Coming up next we have 1993's "Sleepless In Seattle", a film about a single dad raising his son after his wife's death and the woman who finds herself drawn to him. A meeting on top of the Empire State Building could be the happy ending they all need.
The film's cast includes Tom Hanks, Meg Ryan, Ross Malinger, Rosie O'Donnell, Rita Wilson, Victor Garber, Carey Lowell, Bill Pullman, David Hyde Pierce, Dana Ivey, Rob Reiner, LaTanya Richardson, Gaby Hoffmann, Tom McGowan, Frances Conroy, and Caroline Aaron.
On Christmas Eve, a young boy named Jonah phones a radio call-in show and talks with a psychiatrist about his dad's loneliness. The psych gets the dad, Sam, on the phone and they have a conversation about Sam's deceased wife. "Tell me what was so special about your wife." prompts Dr. Marcia Fieldstone. "Well, how long is your program?" Sam responds.
Listening in on her way to Baltimore is journalist Annie Reed, who finds herself powerfully drawn to Sam and Jonah's story.
She goes to work after the holidays and tells the whole story to her boss and best friend, Becky.
Meanwhile, Sam's mail has substantially increased because women have been writing him constantly since his radio interview.
While watching "An Affair To Remember" with Becky, Annie gets the idea to write to Sam and have him meet her on Valentine's Day at the top of the Empire State Building.
Jonah reads Annie's letter when it arrives in Seattle. He quickly feels that Annie is the one for his dad. Sam, however, feels differently, and he refuses to even think about traveling to New York.
His conversation with Dr. Marcia Fieldstone gives Sam the boost he needs to start dating again. Jonah is less than thrilled with the woman that Sam chooses.
Jonah calls Dr. Marcia and gives a play by play of his dad's activities with this new girlfriend. When he catches them kissing, he exclaims, "She's a ho! My dad's been captured by a ho!"
Annie is in Baltimore listening in to every word Jonah is saying. She hides in the closet with the phone (so she can talk to Becky) and the radio (so she can listen at the same time). She's startled when her fiancé surprises her, and now she's got some fast explaining to do as to why she was in the closet. Later, Annie decides that she's going to write a story about radio call-in shows. Becky suggests that she go somewhere to do some research. Naturally, Annie is on the way to Seattle.
With the help of a friend, Jonah decides to answer Annie's letter. He tells her that his dad will be delighted to meet her on top of the Empire State Building.
Before she can get the letter, Annie is already on her way to Seattle. While dropping off Sam's girlfriend (who is going on a business trip) at the airport, Jonah makes his feelings about her known.
They just happen to be at the gate where Annie disembarks from her plane. Sam is captivated by her, but they don't say anything to each other.
Armed with an address, Annie finds out where Sam and Jonah live and then spends a day watching them interact.
Sam notices Annie one day and greets her. She responds with a "hello". Unfortunately, Sam has just given a woman a hug (one of his good friends) and Annie misinterprets this as the "ho" he was kissing earlier. She heads quickly back to New York.
She tells Becky that all she could say was "hello" when she saw Sam face to face. This naturally cues Becky to say it's a sign that they should be together and shows her an identical scene from "An Affair To Remember". "It's a sign that I have watched this movie too many times!" says Annie.
Back in Seattle, Sam tells his visiting friends about how Jonah called in to the radio, and now a woman wants to meet him on top of the Empire State Building on Valentine's Day. His friend, Suzy, instantly makes a "An Affair To Remember" connection. (Consequently, this is probably my favorite Rita Wilson performance.)
Now that Jonah knows about this movie, he mentions it to his friend Jessica who declares it to be the best movie she's seen in her whole life. She tells Jonah that he has got to get his dad and Annie together. Because her parents are travel agents, Jessica knows a thing or two about making travel plans. She books Jonah on a flight to New York and he takes off without his father.
When he arrives in New York, Jonah heads straight for the Empire State Building, where he goes up to every single woman he sees and asks if she is Annie.
Annie breaks up with her fiancé over dinner that night. He graciously lets her go. "Walter, you're too good for me," she tells him. "Well, I wouldn't put it that way, but...okay," he says with a grin.
Sam follows Jonah to New York, but his flight doesn't get in until the evening. He finds Jonah and the two hug it out.
From the restaurant, Annie sees the Empire State Building being lit up in celebration of Valentine's Day. She hurries to make it in time before the top floor is closed.
It all works out. Sam and Annie meet, and Sam realizes that she is the woman that he was so captivated with back in Seattle. Jonah smiles as he watches them.
They leave the Empire State Building hand in hand with smiles on their faces.
Cast rundown:
Tom Hanks......................................Sam Baldwin
Meg Ryan........................................Annie Reed
Ross Malinger...................................Jonah Baldwin
And that's it for Sleepless In Seattle. The role of Annie was first offered to Julia Roberts, who turned it down. It was later offered to Kim Basinger, Michelle Pfeiffer, Jennifer Jason Leigh, and Jodie Foster, who all declined as well before it was landed by Meg Ryan. Dennis Quaid, Michael Keaton, John Travolta, John Ritter, and Bill Paxton were all considered for the role of Sam before it went to Tom Hanks.
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