Always (1989)

The spirit of a recently deceased expert pilot mentors a newer pilot while watching him fall in love with the girlfriend that he left behind.

Director:

Steven Spielberg

Writers:

Jerry Belson (screenplay), Dalton Trumbo (screenplay "A Guy Named Joe")

Stars:

Richard Dreyfuss, Holly Hunter, Brad Johnson

3 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Richard Dreyfuss	...	Pete Sandich
Holly Hunter	...	Dorinda Durston
Brad Johnson	...	Ted Baker
John Goodman	...	Al Yackey
Audrey Hepburn	...	Hap
Roberts Blossom	...	Dave
Keith David	...	Powerhouse
Ed Van Nuys	...	Nails
Marg Helgenberger	...	Rachel
Dale Dye	...	Don
Brian Haley	...	Alex
James Lashly	...	Charlie
Michael Steve Jones	...	Grey
Kim Robillard	...	Air Traffic Controller
Jim Sparkman	...	Dispatcher

Storyline

Pete Sandich and buddy Al Yackey are daredevil aerial forest-fire fighters. Pete finds True Love with Dorinda but won't give up the job. When he takes one risk too many, Dorinda faces deep grief and cannot easily put her life back together.

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Plot Keywords:

pilot | ghost | grief | airplane | afterlife | 

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Taglines:

They couldn't hear him. They couldn't see him. But he was there when they needed him... Even after he was gone.

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Genres:

Fantasy | Romance

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Certificate:

PG

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

22 December 1989 (USA)

Also Known As:

Siempre

Filming Locations:

Libby, Montana, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$31,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$3,713,480, 25 December 1989

Gross USA:

$43,858,790

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$74,134,790

Company Credits

Production Co:

Universal Pictures, United Artists, Amblin Entertainment

Technical Specs

Runtime:

122 min

Sound Mix:

70 mm 6-Track (70 mm prints) Dolby (35 mm prints)

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

This was Audrey Hepburn's final film before her death on January 20, 1993 at the age of 63. She accepted the role of Hap because she wanted to work with Steven Spielberg.

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Goofs

The Douglass A-26 Invader Air Tanker is powered by two 2,000 HP engines and empty, weighs about 23,000 Lbs. When it drops its 1200 gallons of fire retardant, it suddenly loses almost 11,000 Lbs. There should be no problem in getting the plane to climb after the drop. In fact, after a drop, keeping the plane from climbing too fast can be a problem.

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Quotes

Dorinda Durston: [after a tirade as to how she fears for his life every day] I love you, Pete... but I'm not enjoying it.

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Crazy Credits

Instead of saying the song "Crazy Love" was "written and performed by Van Morrison," it mistakenly says "written and directed by Van Morrison."

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Connections

Referenced in The Incredibles (2004)

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Soundtracks

BOOMERANG LOVE
Written and Performed by Jimmy Buffett
Courtesy of MCA Records

User Reviews

A film worth revisiting

It has been a while since I have seen this 'Always.' The years, I should say, have done this film justice.

A noted cinephile, I know when to eat my words, and this is one is for the books. Sincere. Honest. Touching. Obviously sparked with a late-eighties, Spielbergian hyper-real, cinematic extensions and flair, these elements do not bog the film downs as, say, with '1941' or 'The Color Purple.' And why should we expect modern filmmakers to be like those of the forties or fifties? Modern filmmakers are just that -- modern.

Holly Hunter is a walking dream and she has talent in droves. I have long had a crush on her and her funny mouth. She is simply enchanting and steals the show. Goodman, for once, is kept under control. Dreyfuss, with the thankless role of revisiting his past and commenting on the future, is the weakest link but only just. Sumptuously photographed by deftly edited, this story of unrequited love is as universal as mothers and babies. If it doesn't bring tears to your eyes, shame on you. The best advice to view this film is to forget it is a Spielberg film. Enjoy it for the love story that it is and sink into its voluptuous and charged charm.

We should all hope we become angels in the mist, able to return to Earth to right all the wrongs of the world.

This may be one Spielberg's most romantic films, next to A.I., which is a supremely magnificent film and, also, equally dismissed when it first arrived on the scene.

I urge all to give this film a second chance.