The Love Letter (1998)

20th century computer games designer Scott exchanges love letters with 19th century poet Elizabeth Whitcomb through an antique desk that can make letters travel through time.

Director:

Dan Curtis

Writers:

Jack Finney (short story), James S. Henerson (television story) (as James Henerson)

Stars:

Campbell Scott, Jennifer Jason Leigh, David Dukes

1 win.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Campbell Scott	...	Scott Corrigan
Jennifer Jason Leigh	...	Elizabeth Whitcomb
David Dukes	...	Everett Reagle
Estelle Parsons	...	Beatrice Corrigan
Daphne Ashbrook	...	Debra Zabriskie
Myra Carter	...	Clarice Whitcomb
Gerrit Graham	...	Warren Whitcomb
Irma P. Hall	...	Mae Mullen
Richard Woods	...	Jacob Campbell
Kali Rocha	...	Flossy Whitcomb
Laurie Kennedy	...	Lavinia Whitcomb
Edgar Smith	...	Potts the Postman
Cara Stoner	...	Maggie the Maid
George Gaffney	...	Bike Rider
Tom Riis Farrell	...	Scott's Boss

Storyline

Scotty Corrigan buys an antique desk and finds a Civil War-era letter inside it, written by a woman who died over a hundred years ago. Fancifully, he writes and mails a reply...only to have it reach its destination in the past. As Elizabeth and Scotty continue their remarkable correspondence, they find themselves falling in love, and more than restless about their impending, respective, marriages.

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Plot Keywords:

time travel | letter | antique | desk | love | 

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Taglines:

A love story that touches two lives....a century apart.

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Genres:

Fantasy | Romance

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Certificate:

TV-G

Details

Official Sites:

Hallmark Hall of Fame page.

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

1 February 1998 (USA)

Also Known As:

Hallmark Hall of Fame: The Love Letter (#47.3)

Filming Locations:

Tuckahoe Plantation - 12601 River Road, Richmond, Virginia, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Hallmark Entertainment,Hallmark Hall of Fame Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

99 min

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The scene where Scott shows Lizzie's poem to a modern-day poet was filmed in the William Smith Morton Library on the grounds of Union Presbyterian Seminary in Richmond, Va.

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Goofs

The antique desk was transported by Scottie to his home upside down on top of his SUV. However, when the secret compartment was first opened, the pen and the ink bottle were perfectly in place, and they evidently had not bounced around at all in transit or they surely would have been heard rattling around.

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Quotes

Elizabeth Whitcomb: The hard truth is we are doomed to be chaste. To never touch each other, hear each other, see each other... so what harm can there be to write to each other?

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Connections

References Star Trek (1966)

User Reviews

This is a gorgeous movie and a lovely and well told story

Campbell Scott (Singles, Dying Young) "Scotty Corrigan" is engaged. He and his fiancee go to an antique store. He falls completely in love with this beautiful nineteenth century desk. He is not sure whether he can afford it, but he buys it anyway. He finds a letter in a small secret compartment in the desk and tells his mother about it. His mom was really cool! Mom told Scotty about the possibility of going back in time. She goes out and gets the right ink made in the nineteenth century, and finds out the address of oldest Post Office in town, built in nineteenth century. Scotty begins corresponding with this woman Jennifer Jason Leigh (The Hudsucker Proxy) "Lizzie." I was amazed how I was glued to the television. Those intriguing stories about the possibilities of going through the time tunnel, possibilities of reincarnation, romance, really get to me. This is a very intertwined story of the unfulfilled love between a civil war soldier and Elizabeth. I fell in love with the story and had to order the tape. It is just a lovely story. There was not even electricity in those days! I would love to elaborate on the story but I do not want to give it way, because of those have not seen it yet. I highly recommend it. If you watch this movie, it is more likely than not that you will be glued to the television. This is what I consider great and solid story telling. James S. Henerson won WGA Award Adapted Long Form for the teleplay/story. My Favorite Quotes: Lizzie "The laws of nature for whatever reason have been suspended... write soon before the law of nature reset themselves." "You have no right to get involved in a life that has already lived." Lizzie: "Tell me what it means to light up like a Christmas tree." Scotty: " Ben Franklin invented electricity to glow like a Christmas tree is to glow with pleasure." Favorite Scene: The dog at the cemetery ...