The Reader · written by David Hare · 2008

Hanna washes Michael in a lavender-scented bath.

Scene 77 of 196 · ≈ 1 min on screen · Act two

Act oneAct two

Begins 30 min into a 1:21 film

The story so farBefore scene 77

As a law student, Michael sees Hanna, his former lover, on trial for war crimes and must face the secret that shaped their teenage relationship.

Scenes 1–6
In 1995, Michael prepares breakfast for Brigitte, then is alone in his apartment and looks out the window.
Scenes 7–24
The sick schoolboy Michael accepts Hanna’s help and returns to her.
Scenes 25–35
Michael enters an intimate relationship with Hanna, organized around his reading to her.
Just before
Scene 74
Friends tell Michael of their planned birthday party; he declines because he promised someone else, and they go off angry.
Scene 75
Michael cycles with wet hair toward Hanna’s apartment, looking unhappy.
Scene 76
Michael complains that Hanna never asks about him and that their relationship follows her terms; Hanna throws War and Peace onto the bed.
Scene 77
This scene

77INT. HANNA’S APARTMENT. DAY

HANNA is on the edge of the bath, running water. She has a pale blue flowered smock. She is running with sweat. The smock sticks to her. MICHAEL gets out a book. HANNA drops lavender oil into the bath. MICHAEL stands in the bath and she washes his body.