In fact, despite mixed reviews and never cracking higher thanNo.
It’s now considered a defining romantic film of a generation and continues to find new audiences.
ABroadway musical adaptation, which debuted earlier this year, was nominated for three Tony Awards.
Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams in ‘The Notebook’.New Line/courtesy Everett Collection
It’s even more of a pleasant surprise forNick Cassavetes, who almost didn’t direct the movie.
Sparks' novel was first optioned for film in 1995, prior to its release in 1996.
“So yeah, I definitely stand up for it.
Rachel McAdams and Ryan Gosling in ‘The Notebook’.New Line/courtesy Everett Collection
At the same time, loveiscorny.
I really like the film.”
“I’ve seen him do it a million times.
James Garner and Gena Rowlands in ‘The Notebook’.New Line/courtesy Everett Collection
It doesn’t feel quite as authentic,” he says.
“And we were lucky to have them at the beginning of their careers.
And you really believed it.”
Ten years later, the director says he regrets opening up about that.
“The last time I did an interview on this thing, I spilled the beans on that.
I regretted it,” he says.
“Everyone’s like, why are you telling that?
I’m like, I don’t know.
It caught me on a bad day, but if they’re around, I apologize to you guys.
I shouldn’t have spilled the beans.”
As Cassavetes puts it: “They fell in love and became a wonderful, wonderful, fiery couple.
“She’s in full dementia.
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This calls to mind a particularly funny memory of working on the film with his mother, though.
“She said, ‘Let me get this straight.
We’re reshooting because ofmyperformance?'”
She goes, ‘I can do anything,'” he recalls.
And I was like, okay, well, we gotthat…
It’s the one time I was in trouble on set.”
I’ve heard that quite a bit over the years, very frequently.
And I think that’s why this story resonates.
“It speaks to that question of, what if I’m lost?
Am I going to be alone?
And the answer inThe Notebookis no, he’s going to love you anyway.”
It helps that the film “holds up pretty good” to modern audiences, too.
He says he looked over at his daughter during the film to see her “completely busted up.”
“She couldn’t even believe it,” he says with a laugh.
Mom’s got Alzheimer’s, [Garner]’s dead, [Shepard]’s dead.
It’s a different time period now.
I’m happy that it’s out there."
The Notebookis available to own on digital.
