The Lost Valentine

I had always thought of Betty White as a comedienne, and an excellent one. But it turns out that she can also do drama, and here she delivers an Emmy-worthy performance. Clearly the World War II era and the story of the Greatest Generation still has a hold on the American psyche, and this story captures that. It's about an American World War II widow named Caroline Thomas, whose veteran husband has been missing since 1943 and is presumed dead, yet she goes to the train station where she last saw him in hopes of welcoming him home. Her story catches the attention of a television docudrama network and they assign crack reporter Jennifer Love Hewitt to cover it. She initially dismisses the assignment, but quickly becomes attached to both the story and to Caroline and her family, especially her handsome grandson Lucas (Sean Faris). However, the story delivers some surprises. The ending, while perhaps far-fetched, is surprising and moving. There are a few unexpected twists to the story and a few which are no surprise at all. Yet even the obvious points don't matter. The entire cast delivers credible performances, but White truly commands the story. The moment when White's character finally tells her husband goodbye is an example of filmmaking at its best. This show is a credit to everyone involved.

I have never cried and smiled so much during a movie before! Juxtaposition right? Well, this movie made me cry like a little baby. I kid you not, I went through the tissue box. The story line is good, the actors are amazing. The whole thing was so believable and Betty White.. Ohhhh Betty White... I am speechless. I wanted to go and hug her. I literally just finished watching it and my eyes are all red and watery, but I can't get over how good it was! Honestly, one of the best movies I've seen. Hallmark almost never ceases to disappoint. Most Hallmark movies, though, are very light and fluffy, and your typical rom-coms with happily ever afters, but this one goes the extra mile. It's happy, it's sad. It's the real deal.

I also loved the message is sent out throughout and at the end, with the rose (which is not a spoiler at all). The ending seemed a bit scripted, but it was good. It's already 2 AM. I told myself I'd finish the movie tomorrow, but I couldn't stop watching! If I left it for tomorrow, I'm sure I wouldn't be able to sleep tonight and would be analyzing the different outcomes of the movie.

Sean Farris and Jennifer Love Hewitt :: loved it! Absolutely wonderful! The cast was chosen so well, I don't think they could've done a better job with it!

Altogether, I give this a 10/10 because it truly exceeded my expectations and made me laugh, and cry, and love, and hate. Stories like this make you believe in everlasting love. It does exist. And after watching this movie, I hope to someday find it.

After several months of sitting in my DVR, I finally decided to watch this "Hallmark Hall of Fame" movie that stars Jennifer Love Hewitt and Betty White. Ms. White is Caroline Thomas, an elderly woman who-despite her Navy husband declared missing since World War II-still waits for him to return at the Union Station after about 60 years. Ms. Hewitt plays a reporter named Susan Allison assigned to cover her story. I'll stop there and just say how excellent Ms. White is in her performance. It's probably because of her that I found myself crying several times during the film. Ms. Hewitt, who's also an executive producer, isn't too bad on her end though sometimes I think her character can get a little annoying. Still, she holds her own when she's with Ms. White. I also loved the actors that played Caroline as a young woman and her husband Neil. And Sean Faris is okay as Ms. White's grandson and potential love interest for Ms. Hewitt. And dig the vintage music from the likes of The Ink Spots, The Mills Brothers, and Louis Armstrong! All in all, a nearly excellent picture presented by the producers of "Hallmark Hall of Fame". So on that note, I highly recommend The Lost Valentine. P.S. Was interested enough to watch the Hallmark commercials-both classic and current-spread throughout especially the one from 1967.

I saw The Lost Valentine a few months ago on you tube it was the kind of movie that pulls at the heartstrings and makes you believe that when it comes to true love anything is possible. Betty White is a fantastic woman and actress having seen her comedic performance as Rose Nylund on The Golden Girls and other television shows as well as films.

This is a movie that touched my heart not just because of it's content but also due to the wonderful performances of it's talented cast featuring Jennifer Love Hewitt, Sean Faris, Bill Magnussen & Meghann Fahy. There were a few scenes that brought tears to my eyes such as when White's character learns the tale about her husband's fate and when his body is brought back home and given a proper service, seeing her finally get to say goodbye was emotional.

On Valentine's Day 1944, it's Neil Thomas's (Magnussen's) first wedding anniversary and his pregnant wife Caroline (Fahy) has gone to the train station to say farewell as he goes to fight in World War II. He makes a promise that he might not be able to keep and that is he'll return home safe by the next anniversary, 66 years later a now elderly Caroline (White) accompanied by her grandson Lucas (Faris) has come to the train station every year on valentine's day in the hopes that she will finally welcome her husband home.

The story is brought to cynical reporter Susan Allison (Hewitt) who at first refers to it as a fluff piece rather than the true tale that it is, she apologizes and the interview begins. As it progresses Caroline talks about how she & Neil met, to their wedding day and the house they fixed up that she still resides in and how for all these years she's been unable to get any information from the navy about her husband. Also Susan & Lucas appear to be falling for each other, as the film gets close to it's conclusion she hears about what Neil sacrificed in order for others to live and with help from Susan's ex boyfriend Andrew(Chase) they locate a Filipino man named Morang (Zano) who via teleconference tells the truth about what happened to Lieutenant Thomas he was killed by a Japanese sniper and then buried. Seeing her reaction to the news was heartbreaking, I mean her love for him was what kept her going all those years and never did she give up hope that somehow he would return.

The final scene shows Caroline dancing in her garden reminiscing about happy times she shared with Neil and a vision of him appears with his arms around her while they dance. The Lost Valentine is a wonderful story not just for 2011 but for all times and anyone who believes in true love.

On Valentine's Day 2010, Caroline Thomas visits Union Station for the 65th time, hoping her husband Neil will return. The friendly conductor says she's been on time every year for the 25 years he has worked there.

Susan is a reporter for the TV news magazine "American Diary", and she is tired of stories that she does not consider meaningful. Still, she gets sent to do an interview with Caroline, which she considers more of the same. She's about to find out this is the best story she has ever done, and one of her show's best stories as well.

Andrew, whose job involves lots of travel, proposes to Susan in front of their friends, but Susan rejects him because the proposal was not romantic enough--and not done in private. Andrew goes off on his latest trip.

Susan and her crew meet Caroline, who is reluctant to do an interview at first. Caroline is persuaded when Susan claims to know her grandson Lucas, a physical therapist who she met once. Lucas helps talk his grandmother into doing the interview, and it becomes clear that Lucas may be a better match for Susan than Andrew.

Through flashbacks narrated by Caroline, we learn that Caroline and Neil met but did not have a relationship at first, but then they became reacquainted after Neil became a Navy pilot in World War II. At the time, Neil was not part of the fighting, and he and Caroline married and moved into a rundown house which they fixed up (and they must have done a good job because Caroline still lives there). Then, after Caroline was already pregnant, Neil decided he had to join the war. In one of the first flashbacks we see Neil getting on the train and Caroline handing him a handmade heart--a very emotional scene. One wonders if this couple will ever be able to separate.

During the war, Caroline receives numerous letters from Neil, but she occasionally sees the Western Union man delivering bad news to her neighbors. And then one day it's her turn.

But missing does not mean dead. Susan and Caroline become good friends, and Susan has become quite fond of Lucas as he has helped her with back problems. And she really wants to find the conclusion to the story. There are clues as to what may have happened to Neil to keep him from coming back.

Meanwhile, though Susan and Andrew are not getting along, Andrew has connections in the Phillipines, where Neil was last seen. The investigation uncovers a wonderful story, which is well-done, though I shouldn't give away too many details.

The final scenes prove a worthy tribute to our men (and women) in uniform, especially those who made the ultimate sacrifice.

Betty White gives the best performance of all, and I expect to hear about her when Emmy nominations are announced. Although she is best known for comedy, she delivers a full range of emotion, sometimes demonstrating her comic abilities but also achieving fine results with drama. Yes, there is heartbreak, but it's not all bad.

Jennifer Love Hewitt does a good job here, though I have to say her scenes with Andrew seemed more like a Canadian Lifetime TV-movie than a Hallmark Hall of Fame. She and Sean Faris have much more appeal, and even give us some laughs in a movie that really needs them.

Billy Magnussen and Meghann Fahy both do a good job as the leading cast members from World War II. They too have a couple of scenes with some laughs, but they mostly deliver real drama.

I really liked the World War II music in the flashbacks. Mostly, though, these scenes had the pleasant orchestra music that seems almost boring by comparison to the high-energy jazz from wartime.

It was a perfect story for Valentine's Day, even if it aired two weeks early.