Ryan Gosling built the kitchen table featured in the movie in preparation for his role as Noah.
Ryan Gosling was the director's (Nick Cassavetes) first and only choice for the role of Noah.
In the scene when Allie is in college, her professor says "Do I contradict myself? Very well, then I contradict myself". This is a quote of Walt Whitman, the poet that wrote the poems Noah was reading to his father on the porch when Allie gives him her painting. The professor wrote "Leaves of Grass" on the board during this scene which is also the title of a book written by Walt Whitman.
Background music for the original theatrical trailer for this film featured music from 'Rachel Portman (I)' 's score for The Cider House Rules (1999).
Gena Rowlands, who played older Allie in the movie, is the director's (Nick Cassavetes) mother.
'Ryan Gosling (I) ' (Young Noah) wore brown eye contacts because James Garner (Old Noah) has brown eyes, and Gosling has blue.
The "after 7 years Allie and Noah" scenes were shot first and then the crew/cast went on a Christmas break. Ryan Gosling had to lose the beard and 20lbs he'd had as the older Noah and come back to play the young Noah. Rachel McAdams and Ryan Gosling were rather shy and unsure around each other in the "after 7 years" scenes but were more comfortable together in the young Allie and Noah scenes.
Rachel McAdams beat many people for the role of Allie, including Britney Spears.
Ashley Judd was once attached to play the character of Allie.
'Steven Spielberg' and Tom Cruise were also once attached to the project but backed out.
Ryan Gosling prepared for his role by living in Charleston, South Carolina before filming began. For two months, he rowed the Ashley River in the morning and built furniture during the day.
The piano piece that young Allie plays and old Allie memorizes is Chopin's Prelude in E minor Opus 28 #4.
It wasn't in the script that Allie would play the piano, but director Nick Cassavetes felt that it was right, for that's what wealthy young ladies of the 1930s-1940s did.
Justin Timberlake was considered for the role of Noah Calhoun.
Rachel McAdams auditioned for the role during another movie's premiere. She was given the script just a day in advance. She beat nine other actresses for the role. The scenes used during her audition included the one of Allie's and Noah's argument at the end after Allie and her mother returns from the morning drive.
Young Noah:
Will you go out with me?
Young Allie:
What? No.
Young Noah:
No...?
Young Allie:
No.
Young Noah:
Why not?
Young Allie:
I dunno, because I don't want to.
Young Noah:
OK, then you leave me no other choice.
Young Allie:
AHHHH
Young Noah:
I'm gonna ask you one more time, will you or will you not go out with me? I think my hand's slipping.
Young Allie:
OK, OK. Fine I'll go out with you
Young Noah:
No, don't do me any favors.
Young Allie:
No, no I want to.
Young Noah:
Say it.
Young Allie:
I wanna go out with you.
Young Noah:
Say it again.
Young Allie:
I WANNA GO OUT WITH YOU!
Young Noah:
All right, all right we'll go out.
Young Allie:
[lying in the middle of the street] What happens if a car comes?
Young Noah:
We die.
Young Noah:
Get in the water.
Young Allie:
No! I'm scared.
Young Noah:
[yelling] Get in the water, woman! Get in the water!
Young Allie:
[looks at him, puzzled]
Young Noah:
[calmly] No I'm sorry baby, please just get in.
Young Allie:
[hesitates]
Young Noah:
[once his friends start yelling again] GET IN THE WATER!
Young Allie:
Painting.
Young Noah:
What?
Young Allie:
You asked me, what I do for me...
Young Noah:
What now?
Young Allie:
I love to paint.
Young Noah:
Really?
Young Allie:
Mmm-hmm. Most of the time I have all these thoughts bouncin' around in my head... but with a brush in my hand, the world just gets kinda quiet.
Young Noah:
Unbelievable, Unbelievable.
Young Noah:
You don't know me, but I know me.
Young Allie:
When I'm with Noah I feel like one person and when I'm with you I feel like someone totally different.
Lon:
Allie, it's normal not to forget your first love but I want you for myself. I don't want to convince my fiancée that she should be with me.
Young Allie:
You don't have to. I already know I should be with you.
Fin:
[after Noah and Allie kept saying 'You look great.']
[to Allie]
Fin:
You look great.
[to Noah]
Fin:
You look great. And I know I look great.
Young Noah:
My Dearest Allie. I couldn't sleep last night because I know that it's over between us. I'm not bitter anymore, because I know that what we had was real. And if in some distant place in the future we see each other in our new lives, I'll smile at you with joy and remember how we spent the summer beneath the trees, learning from each other and growing in love. The best love is the kind that awakens the soul and makes us reach for more, that plants a fire in our hearts and brings peace to our minds, and that's what you've given me. That's what I hope to give to you forever. I love you. I'll be seeing you. Noah
Noah:
I am nothing special; just a common man with common thoughts, and I've led a common life. There are no monuments dedicated to me and my name will soon be forgotten. But in one respect I have succeeded as gloriously as anyone who's ever lived: I've loved another with all my heart and soul; and to me, this has always been enough.
Young Allie:
Why didn't you write me? Why? It wasn't over for me, I waited for you for seven years. But now it's too late.
Young Noah:
I wrote you 365 letters. I wrote you everyday for a year.
Young Allie:
You wrote me?
Young Noah:
Yes... it wasn't over, it still isn't over
[kisses Allie]
Duke:
That's my sweetheart in there. Wherever she is, that's where my home is.
Duke:
How's it hangin' Harry?
Harry:
I keep trying to die, but they won't let me.
Duke:
Well, you can't have everything.
Young Noah:
You wanna walk with me.
Fin:
What are you guys doing? Get in!
Young Allie:
Yeah.
Young Noah:
We're gonna walk.
Fin:
Do you guys love each other?
[Young Noah snickers]
Fin:
Oh I get it, you guys do love each other!
Young Noah:
Okay. Goodbye.
Young Noah:
It's not about following your heart and it's not about keeping your promises. It's about security.
Young Allie:
What's that supposed to mean?
Young Noah:
[yelling] Money. He's got a lot of money!
Young Allie:
You smug bastard. I hate you for saying that.
Young Noah:
You're bored Allie. You're bored and you know it. You wouldn't be here if you weren't.
Young Allie:
You arrogant son of a bitch.
Young Noah:
Would you just stay with me?
Young Allie:
Stay with you? What for? Look at us, we're already fightin'
Young Noah:
Well that's what we do, we fight... You tell me when I am being an arrogant son of a bitch and I tell you when you are a pain in the ass. Which you are, 99% of the time. I'm not afraid to hurt your feelings. You have like a 2 second rebound rate, then you're back doing the next pain-in-the-ass thing.
Young Allie:
So what?
Young Noah:
So it's not gonna be easy. It's gonna be really hard. We're gonna have to work at this every day, but I want to do that because I want you. I want all of you, for ever, you and me, every day. Will you do something for me, please? Just picture your life for me? 30 years from now, 40 years from now? What's it look like? If it's with him, go. Go! I lost you once, I think I can do it again. If I thought that's what you really wanted. But don't you take the easy way out.
Young Allie:
What easy way? There is no easy way, no matter what I do, somebody gets hurt.
Young Noah:
Would you stop thinking about what everyone wants? Stop thinking about what I want, what he wants, what your parents want. What do YOU want? What do you WANT?
Young Allie:
It's not that simple.
Young Noah:
What... do... you... want? Whaddaya want?
Young Allie:
I have to go now.
Frank:
[Allie painted Noah a picture] Now that's a damn picture there!
Young Noah:
What am I gonna do in New York?
Young Allie:
...Be with me.
Lon:
Should I be worried?
Allie:
They fell in love, didn't they?
Duke:
Yes, they did.
Young Noah:
It's not about keeping your promises, and it's not about following your heart. It's about security.
Young Noah:
[to Martha] You know I want to give you everything you want. But I can't. It's broken.
Young Allie:
Now, say you're a bird.
Young Noah:
If you're a bird, I'm a bird.
Frank:
[Allie painted Noah a picture] Now that's a damn painting that is.
Young Noah:
[raising fists in air] Dad! God... I stammered!
Frank:
Stammered, stuttered... what's the difference. You couldn't understand a damn thing he said.
[Allie laughing]
Frank:
Anyway, I got him to read some poetry aloud and pretty soon his stuttering went away.
Young Allie:
Well, that's a good idea that poetry.
Duke:
I was just going for a walk. I couldn't sleep.
Nurse Esther:
You were going to see Miss Allie. Now you know you're not allowed. It's against the rules. You go back to your room. And as for me, I'm going downstairs to get a cup of coffee and won't be back for a while. Stay out of trouble.
[Duke walks over to Nurse Esther's counter and sees a full cup of coffee]
Young Noah:
We can just finish out the summer and see what happens then.
Young Allie:
Please don't do this, you don't mean it. Oh why wait until the summer ends? Why don't you do it right now?
[pushes Noah against car]
Young Allie:
Huh? C'mon. Do it! Do it!
[repeatedly pushes Noah, starts hitting Noah, Noah starts hitting himself]
Young Allie:
You know what? I'm gonna do it! It's over. Okay? it's over.
Young Noah:
[opens his arms for a hug] Come here.
Young Allie:
Don't touch me! I hate you! I hate you!
Young Noah:
OK, I'm going.
Young Allie:
Why don't you just go then?
[pushes Noah in the car]
Young Allie:
Get out! Leave!
[kicks Noah's car]
Young Allie:
Go!... No, no, just wait a minute, we're not really breaking up are we? Come on. This is just a fight we're having and tomorrow will be like it never happend right?
[Noah drives away]
Frank:
Well, Mr. Calho... What am I? *Old* or something? You can call me Frank.
Allie:
Do you think our love can make miracles?
Duke:
I do.
[last lines]
Allie:
Do you think our love, can take us away together?
Duke:
I think our love can do anything we want it to.
Allie:
I love you.
Duke:
I love you, Allie.
Allie:
Good night.
Duke:
Good night. I'll be seeing you.
[first lines]
Nurse Selma:
Excuse me. Come on, honey, let's get you ready for bead
Frank:
Say, how would you like some breakfast? Would you like some breakfast?
Young Allie:
Breakfast?
Frank:
Yeah!
Young Noah:
Dad, it's ten o'clock.
Frank:
Well, what's that got to do with it, you can have pancakes any damn time of night you want! Come on in, you want some breakfast?
Young Allie:
Sure!
Young Noah:
You're gonna kill me woman! I need sleep, I need food, to regain my strength!
Duke:
They didn't agree on much. In fact they rarely agreed on anything. They fought all the time and they challenged each other everyday...
Young Noah:
[Allie and Noah are fighting] Don't push me!
[Allie pushes Noah anyway]
Duke:
...But in spite their differences, they had one important thing in common, they were crazy about each other.
Anne:
She is out foolin' around with that boy until two o'clock in the morning and it has got to stop! I didn't spend seventeen years of my life raising a daughter and giving her EVERYTHING, so she could throw it away on a summer romance!
Young Allie:
[Screaming] DADDY!
Anne:
She will wind up with her heart broken or pregnant! Now he's a nice boy, but he's...
Young Allie:
He's WHAT? He is what? Tell me!
Anne:
He is trash! Trash! Trash! Not for you!
Allie:
Did you write that?
Duke:
No, that was Walt Whitman.
Allie:
I think I knew him...
Duke:
I think you did too.
Noah:
Summer romances begin for all kinds of reasons, but when all is said and done, they have one thing in common. They're shooting stars, a spectacular moment of light in the heavens, fleeting glimpse of eternity, and in a flash they're gone.
Young Noah:
[humming] Bum,bum,bum,bum,bum,bum,bum,bum,bum,bum,bum,bum.
Young Allie:
[laughing] You're a terrible singer.
Young Noah:
I know.
Young Allie:
[laying her head on his shoulder] But I like this song.
[they continue dancing in the street to I'll Be Seeing You]
Young Allie:
Whattaya want?
[asks after he tells her he needs to regain his strength after making love all day]
Young Noah:
I want some... pancakes... and some bacon.
Noah:
...He got this notion into his head that if he restore the old house where they had come that night, Allie would find a way to go back to him...
Anne:
'Cause I might know you a little better than you think. And I don't want you waking up one morning thinking if you'd known everything you might have done something different.
Young Allie:
What's going on?
Anne:
We're going home.
Young Allie:
We're leaving now?
Anne:
Mm-hmm.
Young Allie:
No, we're not supposed to be leaving for another week.
Anne:
Get dressed, come downstairs and have some breakfast. Willa will pack your things.
Willa:
Why, I'd be happy to pack your things, Miss Allie.
Young Allie:
No, I don't want you to pack my things, I don't want you to touch my stuff I'm not going!
Anne:
Yes, you are.
Young Noah:
When I see something I like, I gotta... I love it.
Young Allie:
You gotta be kiddin me. All this time, that's what I've been missin'? Let's do it again.
Young Noah:
[at the Carnival] Who's that girl with Sara?
Fin:
Her name is Allie Hamilton. She's here for the summer with her family. Dad's got more money than God.
Young Allie:
This place is gigantic!
Young Noah:
Yeah, a gigantic piece of crap!
Young Noah:
I'm Noah Calhoun.
Young Allie:
So?
Young Noah:
So it's really nice to meet you.
Edmond:
Allie, who is this guy?
Young Allie:
I don't know, Noah Calhoun.
Young Noah:
I'm not usually like this, I'm sorry.
Young Allie:
Oh yes you are.
Young Noah:
I could be fun, if you want. I could be pensive, uhh... smart, supersticious, brave? And I, uhh, I can be light on my feet. I could be whatever you want. You just tell me what you want, and I'm gonna be that for you.
Young Allie:
...You're dumb.
Young Noah:
I could be that.
Young Noah:
Come on, one date, what's it gonna hurt?
Young Allie:
Mmm, I don't think so.
Young Noah:
Well what can I do to change your mind?
Young Allie:
[Noah is about to lie down in the street intersection] You're gonna get hit.
Young Noah:
[Looks around for oncoming cars, there aren't any in sight] Uhh, by all the cars?
Factual errors: The film Li'l Abner (1940) was not in theaters during the summer of 1940. RKO did not release the picture until 1 November of that year.
Audio/visual unsynchronized: In the scene with Noah and Allie in the Windsor Plantation, after Noah explains about the significance of the stairs, we can hear Allie say, "This place is gigantic," but her mouth doesn't move until a few seconds after it was said.
Audio/visual unsynchronized: When the band is playing on Noah's front porch and his father is playing the spoons with the band, as his father gets up to dance with Allie, he lays them down, but the sound of the spoons playing can still be heard in the music.
Revealing mistakes: During the first love scene at the plantation house when Noah begins to get up, if you look quickly, you can see that he is actually wearing boxers.
Miscellaneous: While Noah and Allie are out in the boat and it begins to storm, Allie's eye make-up is smudged and running down her cheeks. As they run into the house, and both during and after their love scene, her make-up is fine.
Continuity: When Allie and Noah are in the boat (just before it starts to rain), Allie's fringe/bangs are curled up tightly. A few moments later (when it begins to rain), Allie's fringe/bangs are perfectly straight. This could not have happened so quickly.
Errors made by characters (possibly deliberate errors by the filmmakers): The sign on the window of the stationery store in the town early in the movie is misspelled.
Continuity: When Duke is having an exam by the doctor two chest x-rays are on the light box behind him. The films are both reversed left to right but in a later shot they are correct - right to left.
Anachronisms: In the scene showing Allie and Noah walking after the movie, parking meters are clearly visible. Parking meters in South Carolina were introduced in 1947.
Continuity: In the shot where Noah and Allie are eating lunch after he's read to her some, he is wearing his reading glasses. In the next shot he is wearing his bifocals.
Continuity: The position of Allie's left earring changes from two pearls on top and on the bottom to one on the top and two on the bottom.
Anachronisms: In the scene showing Allie and Noah in the middle of the street, a double yellow line on the road was clearly visible. The double yellow line was not implemented until the early-'60s.
Revealing mistakes: When Noah goes to mail his final letter to Allie, we can see sunlight shining through the envelope right before he puts it in the mailbox and there is obviously no letter in it.
Continuity: When the older Allie and Noah are having the candlelit dinner for two, Allie is wearing a plaid shawl over her red jacket as she begins to sit down. In the next shot of her seated, the shawl is off, with no time for her to have removed it. In the next shot, it's back on again.
Crew or equipment visible: When Allie and her mum are outside Noah's newly restored house, crew and equipment are reflected in the side mirror of her car.
Continuity: When Noah and Allie are talking in front of Allie's house (the last time they met before she goes to NY), she's wearing a necklace in some shots and not wearing it in others.
Continuity: When Allie and her mother are talking in front of Noah's house, their shadow goes from right to left in all shots except when her mother gets up, in which the shadow goes the opposite way.
Continuity: When Allie's mum brings Allie to see her ex love, Allie's mum's ring starts upside down then turns right side up again in the next shot.
Continuity: When Noah and Allie are sitting on his front porch talking, Noah stands up angrily and throws the chair he was sitting in down, with the flowers falling on the ground. In the next shot, the chair is back up and the flowers are on the arm of the chair.
Continuity: When Allie goes to Noah's newly finished house to "see if he's okay", Noah is holding a beer bottle in his left hand. When he walks up to the car after she drives through the fence, he is no longer holding a bottle; his left hand is in his belt loop.
Anachronisms: When Allie is driving to see Noah, there is a plastic lace wrapped steering wheel cover visible. These did not exist in the 1940s.
Continuity: When Allie talks to her mother on the porch, the way the red blanket is wrapped around her changes a few times.
Continuity: When Lon gets out of the hospital waiting for Allie by the car to ask her about his date, his hair is clearly brown. In all subsequent shots his hair is black.
Revealing mistakes: After Noah and Allie get in the fight by her car at the end, he has his hands on his heart then walks towards the back of the car turns around and puts his hands on his head. About two seconds later she pulls away and he is in front of her car with his hands on his head.
Factual errors: When Noah and Allie are walking down the street after seeing their first movie together, you can see their breaths when they talk, indicating that it is very cold outside. It is supposed to be the middle of summer.
Continuity: When Allie races home after finding out from Vin that the police are looking for her, the front door to her house is solid wood doors on the outside, but the doors have glass in them on the inside.
Continuity: In most of the movie Noah has brown eyes (contacts because Ryan Goslings eyes are blue in real life) but after the scene where Allie and Noah fight after her mother brings her back home from the drive and Noah is trying to stop Allie from leaving by standing in front of her car his eyes are blue, you see that his eyes are shining blue in the sunlight.
Revealing mistakes: In many of the scenes that take place in June and July, the grass is brown. It should be green during the summer in South Carolina.
Continuity: In the scene in which they are lying in the street, their position moves from dead center of the road (they are in line with the center line) to being over in the right-hand lane when the shot moves from tight to wide.
References
On the Town (1949)
- During the montage of Allie and Lon's romance they're seen outside a movie theater with "On the Town" on the marquee
"The Rockford Files" (1974)
- When Duke is looking at old photos of himself, they're obvious stills from James Garner's "The Rockford Files" series.
Referenced in
"The O.C.: The Return of the Nana (#2.21)" (2005)
- The film Marissa and Trey watch.
Just Friends (2005)
- The movie is referenced by name.
"Saturday Night Live: (#31.9)" (2005)
- referenced in 'Lazy Sunday' sketch
The Benchwarmers (2006)
- on shelf in video store
Features
Li'l Abner (1940)
- Characters go to the movies to watch this Buster Keaton film.
Featured in
11th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards (2005) (TV)
- A small clip was presented as part of some of the nominated films.
Just Friends (2005)
- They watch the film in the movie.