Bergman wrote "Persona" in nine weeks while recovering from pneumonia, and much of his work was done in the Sophiahemmet hospital. With this project, he abandoned his practice of writing finished and comprehensive screenplays before photography, allowing the script to develop as production proceeded. In the screenplay, the story ends with the doctor announcing that Elisabet has resumed speaking, reunited with her family and resumed acting. Alma remains on the island and plans to write Elisabet a letter until she sees the Holocaust photo and abandons her plan. Later in the production, this was replaced by the blood-drinking scene, Elisabet being taught to say the word "nothing" and Alma leaving the island.