Sleepless in Seattle (1993)
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A journalist and a widowed architect find their lives intertwined through a series of chance encounters and a child's desperate plea for his father's happiness.
The story
After the death of his wife, architect Sam Baldwin moves to Seattle with his young son, Jonah. During a holiday, Jonah calls a national talk radio show to help his father find love, leading to a massive outpouring of support from listeners. Among them is Annie Reed, a reporter in Baltimore who is engaged but feels something is missing. Inspired by a classic romance film, Annie writes a letter to Sam proposing they meet in New York City on Valentine's Day. Although she initially hesitates to send it, the letter is mailed by a friend, setting the stage for a fated connection between the two strangers.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
Sam Baldwin, a widowed architect in Seattle, and Annie Reed, a reporter in Baltimore, become connected after Sam's son, Jonah, calls a radio show to find his father a new wife. Annie's friend secretly mails a letter to Sam proposing a meeting on Valentine's Day at the Empire State Building. While Sam begins dating a woman named Victoria, Jonah discovers Annie's letter and believes she is the one for his father. Annie travels to Seattle on a work assignment and encounters Sam and Jonah in person, but they do not realize who the other is. Later, Jonah takes a flight to New York to find Annie, and Sam follows him. On Valentine's Day, Annie ends her engagement to Walter after feeling unfulfilled. She rushes to the Empire State Building just as Sam and Jonah arrive. They recognize each other and, after a moment of connection, the three of them leave together.
- First release year
- 1993
- Runtime (minutes)
- 105
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Nora Ephron
- Writers
- Nora Ephron · screenplay; David S. Ward · screenplay; Jeff Arch · screenplay; Jeff Arch · story
- Cast and characters
- Tom Hanks · Sam Baldwin; Meg Ryan · Annie Reed; Bill Pullman · Walter Jackson; Ross Malinger · Jonah Baldwin; Rob Reiner · Jay Mathews; Rosie O'Donnell · Becky; Gaby Hoffmann · Jessica; Victor Garber · Greg; Rita Wilson · Suzy Baldwin; Barbara Garrick · Victoria; Carey Lowell · Maggie Baldwin
- Genres
- romantic comedy
- Themes
- fate; grief; destined romance
- Tone and mood
- romantic; sentimental
- Premise and plot tags
- romance; comedy; long-distance
- Source material / true-story basis
- Inspired by director Leo McCarey's An Affair to Remember (1957), which was a remake using the same script of McCarey's Love Affair (1939).
- Reception
- The film was released to positive reviews, praised for its writing, direction, and performances. It was a significant commercial success, becoming one of the highest-grossing films of 1993 and a top performer in the home video market.
- Awards and nominations
- Academy Awards · Best Original Screenplay · 1994 · nomination; Academy Awards · Best Original Song · 1994 · nomination; American Comedy Awards · Funniest Actress in a Leading Role · 1994 · win; Young Artist Awards · Best Actor Under Ten in a Motion Picture · 1994 · win; Young Artist Awards · Outstanding Family Motion Picture for Comedy · 1994 · win
- Production trivia
- The film was shot mostly in Seattle during the summer of 1992.; Several of its pivotal scenes were filmed on a former naval base due to the city's lack of sound stages.; The soundtrack peaked at number one on the Billboard 200.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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