Sleepless in Seattle

               When I think of Turner Classic Movies (TCM) I think of films that were made long before I was born.  Okay, maybe not long before, but definitely not ones that were released in my lifetime.  A movie that was in the theatres in the ‘90s would definitely be too new to be aired on a classic movie channel.

                This is what ran through my head when I saw Sleepless in Seattle was going to be on TCM.  Then I realized Sleepless in Seattle has been around for twenty years.  I could not believe it had been that long since the film was released to theatres.  Then I saw the computer screens used in the film and saw that, oh, yes, the movie is that old.  Technology is so different now and it is really strange to see how it used to be.  But the different technology does not make the movie any less enjoyable.  In some ways it makes it more so because without cell phones and constant connection life appears to be a much simpler time.  That brings the love story to the forefront with very few distractions. 

                Sam Baldwin (Tom Hanks) is a widower.  Distraught over the loss of his wife, Sam takes his son, Jonah (Ross Malinger), and moves from Chicago to Seattle.  He thinks the change of scenery will help him move on with his life but it doesn’t.  Still suffering with his grief, Sam continues to talk to his wife and does not sleep at night.  Out of concern for his father, eight year old Jonah calls into a radio talk show and tells the world his father needs a new wife.  The host has Jonah put his father on the phone and while at first he is reluctant, Sam ends up spending the night talking about his wife.

                All across the country people listen to the show and fall in love with Sam.  One of those people is Annie Reed (Meg Ryan).  She lives in Baltimore and is on her way to the family home of her fiancé, Walter (Bill Pullman), when she hears Sam on the radio.  Despite not being one to believe in signs or magic where love is concerned, Annie finds herself captivated by Sam as he talks about how he knew his wife was the one.

                After the show, Annie cannot get Sam off her mind.  She feels the need to reach out to Sam and writes him a letter.  Once the letter is written, Annie feels ridiculous about contacting a complete stranger and decides not to send it after all.  Her friend Becky (Rosie O’Donnell), however, sends the letter secretly, and that is when everything really starts to happen.

                Tons of women around the country have the same idea as Annie and soon Sam is bombarded with letters.  He does not feel love should work this way and completely ignores them.  Jonah, on the other hand, keeps opening the letters they receive.  He immediately likes Annie’s and wants to go with her suggestion of meeting at the top of the Empire State Building on Valentine’s Day.  Since Sam will not act, Jonah and his friend Jessica (Gaby Hoffmann) write to Annie posing as Sam.

                When Annie receives the kids’ letter she disregards it, after some confusion.  Until this point she had not known Becky had sent the letter Annie wrote.  Becky comes clean and encourages Annie to follow through with Sam, but Annie will not be deterred.  She’d already gone to Seattle in an effort to meet Sam only to find him hugging someone she thought was his girlfriend.  For Annie it is time to end all the foolishness and once again concentrate on her relationship with Walter.   

                In the meantime, Jonah keeps pushing Sam to go to New York for Valentine’s Day.  Sam refuses and they get into an argument as Sam is packing to go away with his new girlfriend.  When Sam goes to say good-bye to Jonah, he discovers Jonah to be missing.  Not having any idea where Jonah could have gone, Sam asks Jessica and she reveals Jonah went to New York on his own.  Sam grabs the next available flight and goes to New York to find his son.  As he does this, Annie is in New York with Walter.  Even though she decided to put Sam behind her, Annie cannot get him off her mind.  The question becomes: what is she going to do about it? 

                I watched this movie a lot when it first came out on VHS (yes, VHS), but I have not watched it in years.  It is interesting to see how my feelings with it have changed through time.  Now, probably due to age, I see things differently.  I more clearly see the chemistry between Sam and Annie.  The lingering looks and small gestures between the two have more meaning than they did before.  I can also see how good of a man Walter is.  He could have put up a fight when Annie told him about Sam, but instead he let her go for her own happiness.  There are a lot of men who would not do that, but to Walter it was for more important for Annie to be happy than for them to be together.  These are things that while I probably noticed when I was younger, I don’t know if I truly realized their importance. 

                After watching Sleepless in Seattle again I can see why it is on TCM. It is not just because of its age, although I suspect that is a factor. The real reason is because the story is timeless. No matter what era the storyline is put in, it will work. It is about two people finding each other despite the odds. How chance encounters, whether through the radio or in person, can mean everything. The slightest thing can change a person’s life and bring the one they are meant to be with to them. This is what happened in Sleepless in Seattle and that is what makes it a classic.