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Tuesday, January 19, 2010

Sleepless In Seattle, 1993

Are our lives shaped by destiny or do our wishes and dreams play themselves out in what appears to be chance?
"Sleepless In Seattle" plays with that question in a lighthearted way.
Set between Christmas and Valentines Day, the plot of Sleepless is inspired by that of "An Affair to Remember".
It is based on the idea that in the world there are people destined to be in each others lives. They are attuned to us and we to them. A mere touch of the hand can be enough to reveal them to us.

Sam is grieving for his dead wife and Annie is engaged to Walter, a man who, conveniently for the plot, lacks the magic touch, at least for Annie.
Destiny or a combination of chance and intention bring Annie and Sam together.
The theme of the radio show that first put Sam on Annie's radar was: "Wishes and Dreams". Seeing Annie in an airport by chance or destiny made Sam aware of Annie.

I like that in several places the movie acknowledges the dark side of destiny. When asked "What do they call that when everything intersects?" Sam answers: "The Bermuda Triangle".