Sleepless in Seattle

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.

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.