User reviews

So many favorite moments in this sweet film. Hard to believe it's almost 20 years old! Thanks to the great Jennifer and her co-star Campbell for giving us die-hard romantics a story we can truly fall in love with. Yes I recommend it. James Welch Henderson, Arkansas 3/22/2021

Ultimately the movie is about Soul Mates... two people fated to find each other life after life after life gone by... and how that simple tether binds them across time and space for eternity...

A definite tearjerker, the movie is not flawless, it will leave you with a few questions, mostly analytical questions concerning plot points, but I would still recommend the film, and if you enjoy movies like this, here are some others I would love to recommend.

1. The Fountain 2. Somewhere in Time 3. Frequency 4. It's A Wonderful Life 5. Upside Down 6. Time after Time 7. The Time Machine 8. The Triangle

It was amazing to turn to the Hallmark Channel for a break, and find the beginning of this movie. I said, oh boy, another Christopher Reeve "Somewhere in Time," - I'm not going to watch it, but it was such a pleasant break. A lovely, warm, romantic, sad, corny movie with great acting (David Dukes- War and Remembrance - was a marvelous pompous suitor). absolutely impossible plot, but heart warming, and when it ended, I was still bawling. I haven't figured out why. But Gettysburg, a hundred plus year old woman once a beautiful girl, the Civil War, a confused guy who invents computer games , was so oddball, that I loved it.. To escape into a fine fantasy romance, see this movie, and feel good about it. I rarely cry, but this simple little movie made for TV turned on my waterworks. Now, the garden is beautiful with iris, pansies and buckwheat mulch, and I'm back to the Kentucky Derby article which I hope will be heart warming for Giacomo and jockey Mike Smith. Watch this movie, and you'll do great things, too.

My wife and I were very tired, after a long day of work and coming home from dancing. We decided to have a quick look at the TV movie I taped, to see if it was worth keeping. What a surprise: it kept us awake late at night, in spite of our tiredness. A lovely movie!

There are a few annoying flaws. The music at the beginning was out-of-date and I don't know how the director let a few shoddy scenes slip by, but they were probably on a tight budget. These are mainly due a script that, while generally good, was too stilted in parts. However, considering this is a made4TV movie, it is exceptionally good.

So get your loved one, cuddle up, and have let some warmth into your hearts with this little gem.

I first saw The Love Letter on Hallmark Hall Of Fame in 1998. I found it to be the most fascinating love story I had ever seen. As much as I was impressed, I gave it little thought until recently when I ran across a copy of it at the library. I took it home and lost count of the number of times I played it. Each time, I found something new and experienced a different emotion. Maybe because of this story, I've become very interested in the Civil War and spend much time doing research on the subject. I had to get the video and I have.

Back to the story...Jennifer Jason Leigh and Campbell Scott are both great actors. They make you believe that they are the characters they portray. With them, you run the gamut of Scott's and Lizzie's emotions, the strongest being their love for each other. This romantic fantasy is one I would recommend to anyone who has the ability to remove themselves from this world and retreat to the fantasies of this story. They will never forget it. Watch it when there is no distractions.

"The Love Letter" was written by Jack Finney. If you are familiar with his classic time-travel novel "Time And Again", you will definitely love this TV version of his short-story "The Love Letter".

The leads are very competent. Campbell Scott, for those who don't know, is the son of the late George C. Scott...one of America's Greatest Actor's. Campbell has come into his own, and does very well. Jennifer Jason Leigh and Daphne Ashbrook are perfect as the female time-travel counterparts.

Remember: this IS a fantasy. But a beautifully constructed one at that. If you've ever wanted to reach back into the past for a long-lost love, this story will surely tug at your heart strings. And the ending is "just right" and very touching in its own way...there may not be a dry eye in the room when it's over with. And that's okay.

PS: Jack Finney also wrote one of the greatest Sci-Fi Thrillers of all-time: "The Invasion of the Body Snatchers". In addition, if you like "The Love Letter" and want more of the same, treat yourself to the above-mentioned "Time And Again" ! Time-Travel, Romance, Mystery, Fantasy...all wrapped-up in the full-blown novel that has become a true Cult Classic.

Read the blurb and hoped it would be better than Meg Ryan's Kate & Leopold. Thankfully it was brilliant, especially for a TV movie. Heartwarming romantic mush, which I love. The two lead actors are great, just wish the music was a bit better. It's no 'Somewhere in Time' but then few time travelling romantics films are. Definitely give this try, it won't disappoint.

I came across this title in the IMDb as I have so many others -- by accident. The concept intrigued me, so I browsed Amazon.com and was lucky enough to find a relatively inexpensive used copy.

I must admit, to begin, that I was a bit biased, in that I am a time-travel fanatic at heart. So, when a movie is themed as such, I am a sucker for it from the beginning. Though the actual traveling in this movie is mostly by way of a seemingly "magic" desk and an unusually efficient U.S. Mail service (Wouldn't that be nice?), it nevertheless fell within my realm of my fascination.

I won't recap the story, as the IMDb does a good job of that already. My only comments are of the quality of the movie. I was pleased with the movie overall. Myself being a 29 year old male, anyone who sees this movie will plainly tell you that I was not the demographic that they were aiming for. It is a love story and I found myself very drawn into it, even with it's implausible premise -- but, we must remember that this movie IS a "fantasy" and it should be viewed with that in mind. Those who are looking for a good sci-fi flick should look elsewhere, because science does into enter into the picture here. It is a human story about two people who are separated from each other by time. It is well acted, beautifully filmed and well worth a look if you can pick it up at your local library, video store or online somewhere.

I give it 9 out of 10. My only critiques would be Scotty's coma 'dreams' which left me scratching my head a bit and the ending -- but I won't spoil it for you. Watch, enjoy and you be the judge.

I love period films. Add the romantic angle and that's an added bonus! That's the reason I waited with great anticipation to see this movie whose title itself said it all. But I can't say I was enraptured by it. The plot was excellent - a love that literally transcends time and brings two made-for-each-other people together, indeed an excellent plot which has been dealt with in the past and with a better impact than what this movie delivered. This movie runs very much parallel to an episode of 'Twilight Zone'. In that episode the love story centered around a guy in the 20th century and a girl from the 17th century(during the Salem witch-hunts). Over there the mode of communication wasn't letters, but a more deeper, psychological, telepathic communication. That episode remains as one of the most memorable episodes of 'Twilight Zone' that I've ever seen and it delivers in half an hour what this movie sadly doesn't for all its duration.

The cast was good enough. Campbell Scott suits his role and so does Jennifer Jason Leigh. Maybe it was just that the director failed to really create that aura of love between a woman and a man who belong to two different centuries.. this plot could inspire a romance on the levels of 'Gone with the Wind', what with a war thrown in here too.. but no, it just doesn't. The end was too predictable and contrived. I can understand that the movie was adhering to a short story and the story in its written form might be really good, but as a movie it failed to make an impact. One another reason might be the fact that they couldn't evoke the past - the 19th century effectively. There didn't seem to be a transition between time periods; you could almost imagine a Porsche entering Elizabeth Whitcomb's porch. All said and done, watch this movie if you like romance but don't expect too much.

"The Love Letter" is a deeply touching, wonderful film. I love the story, first and foremost. It has been well written, and it is very believable, in the way that it is presented...in a fantasy type way. The director gets the most out of his actors, and in such a way that keeps you glued to the television. Miss Leigh and Mr. Campbell are Elizabeth and Scott...across time, in the present, in the past, wherever they are!

I think that the thing that I like most about this film is the Civil War time period, that Scotty's letters travel back to, and the fact that he and Elizabeth are so believable in their actions and reactions. The settings are beautiful, the costumes divine! I have seen this 8 times, and I never tire of it!

I am flabbergasted to see such good reviews for such a silly movie.

Don't get me wrong, I love a good romance as much as the next girl, however this movie was, in my opinion, devoid of any true romance.

First of all the male lead was utterly dull and emotionless and I battled to believe that he was truly in love. The actress that played Elizabeth was not much better, and thus the romance they were trying to portray just fell flat.

Secondly, the love story itself was very unsatisfying. The two leads knew barely anything about each other, and had never met, yet they were suddenly madly in love after exchanging a couple of letters. Their entire relationship was shallow and insipid and not once was I rooting for their love to conquer all.

Thirdly, this movie trivialized true love by making it seem as though it is only a feeling that descends upon us (we don't even need to know the person nor anything about them, but we can still be in 'true love' ). This is not 'true love' , but just wishful thinking.

I must point out that it was indeed a clean movie and that is why I will give it 6 stars.

I love romance movies. I'll spend boring weekends just popping them in the VCR. I love time travel romances and after watching SOMEWHERE IN TIME for the 10th time spent an entire weekend debating where "the watch" originated with my husband and friends. I happened to catch THE LOVE LETTER on cable one rainy afternoon and by the end of the movie I had gone through an entire box of Kleenex. The "romance" between Scotty and Lizzie was so touching. I did think that the poems Lizzie wrote were pretty sappy but we're talking about the 19th century here. Whenever you watch a time travel movie or read that type of book, you really have to learn to suspend disbelief, but the way this movie was handled it seemed so possible. That they could actually feel each others presence across time was so beautifully handled. The music was hauntingly beautiful as well. My only quibble with the whole story was if the time portal worked from the past to the present, why couldn't it work from the present to the past. I felt so sad that Lizzie had to live all those years without Scotty. All in all it's a great movie. I would, and have, recommended it to anyone who loves romance.

I rarely leave comments about movies on the IMDB, but after reading the comments from the Norway guy, I just had to respond; (Of course everyone is entitled to their opinion) But I feel this is a beautiful film, well acted and by far better than the short story by Jack Finney on which it is based. You need only to read 90% of the other comments to decide for yourself if this is worth seeing, but I have recommended it to many people and they all loved it....guys as well as girls. The first time I saw this it just blew me away, so please don't deny yourself the pleasure of a wallow in sentiment....see for yourself. Please email me if you watched this after reading my comments, I would love to hear your opinions....thanks, Tony.

J Henerson faced an interesting challenge - how to turn an atmospheric, introspective short story into a usable TV-length screenplay. To his credit, he managed it, though not without a certain loss of character. Jack Finney's tale was set in New York City - specifically Brooklyn as of the present day, and as of 1889, when it was a very different place indeed - a place of huge shade trees and wide sidewalks and large, gracious houses. The screenplay tossed all that overboard for a story set forty years before in a vaguely-defined New England locale represented entirely by the one house we see.

The other bad news was the casting: I can only assume that Jennifer Jason Leigh was both available and inexpensive, for nothing else could have recommended her. Nothing about the character suggests she is malnourished and consumptive, yet that is exactly how Miss Leigh appears - far too skinny for the times, wan and tired-looking. Ironically, the lovely Kali Rocha, who played her sister (yet who looks nothing remotely like her!) was far closer to the story's original description, and closer to the norm of 19th century femininity. (See "Gods and Generals.") Daphne Ashbrook, on the other hand, as the "woman of the 90s," looked and played the part perfectly - hard, clashing, angular and clueless. Her only false note was when she meekly departed from the leading man's life without seeking legal damages or showing any other shrewish, vindictive behavior - leaving him free to pursue a modern-day Jennifer Jason Leigh, sunken-eyed and anorexic, looking even more ill than she did before.

In all other ways, though, this was a workmanlike production; J Henerson did an excellent job of recreating 19th-century language, both written and spoken, and Dorothy Amos' 19th-century costumes were wonderfully done.

Nonetheless, given the choice of introductions, I would recommend Jack Finney's original story over this - it is beautifully written and leaves no loose ends hanging.

This is is a real tear-jerker, the type of show I thought I was immune to. Turns out I was more weepy than my wife throughout the whole movie. What a great story and the actors were superb. I found myself to be in love with Elizabeth Whitcomb and despising David Duke's (RIP)character. I truly felt sorry for Scott's fiance, however, and could empathize completely with her conclusion that Scott was perhaps a little bit nuts.

I rated this show a 9 (out of 10), downgrading only because the railroad train used was common around 1915, not 1863. Why couldn't they have used a 4-4-0 American locomotive and light weight wooden coaches typical of the Civil War era? Other than that minor glitch, the movie was exceptionally well done and will occupy a prominent place in my movie collection.

It's kind of a rainy day movie. Slow paced. I liked parts of it quite a bit and others seemed to drag. Loved the ending but probably not one I'll watch several times but still worth watching.

I gave this movie the highest rating for at the end there is two questions that the viewer is left to answer.....Why did these events happen and why to these two people..? The answers are there but you are left to find them.

An antique desk is purchased. Inside, in a secret compartment, is a letter written 100 years earlier. The letter is to a phantom man. The secret love created in the mind of a lonely girl. A young mans finds the letter and feels the pain the girl who wrote must have felt when waiting for a love that wasn't there.

A strange occult mother convinces her son to answer the letter and comes up with a scheme to do it. Thus begins a love affair where the participants are separated by 100 years in time.

The general outline of this movie might be a perfect prototype for the hopeless romance story. It is also what's wrong with the idea of soulmates. You see, I am not a fan of this kind of movie where another woman appears and throws a wrench into what is otherwise an existing happy relationship where the couple is about to get married. But I am a fan of stories that involve time travel of sorts in what fits the category of Fantasy.

There are several ridiculous things in the story. Lizzie is already rebelling against her father's wishes for her to marry the man who is available in her time period which is 1863. Leading up to the climax both she and Scott do absolutely stupid things at their own physical peril, not to mention the risk of being committed to an institution.

There is a nice twist about half way and actually at least one more really good one later on.

The acting is good as is the dialogue.

I said this movie is what's wrong with the theme of soulmates. It perpetuates the idea that if you aren't just floating in the clouds happy with your current partner, search for more. These stories tell you that you can fall in love in an instant and it could never happen that you might grow to have a love that is just as good or better over time with a partner where you both put in the work. But then that kind of love doesn't sell Hallmark style movies.

I was torn over a star rating. The movie is well done for the genre. 10 stars for execution. 1 star for theme.

I saw this movie on Hallmark with my daughter and until this day, it is our most favorite romantic movie. We saw him at least 3 or 4 times.It is about a man and a woman who are living in different centuries. The scene I like best is when they both go up the stairs and they feel on another, strange but so romantic. And when she goes to him when he is at war and she found him very much hurt, I needed a tissue. I can't wait to buy him on DVD. But in Belgium he is not yet available. Can someone tell me when he would be released in Belgium? I be the first the buy this movie. I like to read about the American History and The Civil War is one of my favorite theme's. Both actors: Campbell Scott and Jennifer Jason Leigh are very good in the movie. They really touched my heart. I hope I can see this movie again soon. I really hope they release him soon in my country.Many greetings Ria Mertens

This is a lovely movie -- the story is well-thought and although it seems tortuous, they pull it off nicely and make it entirely believable. I very much enjoy Leigh and Scott together. I've seen it several times already, and will continue to see it over and over.

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 ...

This Movie was recently screened on TV in Melbourne. We actually watched it as there was nothing else on that night. We were very well rewarded by a fine movie. A great story. Sensitively acted by both main actors. The storyline was not predictable, and kept us guessing how it would turn out. In all a wonderful experience.

It really says something when a TV station like the Hallmark station can fund a better, more emotional and memorable film than 99% of the tripe that passes for entertainment today in the movie theaters. This little movie has real heart and class. Please seek it out and watch it.

I loved the picture. Filmed on location in Virginia (not Massachusetts where it is supposed to take place), and even showcasing a wonderful re-enactment of the battle of Gettysburg, and a charming, believable cast, it just captivates you immediately and you are drawn into its time travel plot device without any problem. It's probably most similar to "Somewhere In Time" that way, which was also lovely to look at, and boasted those period locations and authentic dress.

Campbell Scott was superb as Scotty, who buys an antique desk complete with old love letters addressed to a "mystery man" from the 1860's. Jennifer Jason Leigh was lovely as Elizabeth Whitcomb, and you feel for her character all the way. When she stops on the stairs and reaches out for Scotty (more than 100 years away from her in distance in the future), I cried. It was so bittersweet.

Estelle Parsons was great as Scotty's mom, always nice to see her. She's such a natural actress. Daphne Ashbrook was also excellent as Scotty's fiancé, who unfortunately gets hurt as the growing relationship between Scotty and Elizabeth develops. She shows a real vulnerability here and doesn't behave revengefully. Wonderful.

If I would change anything I would have had the film end with the grave scene, and not with the girl and her dog, to do otherwise is to suggest that Scotty won't be as faithful to Elizabeth as she was to him.

10 out of 10.

Addition: And to the commentator janeellen, above, who was critical of my review, I would add that even if the story was trying to suggest reincarnation, it doesn't work, and it makes the story less poignant to insist on it. Just as with cloning, no one is EXACTLY the same person or being, or has EXACTLY the same SOUL. So for Scotty to go off at the end with the modern girl and her dog, a girl without the same 19th century sensibilities or soul as Elizabeth Whitcomb, is a disappointment.

Scotty should stay just as true to the memory of ELIZABETH through the years, as she remained true to him until her death. That would have been the PERFECT ending.