.O.)
It's not that late in Seattle.
DR. MARCIA FIELDSTONE (V.O.)
Got me there. What's your
Christmas wish, Jonah?
JONAH (V.O.)
It's not for me. It's for my
dad. I think he needs a new
wife.
Annie shakes her head.
DR. MARCIA FIELDSTONE (V.O.)
You don't like the one he was
now?
JONAH (V.O.)
He doesn't have one now.
That's the problem.
DR. MARCIA FIELDSTONE (V.O.)
Where's your mom?
JONAH (V.O.)
She died.
Annie closes her eyes for a moment.
ANNIE
I don't believe this --
EXT. HIGHWAY - NIGHT
As the car drives along.
DR. MARCIA FIELDSTONE (V.O.)
I'm sorry to hear that, Jonah.
JONAH (V.O.)
I've been pretty sad, but I
think my dad is worse.
INT. CAR - NIGHT
DR. MARCIA FIELDSTONE (V.O.)
And you're worried about him.
JONAH (V.O.)
I'm worried about him, he's
worried about me, I ride my
bike to school, he follows in
the car, like I'm not supposed
to know he's there. Now it's
Christmas, and you know what
happens to people at Christmas.
ANNIE
They lose their minds and call
crackpot doctors on the radio --
DR. MARCIA FIELDSTONE (V.O.)
Have you talked to your dad
about this?
JONAH (V.O.)
No.
DR. MARCIA FIELDSTONE (V.O.)
Why not?
JONAH (V.O.)
It's very hard for him to talk
about this stuff. It's like it
makes him sadder.
DR. MARCIA FIELDSTONE (V.O.)
You want me to talk to him?
ANNIE
Perfect. Sandbag the father.
JONAH (V.O.)
And you crazy? He thinks shows
like this are dumb. If you
didn't have an 800 number I
could never get away with this
--
DR. MARCIA FIELDSTONE (V.O.)
Is he home right now?
JONAH (V.O.)
Yeah.
DR. MARCIA FIELDSTONE (V.O.)
Well, I think I can help a
little more if I talk to him
directly.
JONAH (V.O.)
I don't know --
DR. MARCIA FIELDSTONE (V.O.)
I'm sure he won't be angry once
he realizes how concerned you
are about him.
JONAH (V.O.)
Okay, but if I get yelled at,
I'm never gonna listen to this
show again.
DR. MARCIA FIELDSTONE (V.O.)
Fair enough.
INT. SAM'S HOUSEBOAT - NIGHT
Jonah is on the telephone on the first floor of the
houseboat he lives in with Sam. He's got the phone cord
coming out of the small first-floor study, and he's
standing near the kitchen end of a large living area
looking out at the back deck, where his dad is sitting
in a deck chair looking out at the sea.
JONAH
Dad --
SAM
What is it?
ON ANNIE AGAIN.
JONAH (V.O.)
There's somebody on the phone
for you.
(into phone)
His name is Sam.
ANNIE
This is completely disgusting.
INT. BALDWIN HOUSEBOAT - NIGHT
Sam pokes his head in the back door. He looks much as
he did eighteen months earlier, except that his hair is
a little longer. He picks up the phone extension.
SAM
Hello.
DR. MARCIA FIELDSTONE (V.O.)
Hello, Sam, this is Dr. Marcia
Fieldstone on Network America.
Sam looks across the room to Jonah.
SAM
I'm probably not interested in
whatever you're selling.
DR. MARCIA FIELDSTONE (V.O.)
I'm not selling anything. Your
son called and asked for advice
on how to find you a new wife.
SAM
(he really didn't get
her name)
Who is this?
DR. MARCIA FIELDSTONE (V.O.)
(repeating herself)
Dr. Marcia Fieldstone of
Network America.
SAM
Jesus, are we on the air?
Jonah, for God's sake --
JONAH
Don't be mad at me, Dad.
Sam can see Jonah. He's frightened. Sam immediately
feels how upset Jonah is.
DR. MARCIA FIELDSTONE (V.O.)
He feels that since your wife's
death you've been very unhappy.
He's genuinely worried about you.
Sam is looking at Jonah, who's rooted to the spot he's
standing on.
SAM
(to Jonah)
I'm not mad at you. Okay, I'm
not mad at you.
DR. MARCIA FIELDSTONE (V.O.)
I think it's hard for him to
talk to you about all this.
Maybe we could talk and it
would make him feel a little
better.
Sam hesitates.
JONAH
Please --
INT. ANNIE'S CAR - NIGHT
ANNIE
This is a grotesque violation
of this man's personal life,
but never mind --
SAM (V.O.)
All righ...
DR. MARCIA FIELDSTONE (V.O.)
Good. How long ago did your
wife die?
INT. HOUSEBOAT - NIGHT
SAM
It's been about a year and a
half.
DR. MARCIA FIELDSTONE (V.O.)
Have you had any relationship
since?
SAM
No.
Sam is very uncomfortable about this --
DR. MARCIA FIELDSTONE (V.O.)
Why not?
SAM
Look, Doctor, I don't want to
be rude, but --
DR. MARCIA FIELDSTONE (V.O.)
And I don't want to invade your
privacy --
INT. CAR - NIGHT
ANNIE
Sure you do.
SAM (V.O.)
(overlapping)
Sure you do --
Annie smiles.
SAM
Look, we had a tough time at
first, but I think I'm holding
my own as a dad, and Jonah and
I will get along fine again as
soon as I break his radio.
Annie laughs. So does Mr. Fieldstone
INT. HOUSEBOAT - NIGHT
Jonah is smiling too.
DR. MARCIA FIELDSTONE (V.O.)
I have no doubt that you're a
good dad. You can tell a lot
from a person's voice. But
something must be missing if
Jonah feels that you're still
under a cloud.
JONAH
Tell her how you don't sleep at
night.
SAM
How do you know that?
Sam and Jonah both talk into their extensions, literally
talking to each other on the phone within their own
house, but also ON THE AIR.
JONAH
I can hear you walking around
sometimes. At first I thought
it was a robber. Go ahead,
tell her, Dad.
SAM
I don't think I have to now.
Sam starts across the room towards Jonah, who starts
toward him, both of them holding their phone receivers.
On the wall in the dining area is a pine bench.
SAM
Look, it's almost Christmas --
(as the two of them sit
down together on the
bench)
A kid needs a mother --
He puts an arm around Jonah.
INT. CAR - NIGHT
As Annie listens. She's softened considerably.
DR. MARCIA FIELDSTONE (V.O.)
Could it be that you need
someone just as much as Jonah
does?
ANNIE
Yes.
Annie catches herself, covers her mouth in embarrassment.
ANNIE
I'm losing my mind.
EXT. HIGHWAY - NIGHT
As Annie makes a turn off the beltway into a rest stop.
DR. MARCIA FIELDSTONE (V.O.)
We've been talking to -- well,
let's just call him Sleepless
in Seattle, and we'll be right
back after this break with
listener response, your
response, to the things we've
been discussing. The number to
call is...
INT. BALDWIN HOUSE
SAM
What's she talking about?
JONAH
This is where other people get
to call in and dump on what you
said.
We hear the beginning of a commercial.
INT. TRUCK STOP RESTAURANT - NIGHT
Annie walks in, anxious to break the spell of her radio
reverie. She goes to the counter to order some coffee.
There's a commercial on the radio. The counter WAITRESS
LORETTA is talking to the customers -- who include a
TRUCK DRIVER at a booth. HARRIET, a short-order-cook,
is visible through an open window to the kitchen.
LORETTA
I'll bet he's tall, with a cute
butt.
HARRIET
I'll bet he hasn't shaved in a
week. I'll bet he stinks.
LORETTA
Shut up, Harriet.
(to Annie)
What'll it be?
ANNIE
Coffee, please. Black. To go.
LORETTA
Maybe I should hustle myself
out to Seattle. Give him a
little present for New Year's
Eve.
HARRIET
You can go there if you want
but don't open his refrigerator.
They don't cover anything when
they put it in the fridge.
They just stick it in and leave
it there till it walks out by
itself.
LORETTA
Harriet, ever since you
divorced your last husband,
you've been no fun. I'm
looking, and this guy pops my
tarts.
TRUCK DRIVER
Come on, Loretta, you're going
to have to jump-start this guy.
His battery's dead. And look
at me. Mister Ever-Ready.
Every six minutes, another
charge.
LORETTA
I'm looking for someone
sensitive.
ANNIE
Come on, nobody wants a guy
who's sensitive on the radio.
DR. MARCIA FIELDSTONE (V.O.)
Let's take a call before we get
back to Sleepless. Knoxville,
Tennessee, you're on.
SWEET SOUTHERN VOICE
Yes, I would just like to know
where I could get this man's
address?
LORETTA
(to the radio)
Honey, get on line.
EXT. DINER - NIGHT
As Annie gets into her car.
EXT. WASHINGTON, D.C. STREET - NIGHT
Annie driving toward the house where Walter's parents
live.
DR. MARCIA FIELDSTONE (V.O.)
Do you think there's somebody
out there you could love as
much as your wife? Maybe even
more?
SAM (V.O.)
It's hard to imagine.
And cut back and forth between the car and the
houseboat. Sam and Jonah are still on the bench, but
Jonah has fallen asleep in Sam's lap. Sam is stroking
the boy's hair.
DR. MARCIA FIELDSTONE (V.O.)
What are you going to do, Sam?
SAM
I don't know. When I met my
wife, it was so clear. I just
knew.
Annie is listening now.
DR. MARCIA FIELDSTONE (V.O.)
What was it that made you know?
SAM
I don't think I could really
describe it.
DR. MARCIA FIELDSTONE (V.O.)
Why not?
SAM
And if I could describe it,
it probably wouldn't be on a radio
show.
(he laughs to himself)
But what the hell. It's not
one specific thing. It's more
of a feeling.
(continued)
Annie coasts to a stop outside a handsome mansion in
Washington, D.C., the motor running. She's hooked now,
she's not getting out of the car until she's heard it
all.
SAM
You touch her for the first
time, and suddenly... you're
home. It's almost like...
ANNIE
Magic.
SAM
Magic.
CLOSER ON ANNIE
realizing she has just said this. Realizing that it
must mean something but not knowing what.
SHE'S CRYING.
DR. MARCIA FIELDSTONE (V.O.)
Well, it's time to wrap up,
folks --
A FIGURE appears at the passenger side window, which
Annie doesn't notice. She's wiping the tears away with
her hand.
DR. MARCIA FIELDSTONE (V.O.)
We hope you'll call again soon.
This scene sets the emotional stage for the entire movie, and Meg Ryan has to carry her part of it with little interjections as she talks to the radio and as she listens silently, allowing her sadness to show, even though we know that she shouldn't really be sad about anything right now.
Thanks for the movies, Nora Ephron.
