SLEEPLESS IN SEATTLE - OUTLINE

This script, written by Nora Ephron, is widely regarded as a masterpiece, and for good reason. The characters and themes are so rich. It's romantic, it's funny, it's well-paced, and it's a great example of a great romantic comedy script. 

Written by Nora Ephron

1. Meet Sam - CLOSE ON HIS FACE
2. Sam and Son at funeral
3. Meet Annie and Seth. Discussing marriage.
4. Suzy and Greg stock Sam’s freezer during the wake.
5. Annie and Seth are on the rocks. 
6. Sam at work. Boss suggests he see a therapist. Sam says he’s moving to Seattle.
7. Annie at work: She and Seth broke up. She quits her job. Moving home to Baltimore.
8. Sam and crew in airport. Intercut with Annie at airport. Both talking about how they don’t think they can be happy again. 
9. Their planes pass each other in opposite directions as they take off. 
10. Overhead Map: A light on in Baltimore. A light on in Seattle. The only lights on the map.
11. Annie with a new guy, WALTER. Going to family Christmas in Baltimore. 
12. With Annie’s family: They announce they are engaged. The family is excited. Walter is allergic to EVERYTHING (a hint that he’s the wrong guy?)
13. Mom shows Annie a dress in the attic. They discuss the idea of DESTINY. Annie still doesn’t believe but her mom does.
14. Mom talks about how she met Dad.
15. Button: The dress doesn’t fit Annie at all.
16. Annie rides along to DC, where she’s headed to be with Watler’s family for X Mas morning. She’s alone b/c she needs her car the next day. 
17. Annie hears Jonah call about her dad. Annie and Sam have the same opinions on some of the stuff the doctor says. We get good exposition. This is a great scene.
18. Annie parks outside Walter’s. She and Sam simultaneously describe love as MAGIC. Then she goes into Walter’s parent’s place with him. 
19. Jonah and Sam make Christmas pancakes. Two women show up trying to hook Sam.
20. LATER Sam and Jonah decide no one else will know it’s them. THey’re fine.
21. Annie and other journalists talk about the Sam story. Turns into an argument about desperate women and Annie gets defensive.
22. Sam at a construction site. The guys trying to set him up with the rich lady who owns the house. Jonah not sure about it. Sam turns down NYE plans to hang with Jonah.
23. Jonah asks to go to friend’s party on NYE. Sam says its fine but then loses temper about his spice rack breaking.
24. NYE: Sam is along, imagining Maggie.
25. Annie and Walter at a party on NYE. Making plans for V-day.
26. Sam at the marina. He got a HUGE thing of mail. They go through the mail and Sam insists this isn’t how you find love. Love is just a connection. 
27. Annie and Walter have sex as Jonah asks Sam about sex in V.O. 
28. Annie dreams that she’s running to Seattle.
29. Annie wakes up and goes to the kitchen for cereal and she puts on the radio and hears Sam’s clip. She closes her eyes.
30. Annie talks to her brother about her obsession with Sleepless Guy. He barely talks. It helps her. She realizes this is probably cold feet. (She goes to him b/c he is married too.)
31. Sam and his friend Jay. Jay telling him what the dating scene is like. Everyone wants a cute butt guy. Sam is not looking forward to this new world.
32. Sam goes home to find Jonah with a girl. The kid is getting his own life. Sam can’t hog him forever. With that, Sam exits and calls a woman for a date.
33. Annie writes a letter to Sleepless as she watches Carey Grant. Then she balls it up and throws it away. She just had to get it out of her system. 
34. Jonah and Sam talk about mom and the afterlife. Sam tells Jonah he has a date on Friday night. Jonah says good.
35. Annie gets home. Decides to go for a walk. Watches the moon. 
36. Sam watches the moon. Same moon. 
37. Annie goes to Walter.
38. Sam sits there along on the boat.
39. FADE IN: 
40. Annie gets Sam’s info from the station, using her journalism credentials. Prints out an article about him. 
41. Annie hires someone to tail Sam so she can get more info on him. 
42. Sam heading out for his date as Jonah gets excited about Annie’s letter. Thinks it’s a sign. Reveals plan about Empire State building. 
43. Sam on the date with the woman.
44. CLICK. Pull back to see the P.I. is taking pics of them.
45. Annie meets the P.I. Gets info about Sam. Nothing that counts him out or makes him crazy. 
46. AT MARKET: Jonah still pushing the Empire date. Sam resisting in favor of his new woman. Woman shows up with groceries for them. She’s gonna cook.
47. HOUSEBOAT: They eat what she cooked. Jonah doesn’t like her and it’s clear. Sam sends him to bed.
48. LATER: Jonah spies as the woman flirts with Sam. Dials the phone.
49. Annie woken up when her friend calls and says turn on your radio. 
50. INTERCUT as Jonah reports on the kiss and Annie roots for him to stop it. Then Walter finds her in the closet and Jonah hangs up.
51. Sam annoyed at Jonah. 
52. Annie lying to Walter about why she was in the closet with the radio.
53. Annie staring at the ceiling.
54. Jonah staring at the ceiling. 
55. Jonah’s girl convinces him to write to Annie.
56. Annie decides to take the story about the radio shows at work. She’ll have to travel for it. 
57. Jonah mails the letter with Jessica (his gf type). Then Sam shows up and yells at him for calling the station last night.
58. Walter and Annie going to a dinner. She’s explaining why she has to go to Seattle and meet him in NY after. 
59. Sam and Jonah drop Victoria off at airport. Meanwhile Annie walks right past them! Sam is struck, but she doesn’t notice him. The whole time, Jonah is trying to tell him to be with Annie.
60. Annie scopes out the houseboat. Sees Sam and hurries away in her car.
61. Annie in a mirror, practicing saying hi to Sam, figuring out what to say. 
62. LATER Annie watches Sam from across the street. 
63. She goes to boat but it’s just as Sam and Jonah head out in their dinghy.
64. She watches him play with Jonah at the beach.
65. THAT NIGHT Annie reports to Becky about her day. Becky assures her that this is not crazy. 
66. Annie is marching towards them the next day but SUZY is there. Annie stops in the middle of the street. This is too much.
67. Annie almost gets hit by a car. The HORN blares. Sam runs up to see the commotion. They connect but she gets scared and runs back to her car.
68. ON A PLANE Annie flies back. 
69. BECKY’S CAR Annie laments how could she have been such an idiot? 
70. Becky and Annie talk about whether her meeting with Sam was a “sign.” Annie decides that the woman on the pier was the woman the PI saw Sam with but it wasn’t, IT WAS JUST A FRIEND!
71. Annie opens Jonah’s return letter but writes it off. Means nothing.
72. ON HOUSEBOAT Jonah secretly listens as Sam revelers to Suzy and Greg that he’s serious about Victoria and is clearly not gonna pursue the Annie thing.
73. Sam imagines himself kissing Annie.
74. Annie takes train to NY. Tells Becky that she’s happy with Walter and that SLEEPLESS is history. 
75. Jessica prints Jonah a ticket to NYC on a plane b/c her parents are travel agents.
76. Walter and Annie window shop at Tiffany’s. She confesses she got cold feet but she’s better now. 
77. Walter gives her a ring and she loves it.
78. ON FIFTH AVENUE Annie realizes she hates surprises.
79. Sam packs for a trip with Victoria. He and Jonah argue about how Jonah likes Annie more. Jonah runs away.
80. Jessica tells her parents and Sam where Jonah went.
81. Jonah sits on the plane.
82. Sam frantic at airport looking for him. 
83. Sam arrives for his change at O’Hare.
84. Jonah arrives in NY. He is small.
85. Sam on his NYC bound plane.
86. Jonah arrives at Empire State building.
87. Annie and Wlater have Rainbow Room dinner, overlooking the empire state building
88. Sam arrives gets in cab towards the ESB.
89. Jonah up on the observation deck.
90. Sam speeds towards ESB.
91. Jonah asks women if they’re Annie.
92. Annie talks to Walter, probably confessing, as Jonah watches her through the viewscope thing.
93. Sam reunites with Jonah. 
94. Annie breaks up with Walter but they are kind to each other. He tells her to go to the ESB.
95. Annie has to beg her way up to the ESB deck.
96. They aren’t there, but Jonah’s bag is. Then they arrive and she’s there, holding his bag. 
97. They meet. Then they have to go b/c the ESB is closed. She takes his hand. It feels right.
98. We see the ESB all lit up for V day. 
99. The US map spreads out, now with lights twinkling everywhere. 

Note: They made choices that made their story work. Like she’s a journalist and Jonah had access to plane tickets. Who cares, it just worked.