1986
At a Thanksgiving dinner, Elliot, married to Hannah, secretly harbors an intense infatuation for her sister, Lee, who lives with the cynical artist Frederick. Meanwhile, their hypochondriac ex-husband, Mickey, grapples with existential dread and a series of medical scares, while the youngest sister, Holly, struggles with her acting career and attempts to start a catering business with her friend April. Elliot and Lee begin an affair, meeting secretly and sharing intimate moments, which causes Elliot immense guilt and Lee to eventually leave Frederick. Mickey, after a false health scare and a failed attempt to convert to Catholicism, finds solace in an unexpected encounter with Holly, who has since pursued writing.
Save the Cat beat sheet
Hannah and Her Sisters interweaves three main storylines: Elliot’s forbidden attraction to his sister-in-law Lee, Mickey’s health and spiritual crises coupled with a romance rekindled with Holly, and Hannah’s role as the family glue.
Open full beat sheetMickey Sachs is listed as Hannah's Ex-Husband. A hypochondriac television producer, later marries Holly. In the parsed data, Mickey Sachs is connected to 31 scenes, 138 dialogue lines, 139 text mentions, first appearing around scene 10.
31 scenes / 138 dialogue linesHolly is listed as Sister. The youngest sister, aspiring actress and writer, later married to Mickey. In the parsed data, Holly is connected to 27 scenes, 74 dialogue lines, 84 text mentions, first appearing around scene 2.
27 scenes / 74 dialogue linesLee is listed as Sister. The middle sister, living with Frederick, later involved with Elliot. In the parsed data, Lee is connected to 24 scenes, 83 dialogue lines, 106 text mentions, first appearing around scene 1.
24 scenes / 83 dialogue linesHannah is listed as Protagonist. The eldest sister, married to Elliot, mother of children, actress. In the parsed data, Hannah is connected to 23 scenes, 94 dialogue lines, 117 text mentions, first appearing around scene 1.
23 scenes / 94 dialogue linesElliot is listed as Hannah's Husband. A financial advisor, conflicted by his attraction to Lee. In the parsed data, Elliot is connected to 20 scenes, 77 dialogue lines, 93 text mentions, first appearing around scene 1.
20 scenes / 77 dialogue linesApril is listed as Friend. Holly's friend and catering partner. In the parsed data, April is connected to 9 scenes, 3 dialogue lines, 4 text mentions, first appearing around scene 16.
9 scenes / 3 dialogue linesNorma is listed as Mother. Hannah, Lee, and Holly's mother, a former actress. In the parsed data, Norma is connected to 8 scenes, 5 dialogue lines, 5 text mentions, first appearing around scene 35.
8 scenes / 5 dialogue linesEvan is listed as Father. Hannah, Lee, and Holly's father, a musician. In the parsed data, Evan is connected to 7 scenes, 2 dialogue lines, 2 text mentions, first appearing around scene 6.
7 scenes / 2 dialogue linesFrederick is listed as Lee's Partner. An artist, depressive and cynical. In the parsed data, Frederick is connected to 6 scenes, 40 dialogue lines, 47 text mentions, first appearing around scene 9.
6 scenes / 40 dialogue linesDavid Tolchin is listed as Architect. An architect who dates April and Holly. In the parsed data, David Tolchin is connected to 4 scenes, 2 dialogue lines, 2 text mentions, first appearing around scene 17.
4 scenes / 2 dialogue linesA party is held at Hannah's apartment. Elliot is secretly infatuated with Lee, his sister-in-law, and struggles with his feelings while interacting with guests and his wife, Hannah.
Hannah, Lee, Holly, Elliot, Norma, AprilHolly asks Hannah for a loan to start her catering business.
Hannah, HollyThe sisters gather in the kitchen while their parents sing in the living room.
Hannah, Lee, Holly, Evan, NormaHannah and Holly prepare the dining room for Thanksgiving dinner.
Hannah, Holly, AprilElliot and Lee have a private conversation in the bedroom.
Hannah, Lee, ElliotThe family has Thanksgiving dinner and Evan gives a toast.
Hannah, Lee, Holly, Elliot, Evan, NormaLee reflects on Elliot's behavior while in a taxi.
LeeLee returns home to Frederick.
Lee, FrederickLee and Frederick discuss their relationship and Elliot's interest in Lee.
Lee, FrederickMickey deals with production crises and a difficult actor.
Mickey SachsMickey reflects on his life and his ex-partner.
Mickey SachsMickey visits Hannah for their sons' birthday.
Hannah, Mickey SachsMickey undergoes medical tests for his ear issues.
Mickey SachsMickey calls another doctor to discuss his symptoms.
Mickey SachsMickey panics about his health while at work.
Mickey SachsMickey is anxious about his health and his show, while Gail tries to keep him focused on work.
Mickey Sachs, AprilHolly and April are catering a brunch party where they meet David.
Holly, April, David TolchinDavid shows Holly and April his architectural work and other buildings in the city.
Holly, April, David TolchinDavid drops Holly and April off after their tour.
Holly, April, David TolchinElliot tracks down Lee and they have a chance encounter.
Lee, ElliotElliot and Lee browse a bookstore together.
Lee, ElliotElliot and Lee leave the bookstore, discuss an AA meeting, and share a moment about a poem before Lee leaves in a taxi.
Elliot, LeeLee reads poetry in bed while Elliot reads the same poem in his den.
Lee, ElliotMickey undergoes a series of medical tests.
Mickey SachsDr. Grey discusses the test results with Mickey.
Mickey SachsMickey leaves the hospital, anxious about his health.
Mickey SachsMickey wakes up in a panic and has a flashback to a doctor's visit with Hannah.
Mickey Sachs, HannahMickey and Hannah discuss the infertility diagnosis.
Mickey Sachs, HannahMickey and Hannah ask Norman and Carol to be sperm donors.
Mickey Sachs, HannahDavid and Holly attend the opera.
David Tolchin, HollyElliot brings Dusty Frye to meet Frederick and Lee, leading to an awkward confrontation.
Elliot, Lee, FrederickDusty and Elliot leave the loft; Elliot is distressed and makes a secret phone call to Frederick.
Elliot, Mickey Sachs, FrederickElliot meets Lee on the street and confesses his love for her.
Lee, ElliotHannah arrives at her parents' apartment building.
HannahHannah visits her parents and deals with their dysfunctional relationship.
Hannah, Evan, NormaMickey undergoes a medical scan.
Mickey SachsMickey receives his medical results.
Mickey SachsMickey discusses his existential crisis with Gail.
Mickey SachsElliot and Lee meet for an affair.
Lee, ElliotLee returns home to Frederick and they argue.
Lee, FrederickLee tells Frederick she is leaving him, leading to an argument about her infidelity.
Lee, FrederickElliot, feeling guilty about his affair with Lee, decides he must end it.
Hannah, ElliotElliot calls Lee to end the affair, but Lee expresses her closeness to him.
Lee, ElliotMickey reflects on life, love, and his past date with Holly.
Mickey SachsFlashback to Mickey and Holly's disastrous date at a rock club.
Holly, Mickey SachsMickey and Holly continue their date at a jazz club.
Holly, Mickey SachsMickey and Holly argue after leaving the club.
Holly, Mickey SachsElliot and Lee dance together.
Lee, ElliotHannah confronts Elliot about his distant behavior.
Hannah, ElliotHannah and Holly shop for clothes.
Hannah, HollyHannah and Holly shop for clothes while discussing Holly's audition and her dating life.
Hannah, HollyHolly auditions for a musical, followed by April.
Holly, AprilHolly and April discuss their auditions and April's date with David.
Holly, AprilMickey discusses his desire to convert to Catholicism with Father Flynn.
Mickey SachsMickey argues with his parents about his decision to convert.
Mickey Sachs, Evan, NormaMickey brings home religious items.
Mickey SachsHannah, Lee, and Holly meet for lunch.
Hannah, Lee, HollyHannah, Lee, and Holly have a tense lunch where Holly's career aspirations and Hannah's perceived lack of support are debated.
Hannah, Lee, HollyElliot discusses his inability to leave his marriage with his analyst.
ElliotLee is seen at Columbia University while Elliot narrates his struggle with their relationship.
Lee, ElliotMickey talks to a Hare Krishna leader about religion and death.
Mickey SachsLee reflects on her life and her relationship with Elliot.
LeeHolly calls Hannah to discuss her script and Lee's new boyfriend.
Hannah, HollyThanksgiving gathering at Hannah's apartment.
Hannah, Lee, Holly, Elliot, Evan, NormaHannah sits alone in the living room.
HannahElliot and Hannah reconcile in bed.
Hannah, ElliotMickey runs into Holly at a record store.
Holly, Mickey SachsMickey walks through the city and spots Holly in Tower Records.
Mickey Sachs, HollyMickey approaches Holly and they discuss their past and her writing.
Mickey Sachs, HollyHolly reads her script to Mickey.
Mickey Sachs, HollyMickey tells Holly about his suicide attempt and subsequent change in perspective.
Mickey Sachs, HollyThanksgiving dinner gathering.
Hannah, Lee, Holly, Elliot, Evan, NormaA party is in progress at the family home. Holly and Mickey share an intimate moment in front of a mirror where Holly reveals she is pregnant.
Evan, Norma, Holly, Mickey SachsWhat passion today with Lee. She's a volcano. It was a totally fulfilling experience... Just as I dreamed it would be. That's what it was. It was like living out a dream...a great dream. Now I feel very good and cozy being here next to Hannah. There's something very lovely and real about Hannah. She gives me a very deep feeling of being part of something. She's a wonderful woman...and I betrayed her. She came into my empty life and changed it...and I paid her back by banging her sister in a hotel room. God, I'm despicable. What a cruel and shallow thing to do. I have to call her now and tell her what we did was crazy. It can't ever happen again. I'm not that kind of man...and I value Hannah too much. I love my wife. Now I've betrayed her. Oh, God!
Hannah? Hi. Listen, um, you'll be happy to know that your money has not gone completely to waste... No, I have an actual first rough draft of something I wrote... Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, well, I showed it to Lee, and she gave me some good pointers. And, um, listen, I'm pretty near where you live. I wonder if I could just drop it off...and, you know, when you have time, some time, read it, an-and we'll talk when I come over at Thanksgiving. Okay? All right. Okay. Oh, wait, wait. Listen. Listen. I think Lee met an interesting guy at Columbia... Yeah. Yeah, well, he sounds really nice... Yeah. Okay. All right. Well, we'll talk at Thanksgiving. Bye-bye.
Millions of books written on every conceivable subject by all these great minds, and, and in the end, none of 'em knows anything more about the big questions of life than I do. Ss--I read Socrates. You know, n-n-n--, this guy used to kn-knock off little Greek boys. What the hell's he got to teach me? And, and Nietzsche with his, with his Theory of Eternal Recurrence. He said that the life we live, we're gonna live over and over again the exact same way for eternity. Great. That means I, uh, I'll have to sit through the Ice Capades again. Tch. It's not worth it.
The nights are really getting cooler. Summer went so quickly. Soon it'll be fall. My literature professor really likes me. It was fun being out with him last night. Funny. I feel like I'm betraying Elliot...but that's ridiculous. Why shouldn't I see Doug? Elliot's not free. Just go one step at a time. Let's see what the next few months bring.
No, it's real exact! The-the situations, the dialogue, everything. It's-it's full of intimate details between Elliot and me! Which I don't, I don't see how you could even possibly know about. A conversation we once had about adoption?
Yeah. Uh, well, sure we did. An-an-and in a way you led me on, because I truly believed you were unhappy with Hannah. Otherwise, I would never have let myself be drawn in. I was very weak. So were you. Now I've met someone else.
...as Spring opens [touching skillfully, mysteriously] her first rose [i do not know what it is about you that closes and opens; only something in me understands the voice of your eyes is deeper than all roses]...
Well, if it's nothing, then why do I have to go into the hospital at all? I mean, uh, I hear perfectly fine, so I'm, so I'm a little weak on the, on the high decibels. So I, you know, I won't go to the opera.
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