This article is about the differences between the original script and film for both Before Sunrise and Before Sunset. Both original scripts are available in a single book at Amazon.com.
Before Sunrise
- Jesse and Celine tell each other their names after they enter the lounge car. In the movie, they don't do this until after they exit the train.
- On the train, Celine says she is studying literature and wants to write, but she's not sure what.
- Jesse says he never graduated from college but has a job as a writer for the Fort Worth Star Telegram.
- There is a scene in which Jesse and Celine put their bags into a locker at the train station. Celine notes how there are so many people in life that you just pass by, yet for them this time it's different.
- After Jesse and Celine meet the two actors, there is a very short scene where they sit on a park bench near some museums. Celine says that Europe's history and beauty is oppressive because it "reminds you all the time that you are a little speck in a long history." She says America is different because it is a place where "you feel like you could be making history."
- On the Ferris wheel, Jesse uses another time travel metaphor to get Celine to kiss him.
- At the Kleines cafe, Jesse kisses Celine without saying anything beforehand. Afterwards, he says, "I just wanted to kiss you again."
- Before reading Celine's palm, the fortune teller asks Jesse if he would like to buy a rose for Celine for twenty shillings, and he agrees and pays her.
- After the church scene, there is a street scene in which Celine asks Jesse if he thinks she is detached. She fears that she comments on things too much and never gets too close too anything.
- Next, there are two short scenes without dialogue. Jesse and Celine walk up to a hot dog stand and order something to drink. They notice some interesting characters hanging around, including the man behind the counter. Then they enter an interesting old cafe. Jesse waits while Celine goes to the bathroom. Separated for the first time, he stands around awkwardly and observes the goings-on in the cafe. Eventually, she returns and they exit.
- After Jesse and Celine enter the night club and the singer finishes his song, a short black-and-white Super 8 film is shown consisting of images of fairly recent events: bands playing; catastrophes, televised images.
- After the fake phone call scene, Jesse and Celine sit at the steps of a statue and watch people pass by. They take turns guessing who each person is and what's happening in their lives.
- In the train station before they're about to part, Celine tells Jesse that he lied when he said their time together would make her and her future husband happier because now she will wonder even more.
- Celine boards the train, stops, turns around, and Jesse signals her to wait. He offers to come with her. She almost laughs and says he would drive her crazy because he doesn't speak French and she would have to take care of him. Then Jesse says they should meet again and they agree to do so in six months.
Scenes and moments that are in the movie but not in the script: The dance at the juke box at the carnival; Jesse jumping onto the merry-go-round, trying to grab Celine and failing; Jesse playfully kicking Celine; Jesse's discussion about how people try to save time but never do anything worthwhile with it (this occurs right before Jesse and Celine enter the night club); Jesse and Celine saying good-bye to each other on the boat so they won't have to worry about it in the morning (the scene in the script ends right after they do their special handshake).
A personal note: I had trouble believing that the two characters in the script were really truly in love, so kudos to Ethan Hawke and Julie Deply for making the love story work.
Before Sunset
- The fictional date of the story is August 23, 2003.
- In the script, Celine emerges from a row of books where she has been hiding and listening the entire time. The movie gives the impression that she just entered the bookstore.
- Celine tells Jesse that she thought he made her character in the book a bit psychotic (in the film it's "neurotic").
- Jesse asks Celine if she is in love with the photojournalist that she's dating, and she says, "Yeah, of course. Well, probably."
- In Celine's apartment, she offers him a choice of three songs: "The one about my cat, the one about my ex-boyfriend, or the one about you?" Jesse, thinking it is a trick question, picks the one about her ex-boyfriend. The script has no lyrics; we are simply told that Celine "strums a beautiful, funny song." Afterwards, Jesse asks her to sing the song about him, but she says no.
