The Love Letter

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.

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

What a story! A love that transcends time. If you are a romantic you are in for a treat when you watch this film.

Campbell Scott and Jennifer Jason Leigh play two people who fall in love by corresponding with one another. This would not be totally unheard of except that she is living during the civil war period and his is living in the present day. He buys an antique desk which belonged to her and finds a letter hidden in one of its secret compartments. The letter was written for no one to read - she is merely venting about her life (she is unmarried, 28, and expected to wed a man she does not love). Magically they start writing each other and gradually fall in love.

To tell you anymore would be giving away some major plot lines. Just be prepared for the last five minutes and make sure you have plenty of kleenex on hand. I guarantee you are going to need them!!

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 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.