HANNAH AND HER SISTERS by Woody Allen Shooting Script, 1986 As the last credit appears, the song ends in a crescendo and the screen fades to total black. Immediately, a new melody begins, an uptempo jazz number, as a title appears on the screen. "God, she's beautiful..." CUT TO: INT. HANNAH'S APARTMENT - NIGHT A full face of Lee, wearing a gray sweater and leaning against the dining room doorway. She gazes into the camera with a half-smile on her face as Elliot speaks over the screen. ELLIOT (V.O.) God, she's beautiful. Lee glances over her shoulder, then turns from the doorway and walks away. The camera follows her, moving across a book-and-photograph-filled bookshelf that obscures her from view as she walks into a crowded, comfortable vestibule. People, some holding drinks, some just entering the apartment, surround her. Everyone is talking at once, carrying on easy, familiar conversation. ELLIOT (V.O.) She's got the prettiest eyes, and she looks so sexy in that sweater. Lee smiles at the various people, exchanging greetings. LEE Hi, how are you? Two more guests enter the apartment; the vestibule is full now. Still walking, Lee lightly hugs one of the children as she continues on her way towards the living room. Elliot's voice, as well as the jazzy music, is heard. ELLIOT (V.O.) I just want to be alone with her and hold her and kiss her... Lee walks into the living room, turning her head back for a moment to talk to the child she has just hugged. ELLIOT (V.O.) ...and tell her how much I love her and take care of her. Stop it, you idiot. She's your wife's sister. But I can't help it. 2. The camera is still moving with Lee as she smiles and stops to chat with her mother. Elliot's voice, as well as the music, continues over the low din of warm conversation. ELLIOT (V.O.) I'm consumed by her. It's been months now. I dream about her. I- I, I think about her at the office. Oh, Lee. (sighing) What am I gonna do? Lee starts to walk off again, finishing her conversation with her mother. She passes several other guests, then turns to greet April, giving her a warm, brief hug. ELLIOT (V.O.) I hear myself mooning over you, and it's disgusting. Before, when she... Elliot's voice-over continues as he is actually seen, standing in a doorway having a conversation with a gesturing, rotund man. Both are holding drinks as Lee, carrying a tray of hors d'oeuvres and two drinks, walks between them. The space is very tight; the men hold up their drinks to make room for her. ELLIOT (V.O.) ...squeezed past me in the doorway, and I smelled that perfume on the back of her neck... Elliot watches Lee walk off; the other man, oblivious, continues to talk. Elliot reluctantly returns to the conversation, but he can't help turning his head to gaze at the offscreen Lee as the other man chatters on. ELLIOT (V.O.) ...Jesus, I, I thought I was gonna swoon! Easy... The camera resumes following a smiling Lee. She has just put down the tray and drinks near April, and briskly and obliviously, she walks past a doorway where Elliot, still ruminating, watches her, entranced. ELLIOT (V.O.) You're a dignified financial advisor. It doesn't look good for you to swoon. The camera stays with Elliot, who is still watching the offscreen Lee. In the background, guests continue to chatter warmly with each other. 3. Hannah, carrying a tray of hors d'oeuvres, walks up behind the distracted Elliot. HANNAH (nibbling on an hors d'oeuvre) Elliot? Elliot? (rubbing his shoulder) Sweetheart? Elliot returns from his reveries with a start. ELLIOT (turning to Hannah) Mm-hm? HANNAH (pointing to the tray) Have you tried these? These are wonderful. (nibbling, swallowing) Holly and her friend made them. Elliot, taking one of the hors d'oeuvres, starts nibbling as well as he and Hannah walk past the bookshelf into the living room. ELLIOT (swallowing) They're fantastic. HANNAH (overlapping, still eating) Aren't they great? ELLIOT Your sister is an unbelievable cook. HANNAH (swallowing) I know! I know! Elliot and Hannah, eating and talking, walk past a hallway and offscreen as Holly appears, walking down the hallway. She holds a drink and a plate of hors d'oeuvres; she stands at the entrance to the hallway, eating and looking at the offscreen guests. HANNAH (walking offscreen) She has all the cooking talent. 4. ELLIOT (walking offscreen swallowing) No, she doesn't, either. You've got tons as well. HANNAH (offscreen) Ohhh, but I've eaten five of these. Holly, standing in the hallway onscreen, swallows loudly. ELLIOT (offscreen, overlapping Holly) Holly, why don't you open your own restaurant? HOLLY (turning to the offscreen Elliot and Hannah, trying to swallow) Mmm, we practically are. Well... (holding her hand to her mouth) not a restaurant, but... (swallowing) April and I are going to do some catering! HANNAH (offscreen) What? You're kidding! HOLLY (nodding) No, no, we decided! Holly takes a sip of her drink as Hannah and Elliot walk over to her. HANNAH Perfect! HOLLY (nodding and swallowing) Mmm...I mean, we love to cook for our friends, so (gesturing) we thought until an acting job comes through, we could just make some extra money, you know, doing a few private parties. 5. ELLIOT (nodding) Great idea. HANNAH (agreeing) I know. ELLIOT (overlapping Hannah) That's where your talent lies. HOLLY (swallowing and nodding) I know. Holly and Hannah begin to laugh. HOLLY (gesturing to Elliot, still laughing) Get outta here. (to Hannah) Could I speak to you privately? HANNAH Oh, sure. Holly and Hannah walk off; Elliot watches them leave. ELLIOT (calling after them as he nibbles on an hors d'oeuvre) I'm her husband! She tells me anything! CUT TO: INT. HANNAH'S KITCHEN - NIGHT Hannah, licking her fingers, walks past a memo-cluttered refrigerator to the stove as Holly, behind her, begins to speak. The faint sounds of music are still heard. HOLLY Hannah, I have to borrow some more money. (sipping her drink) Don't get upset. 6. HANNAH (stirring some food in a saucepan on the stove) Mmm, I never get upset over that. Mmm? HOLLY This is the last time, I promise. And I'm keeping strict accounts. As Holly talks, sipping her drink, Hannah busily works in the kitchen, which contains a large center table stacked with bowls and plates of food, hanging pots and pans, and general party clutter. She walks on-and-offscreen as she talks and listens to her sister. HANNAH Holly, please. Don't insult me. HOLLY (putting her empty glass and plate down on the table) Someday, I'll pay it all back. HANNAH I know. H-how much do you need? HOLLY Two thousand dollars. Hannah, who'd been mashing some food in a bowl on a nearby counter, hesitates momentarily. She turns to Holly. HANNAH (trying to nod her head casually) Uh-huh. HOLLY (gesturing, her back to the camera) Hannah, I know it's a lot, but my friend April and I, we have this catering idea I think's going to be great. Hannah, licking her fingers, walks past Holly. HOLLY (turning to face Hannah) You admit that we're great cooks, right? 7. HANNAH (nodding, back at the stove now, stirring in a pot) Yeah. HOLLY (putting her hands in her pockets) Well, in order to get started, there's just a few things I have to buy... (gesturing) and some old debts I have outstanding. HANNAH (looking at her sister) Will you just tell me one thing? HOLLY (nodding) Okay. HANNAH Are we talking about cocaine again? HOLLY (shaking her head no) I swear. I swear. We've already got some requests to do a few dinner parties. A timer goes off. Hannah walks past Holly to attend to some food on a different stove. Holly turns to face her. Only Holly is seen as she talks to the offscreen Hannah, the camera moving in closer on her face. As Holly speaks, she distractedly nibbles an hors d'oeuvre. In the background, her parents can be heard singing in the living room. HOLLY I mean, obviously, I'm not going to be a caterer forever, you know. We both still go to auditions. Something could turn up at any moment. But the parties are at night, days are free, I can still take my acting class. I haven't done drugs on a year. Holly pops another hors d'oeuvre into her mouth as the background singing gets louder and the film cuts to: 8. INT. HANNAH'S LIVING ROOM - NIGHT The living room is crowded with family and guests sitting comfortably on chairs near the piano, where Evan, Hannah's father, plays "Bewitched" as Hannah's mother, Norma, sits nearby, accompanying him in their duet. A child is sprawled out under a blanket on a sofa; some guests chatter quietly; others drink and eat, listening. EVAN & NORMA (singing) "A whimpering, simpering Child again Bewitched, bothered, and bewildered Am I..." As they continue to sing, the film cuts back to the kitchen, where Lee, carrying some glasses, enters through the doorway. LEE Mom and Dad are floating down memory lane again! Lee walks over to her sisters, putting the glasses down on a counter. Hannah is scooping seeds out of a cantaloupe. Holly, leaning on the table, sips her drink. The music from the living room is softly heard as the three sisters chat comfortably and easily with each other. HANNAH (smiling and turning to Lee) Aah... Hey, have you tried Holly and her friend's shrimp puffs? LEE (nodding to Holly, touching her arm) I think they're fantastic. HANNAH (to Holly) You've outdone yourself. HOLLY (overlapping her sisters, shrugging and smiling) Oh, my God. Thank you. LEE (interrupting, to Hannah) I need an antihistamine. Mom thinks she's feeling her asthma, and so... 9. HANNAH (overlapping) Ohh? HOLLY (overlapping, lighting a cigarette) Uh-oh. LEE (continuing) ...before she starts turning into Camille... (laughing) HOLLY (overlapping) Yeah, Mom's Camille when she gets up in the morning. LEE (turning to Holly) At least she isn't drinking. Did you notice? HOLLY (nodding) Mm-hm. HANNAH (turning to look at her sisters, laughing) Doesn't she look great in that new dress? HOLLY (nodding) Yeah. LEE (nodding) Yeah. The sisters all talk at once; Hannah is still working at the sink. HANNAH Don't you think she does? HOLLY She really does, though.