Sleepless in Seattle
| Sleepless in Seattle | |
|---|---|
 original film poster | |
| Directed by | Nora Ephron |
| Written by | Jeff Arch (story) Nora Ephron (screenplay) |
| Produced by | Jane Bartelme |
| Starring | Tom Hanks Meg Ryan Bill Pullman Rosie O'Donnell Rob Reiner |
| Cinematography | Sven Nykvist |
| Music by | Marc Shaiman |
| Distributed by | TriStar Pictures |
Release dates | June 22, 1993 |
Running time | 105 min |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $21,000,000 USD |
Sleepless in Seattle is a 1993 American comedy-drama film written and directed by Nora Ephron. Based on a story by Jeff Arch, it stars Tom Hanks as Sam Baldwin and Meg Ryan as Annie Reed.
Plot summary
Sam Baldwin, a Chicago architect, has just lost his wife to cancer. He and his son Jonah had recently moved to Seattle, but Jonah thinks his father needs a new wife in order to get back on track. One evening, he calls into a national radio advice show and persuades his father to also go on the air. The call is heard by thousands of women across the nation, including Annie Reed, a journalist from Baltimore, Maryland. Of the thousands of letters which flood them, Jonah finds one he likes. He tries to convince his father to go to New York City to meet her on Valentine's Day, but Sam refuses, due to the great distance and that she could be a psychopath like in Fatal Attraction. Knowing his father will follow him, Jonah flies to New York City. Jonah gets a taxi to the Empire State Building, saying he's going to meet his new mother. Sam, close behind, finally catches up with Jonah, who didn't find Annie. Jonah and Sam leave just before Annie rushes in. She is resignedly looking for them when she sees a child's backpack. When she turns around, Jonah and Sam have returned for Jonah's backpack. Sam holds out his hand and the three walk out together, with Jonah triumphantly leading the way.
Sleepless in Seattle was nominated for two 1994 Academy Awards: Best Music, Original Song for "A Wink and a Smile", music by Marc Shaiman, lyrics by Ramsey McLean; and Best Writing, Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen for Nora Ephron, David S. Ward, and Jeff Arch.
The film was inspired by An Affair to Remember and used both its theme song and clips from the film in critical scenes. The climactic meeting at the top of the Empire State Building was a reference to a reunion between Cary Grant and Deborah Kerr that failed to happen when the Kerr character was struck by a car while enroute to the building in the original film. At one point, some of the characters discuss Affair, with Sam commenting that it sounds like a "chick movie." The success of Sleepless in Seattle led to a resurgence in popularity for An Affair to Remember for a younger generation of filmgoers.[citation needed]
Trivia
- Kim Basinger was the first choice for the role of "Annie Reed", but she turned down the role because she thought the script wasn't written well enough. She later stated that she regretted turning the part down, and she admitted that her judgment on picking successful films are often poor. [1]
- Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks share approximately two minutes of screentime together. [2]
- Jason Schwartzman auditioned for the role of "Jonah". [3]
Cast and credits
Starring:
- Tom Hanks: Sam Baldwin
- Meg Ryan: Annie Reed
- Bill Pullman: Walter
- Ross Malinger: Jonah Baldwin
- Rosie O'Donnell: Becky
- Gaby Hoffmann: Jessica
- Victor Garber: Greg
- Rita Wilson: Suzy
- Barbara Garrick: Victoria
- Carey Lowell: Maggie Abbott Baldwin
- David Hyde Pierce: Dennis Reed
- Dana Ivey: Claire Bennett
- Rob Reiner: Jay
Credits:
- Director: Nora Ephron
- Writer: Jeff Arch
- Producer: Jane Bartelme
- Music: Marc Shaiman
- Cinematography: Sven Nykvist
- Editor: Robert M. Reitano
Box office
- US Gross Domestic box office: US$ 126,680,884
- Gross International box office: $101,119,000
- Gross Worldwide box office: $227,799,884
- US rentals: $64,930,000
External links
