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:

1517 Pike Place, 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

David Hyde Pierce, Victor Garber, Rita Wilson and Tom McGowan have all starred in Frasier which is also set in Seattle.

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Goofs

When Walter finds Annie in the broom closet she claims the caller on the radio show was from Duluth and asks him where that is. Walter replies "North Dakota." Duluth is in Minnesota.

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Quotes

Walter: [giving Annie an engagement ring] It was my grandmother's. I had them size it down. She had really fat fingers.

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Connections

Featured in AFI Life Achievement Award: A Tribute to Tom Hanks (2002)

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Soundtracks

"Bye Bye Blackbird"
Written by Ray Henderson and Mort Dixon
Performed by Joe Cocker
Courtesy of Muscadet Productions, Inc. and A&M Records, Inc.

User Reviews

Filled with hope and deep comforting emotions

I am a male of 23 years and have only ever imagined what falling in love and having a family of my own could be like,and a movie like this makes them dreams so much more meaningful and I am so thankful for that.

This movie only ever gives to you; what I mean by that is, you never feel like you have to entertain yourself through any part of the film, because the story is so real and touching that it makes you feel like your watching these people through the eyes of angel, as if the actors don't even know the cameras are there. Now that might sound a bit crazy but thats how I feel watching Tom & Meg bring these people to life. And I say people because you don't see the character you see the person.

There is no need to say anything about the story but if you would really like to get a feel for the movie, number 1. reads the back of the DVD case,number 2. a reminder why you should make time for this movie.

1. "Christmas is a magical time when anything can happen.And for Annie Reed(Meg Ryan),a down-to-earth newspaper reporter,it's just about to.

Whilst driving to her fiancé's house on Christmas eve, she hears a radio broadcast that will change her life. Eight-year-old Jonah's is worried about his recently widowed father,and calls a radio station agony aunt.Persuaded onto the phone Jonah's dad Sam(Tom Hanks)Tells of his love for his dead wife and how their time together was pure magic.

Annie is so touched by his heartfelt sentiment that she becomes determined to meet him.But there are a few problems:Sam's in Seatle,Annie's in Baltimore...and Sam doesn't even know that Annie exists!".

2. It fills you with comfort and hope and after entertaining you for 101 minutes it leaves you with lasting comforts and aspirations of living and loving. A Timeless tribute to Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan 'perfect'