The Notebook is a romantic drama film that draws inspiration from the 1996 novel by Nicholas Sparks. Distributed originally by New Line Cinema, the film premiered in theaters on June 25, 2004.
The narrative centers around an elderly man named Duke, who recounts his enduring romance with a woman named Allie to an Alzheimer’s patient in a nursing home.
The climax reveals that the Alzheimer’s patient is, in fact, Allie, highlighting the poignant love story they shared.
The film concludes with a touching scene where Duke sneaks into Allie’s hospital bed, and the two peacefully fall asleep together. They are later discovered by a nurse the following morning, implying that they passed away in one another’s embrace.
However, when The Notebook aired on Netflix UK, an alternate ending was presented, omitting the nurse’s discovery in favor of a serene shot of birds flying over a lake. This led to the airing of a different conclusion for the film.
Netflix clarified via social media that they did not alter the film themselves; this alternate ending was included in the copy they received. They are in the process of restoring the original theatrical ending.
Netflix Accidentally Featured an Altered Ending of The Notebook
According to their social media response, the adjustment was made by the distributor of the film, and Netflix had no involvement. The exact reasons for this alternate ending’s availability remain unclear, but it may be connected to producers creating multiple versions to meet censorship criteria, whether for international markets or TV broadcasts.
The censorship landscape in Hollywood is not new. A notable recent example is from 2022 when David Fincher’s Fight Club was released in China with a significantly altered ending.
The Chinese release deviated dramatically from the original, where Tyler Durden’s destructive plans were successful despite his defeat. Instead, the revised version featured a text overlay indicating that Tyler was apprehended by law enforcement.
Another historic example of film censorship can be seen in the television version of the 1995 film Die Hard With a Vengeance, where the character Simon Gruber forced John McClane into a compromising scenario. In TV airings, the derogatory message was sanitized to “I Hate Everybody,”losing the original tension meant to reflect McClane’s predicament.
It’s plausible that The Notebook had similar edits made for compliance with censorship regulations from various international markets or television networks, leading to Netflix UK inadvertently receiving such an edited version.
The Notebook: A Box Office Hit with Mixed Reviews
The Notebook achieved significant box office success, grossing $117 million against a budget of $29 million. While the film resonated with audiences, critical reception was notably mixed.
The movie holds a 53% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, with the consensus reading:
“It’s hard not to admire its unabashed sentimentality, but The Notebook is too clumsily manipulative to rise above its melodramatic clichés.”
The Notebook is available for streaming on Netflix UK.
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