Message in a Bottle (1999)

Director:

Luis Mandoki

Writers (WGA):

Nicholas Sparks (novel)
Gerald Di Pego (screenplay)

Release Date:

12 February 1999 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Romance

Tagline:

A story of love lost and found.

Plot:

A woman discovers a tragic love letter in a bottle on a beach, and is determined to track down its author.

Plot Keywords:

Bottle | Love | Beach | Male Female Relationship | Message In A Bottle

Awards:

5 nominations

Cast

Kevin Costner	...	Garret Blake
Robin Wright Penn	...	Theresa Osborne
Paul Newman	...	Dodge Blake
John Savage	...	Johnny Land
Illeana Douglas	...	Lina Paul
Robbie Coltrane	...	Charlie Toschi
Jesse James	...	Jason Osborne
Bethel Leslie	...	Marta Land
Tom Aldredge	...	Hank Land
Viveka Davis	...	Alva
Raphael Sbarge	...	Andy
Richard Hamilton	...	Chet
Rosemary Murphy	...	Helen at the B&B
Steven Eckholdt	...	David Osborne
Susan Brightbill	...	Catherine Land Blake
Patricia Belcher	...	Annie
Steve Mellor	...	Man on Dock
Lance Gilbert	...	Man on Sinking Boat
Jennifer Lamb	...	Woman on Sinking Boat
Hayden Panettiere	...	Girl on Sinking Boat
Walt MacPherson	...	Pete the Cop
Justin DiPego	...	Typewriter Repairman
Meagan Riley-Grant	...	Mary
Karen Fowler	...	Sleepover Mom
Caleb Deschanel	...	Man at the B&B
Mauricio Ochmann	...	Mail Boy
Anthony Genovese	...	Photographer
Elizabeth Guindi	...	Christine
Donald Watson	...	Diner Patron #1
W. Clapham Murray	...	Diner Patron #2 (as Clapham Murray)
Gregg Trzaskowski	...	Johnny Friend #1
Robert E. Tarlow	...	Johnny Friend #2
Philip Traynor	...	Boy in Car
Daniel V. Trefts	...	Policeman on Boat
Christina Bergstrom	...	Office Worker #1
Norman Fessler	...	Office Worker #2
David Paris	...	Helicopter Pilot #1 (as David W. Paris)
Robert Kenney	...	Helicopter Pilot #2
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Ayana Cahrr	...	(uncredited)
Yasmine Delawari	...	(uncredited)
Sherry Koftan	...	Girl on the Boat (uncredited)
Marcello Robinson	...	El Boy (uncredited)
Darla Rothman	...	Flight Attendant (uncredited)

Directed by
Luis Mandoki

Writing credits (WGA)
Nicholas Sparks		(novel)
Gerald Di Pego		(screenplay)

Produced by
Kevin Costner	....	producer
Denise Di Novi	....	producer
Leslie Weisberg	....	associate producer
Jim Wilson	....	producer

Original Music by
Gabriel Yared

Cinematography by
Caleb Deschanel

Film Editing by
Steven Weisberg

Casting by
Amanda Mackey Johnson
Cathy Sandrich

Production Design by
Jeffrey Beecroft

Art Direction by
Steve Saklad
Mark Zuelzke

Set Decoration by
Dorree Cooper
Elaine O'Donnell
CC Perkinson

Costume Design by
Bernie Pollack

Makeup Department
Elle Elliott	....	hair stylist: Mr. Costner
Kathrine Gordon	....	key hair stylist
Katherine James	....	key makeup artist
Anne Morgan	....	hair department head
Francisco X. Pérez	....	makeup artist: Mr. Costner (as Francisco Perez)
Monty Westmore	....	makeup artist: Paul Newman (as Monte Westmore)
Scott Hersh	....	assistant makeup artist (uncredited)

Production Management
Todd Lewis	....	production supervisor: second unit
Mark Marshall	....	post-production supervisor
Mark Scoon	....	executive in charge of production
David Siegel	....	production manager
Forrest Sloan Wright	....	production supervisor: pre-production

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Gary Capo	....	second unit director
David Hyman	....	assistant director: Los Angeles
Emily McGovern	....	second assistant director
Bruce Moriarty	....	first assistant director
Nick Satriano	....	second assistant director
David J. Negron Jr.	....	third unit director (uncredited)

Art Department
Jonathan Askew	....	construction grip
Randy L. Childs	....	propmaker foreman
Mike Cukers	....	set designer
Nancy Deren	....	set designer
Andrea Dopaso	....	set designer
Harmony Gosbee	....	set dressing production assistant
Jeff Khachadoorian	....	carpenter
Mark A. Mancinelli	....	plasterer gang boss
John Mann	....	storyboard artist
Masako Masuda	....	assistant art director
Masako Masuda	....	set designer
Michael O'Donnell	....	set dresser
Jeff Ogg	....	carpenter
Kris Peck	....	property master
Eugene Pope	....	carpenter
Helen Rasmussen	....	buyer
Natalie Richards	....	illustrator
Richard Robinson	....	propmaker
Liza Rudolph	....	art department coordinator
Jim Scott	....	carpenter
Gregg Singer	....	set dresser
John J. Slove Jr.	....	construction coordinator
Theodore Suchecki	....	propmaker
Timothy W. Tiedje	....	property master: Chicago
Robert Van Dyke	....	construction coordinator
Robert Van Dyke	....	general foreman
John Villarino	....	construction coordinator
Mike Villarino	....	construction general foreman
Mark Wallace	....	property assistant
Michael Goss	....	hod carrier (uncredited)
Cameron Matheson	....	carpenter (uncredited)

Sound Department
Paul Aulicino	....	first assistant sound editor
Bob Beher	....	foley editor
Lance Brown	....	sound designer
David E. Campbell	....	sound re-recording mixer
Marc Deschaine	....	adr assistant
Michael Dressel	....	supervising foley editor
Bruce Fortune	....	sound editor
Jonathan Fuh	....	boom operator
Jessica Gallavan	....	adr supervisor
José Antonio García	....	production sound mixer
Lance Laurienzo	....	assistant sound editor
Steve Nelson	....	sound effects editor
Jay Nierenberg	....	sound editor
John T. Reitz	....	sound re-recording mixer
John Roesch	....	foley artist
Gregg Rudloff	....	sound re-recording mixer
Bruce Stambler	....	supervising sound editor
Shawn Sykora	....	foley editor
Bernard Weiser	....	sound editor
Richard E. Yawn	....	supervising sound editor
Mark Johnston	....	sound recordist (uncredited)
Chris Pinkston	....	sound technician (uncredited)
Carolyn Tapp	....	foley recordist (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Casey Cavanaugh	....	special effects
Alden Wayne Dumas	....	special effects
Scott Garcia	....	special effects
David P. Kelsey	....	special effects supervisor
Rodman Kiser	....	special effects: Chicago
Ron Macinnes	....	special effects
Mark Noel	....	special effects foreman
Michael Rifkin	....	special effects
Michael Roundy	....	special effects
Tim Walkey	....	special effects technician
Aaron Walters	....	special effects

Visual Effects by
Jonathan Alvord	....	Avid editor
Ted Andre	....	visual effects compositor
Shawn Broes	....	visual effects editor
Erin M. Cullen	....	roto artist
Charles Darby	....	matte painter
Kevin Elam	....	visual effects producer
Gokhan Kisacikoglu	....	technical director
Karen Klein	....	rotoscope supervisor
Vincent Lavares	....	digital asset manager: Cinesite Hollywood
Gregory D. Liegey	....	visual effects composite supervisor
David Lingenfelser	....	digital compositor
Craig Mathieson	....	digital compositor
Valerie McMahon	....	digital artist
David J. Negron Jr.	....	visual effects supervisor
Corinne Pooler	....	digital artist
Liz Radley	....	video & computer graphics supervisor
Dwight Raymond	....	visual effects editor
Craig A. Simms	....	digital compositor
Thomas J. Smith	....	digital effects supervisor: Cinesite
Amy Tompkins	....	visual effects editor
Pat Tubach	....	compositor
Ronnie E. Williams Jr.	....	digital compositor
Tim T. Cunningham	....	visual effects coordinator (uncredited)
Kevin LaNeave	....	digital asset coordinator (uncredited)

Stunts
Tricia Bonomo-Guertel	....	stunts
Lance Gilbert	....	stunt coordinator
Troy Gilbert	....	stunts
Norman Howell	....	stunt coordinator
Erik Rondell	....	stunts
John Rottger	....	stunts (as John C. Rottger)
Mark Vollmer	....	stunt double
Paul Williamson	....	stunts
Glen Yrigoyen	....	stunts

Camera and Electrical Department
Jamie Barber	....	first assistant camera
Alison Barton	....	grip
Arnold F. Brown	....	grip
Colin J. Campbell	....	gaffer (as Colin Campbell)
Gary Capo	....	director of photography: second unit
Chris Culliton	....	lighting technician
Jerry C. Deats	....	key rigging grip
Paul DeMarte	....	key second assistant camera
Sean Devine	....	second grip
Michael DiIeso	....	rigging best boy
Matt Floyd	....	best boy rigging grip
Stefan Forbes	....	second assistant camera: "b" camera
Ben Glass	....	still photographer
Barry Gross	....	electrician
Frank R. Jimenez Jr.	....	lamp operator
Eric K. Jones	....	assistant camera: second unit
Tim Metivier	....	second assistant camera
James R. Mitchell	....	set electrician
Brad Peterman	....	first assistant camera: "a" camera, second unit
P. Scott Sakamoto	....	Steadicam operator
P. Scott Sakamoto	....	camera operator
Val Schubert	....	grip
Sam Taybi	....	grip
Joseph D. Urbanczyk	....	camera operator: "a" camera
Chuck Whelan	....	additional assistant camera (uncredited)

Casting Department
Kevin Beard	....	extras casting
Sally Jackson	....	location casting
Mercedes Kelso	....	casting associate (as Mercedes Danforth)
Elizabeth Lang	....	casting associate

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Jorge J. González	....	costumer
Barbara Gordon	....	costumer: Kevin Costner
Sabrina Rosen	....	costumer
Rita Salazar	....	key costumer
Nancy Smytka	....	costumer

Editorial Department
Samuel Craven	....	additional editor
Jordan Dawes	....	assistant editor
Gershon Hinkson	....	assistant editor
Dwight Raymond	....	first assistant editor
Greg Dean	....	assistant editor (uncredited)

Music Department
John Bell	....	orchestrator
Dan DiPrima	....	music editor: temp music
David Foster	....	song producer
Isobel Griffiths	....	orchestra contractor
Andy Hill	....	music supervisor
Tod Holcomb	....	music editor
Lisa Jaime	....	music editor
Allan Jenkins	....	synthesizer programmer
Ling Ling Li	....	producer: London orchestral sessions
Jenny O'Grady	....	choir mistress
Harry Rabinowitz	....	conductor
Robert Randles	....	supervising music editor
John Richards	....	music engineer
Georges Rodi	....	score programmer
Gabriel Yared	....	orchestrator

Transportation Department
Denise Avallon	....	driver
Linda Cipperley	....	transportation coordinator
Alan Kaminsky	....	driver generator operator
Robert Martini	....	transportation captain
William O'Brien	....	transportation coordinator
Marty Radcliff	....	driver
Jonathan A. Rosenfeld	....	transportation coordinator
Brian Steagall	....	transportation captain
Jeff Verdick	....	transportation captain
Richard Vincent	....	driver
Robert Wallace	....	driver

Other crew
Judith M. Brown	....	studio teacher
Alison Cannon	....	production accountant
Tami Cassell	....	adr loop group
James Mitchell Clyde	....	water safety: marine unit
Demetra Diamantopoulos	....	location manager
Maureen Poon Fear	....	assistant: Denise Di Novi
Karen Golden	....	script supervisor
Wendy Goldfisher	....	payroll accountant
Rick Hicks	....	assistant marine coordinator
Pam Jack	....	location assistant (as Pamela Polhemus)
Arik Johnson	....	second assistant accountant
Ilt Jones	....	location scout
Samantha C. Kirkeby	....	script supervisor: second unit
Ross L. Kulma	....	first aid: Chicago
Ernest H. Lauterio	....	craft service (as Ernie Lauterio)
Jim Lipman	....	boat captain
Judy Malinoski	....	first aid
Stefan Nikolov	....	assistant location manager
Stefan Nikolov	....	production assistant
Peter J. Novak	....	location manager
Ed Nyerick	....	marine captain
Shaun O'Banion	....	set production assistant: Los Angeles
Darice O'Mara	....	assistant: Paul Newman
George Patterson	....	assistant production coordinator
Bob Pitto	....	first assistant accountant
Burton Sharp	....	adr group coordinator
Matt Smith	....	production assistant
Mark Thomason	....	photo double: Garret
Bill Vergos	....	office production assistant
Kirsty Whalley	....	synthesizer programmer
J. Wilfrid White	....	marine crew
Victoria A. Zamora	....	construction accountant

Production Companies

• Bel Air Entertainment
• DiNovi Pictures
• Tig Productions

Distributors

• Warner Bros. Pictures (1999) (USA) (theatrical)
• Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) (2002) (USA) (TV) (broadcast premiere)
• Warner Bros. (1999) (Czech Republic) (theatrical)
• Argentina Video Home (2008) (Argentina) (DVD)
• Argentina Video Home (Argentina) (video)
• Pathé (France)
• Tobis Filmkunst (Germany)
• Warner Bros. (Argentina)
• Warner Sogefilms S.A. (Spain)

Special Effects

• Cinesite (Hollywood)

Other Companies

• 143 Records  soundtrack
• Atlantic Records  soundtrack
• C.T.S. Studios  music recorded at (uncredited)
• Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment  cranes
• Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment  dollies
• London Session Orchestra, The  orchestra (uncredited)
• Metro Voices  chorus (uncredited)
• Pacific Title/Mirage  titles and opticals
• Portland Welding Supply  liquid nitrogen for special effects dept
• Tony's Food Service  catering
• YAD Studios  music mixed at (uncredited)
• YAD Studios  music recorded at (uncredited)

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for a scene of sexuality.

Runtime:

131 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

Iceland:L | Norway:11 | UK:12 | Denmark:7 | Canada:AA (Ontario) | Canada:G (Quebec) | Canada:PG (Alberta/British Columbia/Manitoba/Nova Scotia) | Philippines:PG-13 | Argentina:13 | Australia:PG | Chile:TE | Finland:S | France:U | Germany:6 (bw) | Hong Kong:IIA | Netherlands:AL | Portugal:M/12 | South Korea:15 | Spain:13 | Sweden:7 | Switzerland:12 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:12 (canton of Vaud) | USA:PG-13 | Singapore:PG

Filming Locations:

Bath, Maine, USA

Company:

Bel Air Entertainment

Trivia:

Two of the rental cars had nearly sequential license plates: RZ-1551 and RZ-1553.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: Garret Blake's new boat is named Catherine, but the navel flags on the right side only say "atherine" without the C.

Quotes:

Garret Blake: Teresa, I don't want to lose you.
Theresa Osborne: Then don't.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Hamlet (2000)

Soundtrack:

I Could Not Ask For More

"Choose between yesterday and tomorrow. Pick one. Stick with it."

While on vacation, a single mother identified as Theresa discovers a 'message in a bottle' on the shore that has moving honest words of love addressed to a woman named Catherine…

The trail leads her to a sailboat builder named Garrett and also to his father, Dodge in a small North Carolina coastal town… It turns out that Catherine is Garret's deceased wife, and the intriguing letters were written, two years earlier, after her decease…

Some people find the one true love of their lives, if they're fortunate enough… Luis Mandoki's film, in part, turns out to be a choice about what occurs when a person finds that right kind of love, then when he is faced with the impossible, and then when he is given the right to continue with his life and is brave enough to love again no matter how unpleasant his grief is…

As a reclusive widower, Garret was still in deep pain, and entirely devoted to Catherine's memory… He had hard time letting go of the past… Catherine was dead but not forgotten and was simply everywhere…

As a sailor Costner didn't inherit the charm of Newman… He was drawn to Penn by her smile, her beauty, even her mistakes…

Robin Wright Penn was beautiful, delicate and sweet as Theresa… She soon insinuates her way into Garret's life… Her expectations were always too high… Since the beginning, she just had to meet the person that wrote those letters… Her life was changed by them… Eventually when she met Garret that morning, she accepted, without hesitation, to step aboard…

Paul Newman as Dodge liked Theresa instantly… He saw in her the key to his son's emotional recovery…

With a very nice music, and a stunning coastal photography—also the ocean scenes are wonderfully taken—"Message in a Bottle" is definitely a weepy melodrama and a must see for those who believe, or don't, in love…