The Love Letter (1998): cast, story & where to watch

Released in 1998, The Love Letter is a comedy, fantasy, drama and romance film directed by Dan Curtis, running about 98 minutes. “A letter from the past would change their future forever.” — that tagline sets the tone.

What it’s about. 20th century computer games designer Scott, Civil War buff, buys an antique desk from that era and, while polishing it, he discovers a secret compartment in which sits an unmailed letter--a letter written by a young poet named Lizzie over a century earlier. Touched by her yearning for passion, he writes her back, egged on by his mystically inclined mother. Magically, his letter reaches Lizzie and they begin a correspondence that threatens Scott's impending marriage but promises to bring fulfilment to Lizzie. Spanning the Civil War to the present, the perils of Lizzie's war-torn situation threaten her safe passage into the future. Will their love endure the test of time?

Who’s in it. The Love Letter stars Campbell Scott as Scotty Corrigan, Jennifer Jason Leigh as Lizzie Whitcomb, David Dukes as Everett Reagle and Estelle Parsons as Beatrice Corrigan, among others.

How it landed. With an audience score of 6.3/10, The Love Letter has drawn a solid, mixed-to-positive response.

Where to watch. In US you can stream it on fuboTV, Philo, YouTube TV and Hallmark+ Amazon Channel. See the full, country-by-country breakdown on our where to watch The Love Letter page.

If you liked it. Fans of The Love Letter tend to enjoy Forrest Gump, Parasite, Life Is Beautiful and Fight Club.