The Third Notebook

Noah Calhoun spots Allie Hamilton, a 17-year-old heiress, at a seaside carnival on Seabrook Island. He pursues her and wins her over, and they begin a summer romance. The connection foreshadows the class and fate-based obstacles that will test their bond.

Over the course of the summer, Noah woos Allie and they fall into a passionate romance. They share adventures that deepen their feelings, despite their different social worlds. The relationship faces scrutiny from Allie’s family and friends who doubt their future.

Allie's mother makes it clear she disapproves of Noah and forbids contact. Allie learns she will attend Sarah Lawrence College in New York, promising a long separation from Noah. The couple confronts an uncertain future shaped by class and distance.

Allie, overhearing a tense confrontation, breaks up with Noah as her parents insist they end contact. Noah, convinced there is no future for them, expresses his doubts. Allie, though devastated, immediately regrets the split.

Noah writes Allie every day for a year after their breakup, hoping to keep their connection alive. Allie’s mother intercepts the letters and hides them, severing direct lines of communication. The longing continues as both attempt to move forward.

World War II erupts; Noah and Fin enlist and fight in Europe during the Battle of the Bulge. Fin is killed in action, and Allie serves as a nurse in a hospital, where she meets Captain Lon Hammond Jr., a handsome young officer from old Southern money. The two stories run in parallel, shaping their future decisions.

After the war, Allie becomes engaged to Lon Hammond Jr., a match that pleases her parents. She seems to have moved on, yet memories of Noah linger. The engagement marks a temporary peace between Allie and her past.

Noah returns home and finds his father has sold their house to fund the Windsor Plantation, which he then purchases and resolves to restore. He begins repairing Windsor, driven by a dream of rebuilding their life together. The changes symbolize his determination to win Allie back.

While trying on her wedding dress, Allie sees a newspaper photo of Noah in front of the rebuilt Windsor and faints. The sight rekindles memories of their past and questions about the life she is choosing. The moment plants seeds of doubt about the forthcoming marriage.

Allie travels to Seabrook and finds Noah living at Windsor Plantation. After rowing in the rain, Noah tells her about the long-ago letters, and she realizes her mother hid them. They rekindle their romance in a powerful, overdue reunion.

Anne reveals she once loved a lower-class man and questions what their lives would have been like if she had chosen differently. She gives Allie Noah's letters, challenging her to choose wisely. The revelation forces Allie to confront her own values and desires.

Allie confronts Lon and Noah, acknowledges her true feelings, and chooses to return to Noah. She confesses infidelity to Lon, but decides to follow her heart back to the man she loves. The choice marks a definitive break from all previous expectations.

In the nursing home, an elderly Allie, suffering from dementia, listens as Duke—Noah in disguise—reads her old journal aloud. The notebook contains the story of their romance and life together, serving as a daily ritual to spark memory. The scene frames the film’s core conceit of memory and love.

Allie briefly recognizes Noah and they share a dance to their song, 'I'll Be Seeing You.' The moment is sweet but fleeting, as memory slips away again and she looks to the future with longing. The scene captures the fragile persistence of their love.

Noah experiences a heart attack after the emotional moment and Allie is taken to the dementia ward. He secretly returns to her room at night and she recognizes him, they kiss, and the bond endures. The next morning their bodies are found holding hands, a final image of lifelong devotion.