Script vs Film

  Sleepless in Seattle; Script v Film

       When reading the script for Sleepless in Seattle, I found the premise to be an effective romantic comedy. Yet, in comparing the script with the film, it was easy to see that elements of brashness in the characters or instances of rudeness were softened or completely removed. At the same time, scenes featuring heartwarming, romantic moments were introduced or enhanced for greater dramatic impact. An example took place during the film’s New Year’s Eve scene with Sam and Jonah. In it, Sam and Jonah watch the ball drop in New York’s Times Square, and Sam ends up tucking Jonah into bed. Sam kisses both Jonah and Howard, Jonah’s stuffed bear, good night. Jonah looks sweet holding onto his bear, an element that ends up being significant later in the film. The bear is a metaphor for love and happiness.

  Throughout the film, I discovered certain scenes to be missing from the screenplay while others were added. A plethora of lines were shifted around and pieces of the dialogue rewritten. For example, when the radio psychologist asked what made Sam’s late wife so special to him, the script had, “I touched her for the first time, and suddenly I was home.” In the movie, the line became a dynamic, emotional moment that pulled the audience in to understand the special relationship they shared. It created strong empathy for Sam’s character. The film’s dialogue was: “How long is your program? Well, it was a million tiny little things that, when you added them all up, they meant we were supposed to be together, and I knew it. I knew it the very first time I touched her. It was like coming home, only to no home I’d ever known. I was taking her hand to help her out of a car and I knew. It was like magic.” This technique was used throughout the movie to great results.

  Jonah’s lines also were often rewritten from the screenplay to reflect a greater sense of innocence. In the movie Jonah responded to the radio host’s request to talk to his father by urging, “Talk to her, dad. She’s a doctor.” In the script, however, he said, “Are you crazy? He thinks shows like this are dumb.  If you didn't have an 800 number, I could never get away with this.” When comparing the script to the film, it’s clear the ultimate goal was to increase the empathy viewers felt toward Jonah. Softening his character and making him sweeter, like that of his father, draws the audience in to the storyline.

  Plot changes and dialogue edits were designed to give the film greater audience appeal. This movie could be classified as a “chick flick,” with the target audience predominately women. Keys to ensuring Sleepless in Seattle became a success with viewers and at the box office were a cast of intriguing characters that elicit sympathy, as well as concern as to what would happen. The audience roots for them and hopes for a happy ending. All the adaptations from screenplay to film strived to fulfill this goal. Any sign of Jonah’s true anger or intensity was eliminated. Instead, he was portrayed as sweet and innocent as possible. There were a couple instances in the script where Sam became really angry and frustrated with his son. Each time, these scenes were either removed or altered to be lighter conversations and outcomes. 

  Sleepless In Seattle is a classic. The modifications were extremely beneficial and really helped those who enjoy love stories to become a fan of this film. I believe that, in making specific lines or characters extra dramatic or romantic, the movie was more closely aligned to a target audience and less to the average viewer. For example, one who likes happy endings but is not necessarily a fan of over-the-top romantic films may enjoy the original screenplay. Nonetheless, Sleepless In Seattle ranks among one of the best films of all time.