Sleepless in Seattle (1993)

A recently-widowed man's son calls a radio talk show in an attempt to find his father a partner.

Director:

Nora Ephron

Writers:

Jeff Arch (story), Nora Ephron (screenplay),

Stars:

Tom Hanks, Ross Malinger, Rita Wilson

Nominated for 2 Oscars. Another 4 wins & 10 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Tom Hanks	...	Sam Baldwin
Ross Malinger	...	Jonah Baldwin
Rita Wilson	...	Suzy
Victor Garber	...	Greg
Tom Riis Farrell	...	Rob
Carey Lowell	...	Maggie Baldwin
Meg Ryan	...	Annie Reed
Bill Pullman	...	Walter
Le Clanché du Rand	...	Barbara Reed
Kevin O'Morrison	...	Cliff Reed
David Hyde Pierce	...	Dennis Reed
Valerie Wright	...	Betsy Reed
Frances Conroy	...	Irene Reed
Tom Tammi	...	Harold Reed
Calvin Trillin	...	Uncle Milton

Storyline

After his wife Maggie passes away, Sam Baldwin and his adolescent son Jonah relocate from Chicago to Seattle to escape the grief associated with Maggie's death. Eighteen months later, Sam is still grieving and can't sleep. Although Jonah misses his mother, he wants his father to get a new wife despite Sam having not even contemplated dating again. On Christmas Eve, Sam, on Jonah's initiative, ends up pouring his heart out on a national radio talk show about his magical and perfect marriage to Maggie, and how much he still misses her. Among the many women who hears Sam's story and falls in love with him solely because of it is Annie Reed, a Baltimore based newspaper writer. Annie's infatuation with Sam's story and by association Sam himself is despite being already engaged. But Annie's relationship with her straight-laced fiancé Walter is unlike her dream love life in the movie An Affair to Remember. She even writes to Sam proposing they meet atop the Empire State Building on ...

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Plot Keywords:

radio | love | widower | grief | radio show | 

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Taglines:

What if someone you never met, someone you never saw, someone you never knew was the only someone for you?

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama | Romance

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG for some language

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

25 June 1993 (USA)

Also Known As:

Sintonía de amor

Filming Locations:

1904 4th Avenue, Seattle, Washington, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$21,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

£5,533,322 (UK) (15 October 1993)

Gross:

£9,223,234 (UK) (10 December 1993)

Company Credits

Production Co:

TriStar Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

105 min 93 min (TV)

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The scene between Tom Hanks and Victor Garber crying over the movie The Dirty Dozen was completely improvised during the take.

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Goofs

Walter drinks a half glass of water at the Xmas party, but seconds later the glass is full again.

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Quotes

[the Taxi Driver takes Jonah to the Empire State Building]
Taxi Driver: There it is. What are you gonna do when you get up there? Spit off the top?
Jonah Baldwin: No, I'm gonna meet my new mother.

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Connections

References Basic Instinct (1992)

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Soundtracks

"Auld Lang Syne"
Performed by Guy Lombardo and His Royal Canadians
Courtesy of MCA Records

User Reviews

I enjoyed it for its characters and performances, and was thankful for what wasn't there.

This is a movie with characters and performances which are appealing, and it is an old-fashioned, feel-good love story. The film also has a bit of sadness in its early part, thankfully not overdone. The five lead characters and the performances by their actors (Hanks, Ryan, Malinger, Pullman and O'Donnell) are all engaging.

The primary members of the support cast are also excellent (David Pierce, Annie's brother; Garber and Wilson as Sam's brother-in-law and sister; Reiner as his colleague/friend; young Gaby Hoffman; and Barbara Garrick as Sam's brief girlfriend).

The story, juxtaposed with the classic Grant/Kerr predecessor, could have provided an excessive gimmick, but here it worked well. And I was grateful for some things I didn't find in this flick. Although I watched the program like everyone else, I found Rob Reiner's character, acting and presence in "All in the Family" to be obnoxious and annoying, ALL THE TIME, and watched the program in spite of his presence. And I have found Rosie O'Donnell's presence to be the epitomé of ANNOYING in every respect, every time I've observed her, previously. But in this film, I enjoyed both of their performances completely. Children in movies can also be an irritating presence, but Malinger and Hoffman were delightful as son Jonah, and his little neighbor/friend. Barbara Garrick, with a supporting role here (as in "The Firm") is an appealing actress, for whom one would wish more prominent roles.

Tom Hanks is one of the foremost actors of our time, but even he can go a smidgen too far in a characterization (I thought he did so in both "Forrest Gump" and "Philadelphia"). But he certainly didn't here. Watch, enjoy, and feel good.