Synopsis

While jogging along a North Carolina beach, Chicago researcher Theresa Osborne discovers a heartfelt letter sealed inside a bottle. Determined to find its author, she traces the message to Garrett Blake, a widowed boatbuilder living in coastal Maine. Their growing romance is complicated by Garrett's unresolved grief, Theresa's past, and the enduring presence of the woman he lost.

Factoids & Trivia

• The film is based on Nicholas Sparks' 1998 novel of the same name and became the first of Sparks' novels to receive a feature-film adaptation.

• Although the story is set around North Carolina's Outer Banks, production took place primarily in Maine, with additional filming in Wilmington, North Carolina, and Chicago. Principal photography ran from April 13 through July 28, 1998.

• Popham Beach in Phippsburg, Maine, supplied the beach setting. The production did not film at the Outer Banks.

• Tangier Island, Virginia, was initially considered as a filming location. The town council rejected the production after objecting to elements of the script, including drinking, profanity, and sex.

• The soundtrack combines contemporary songs with Gabriel Yared's orchestral score. Clannad contributed "What Will I Do," while Laura Pausini performed "One More Time," written by Richard Marx, over the closing credits.

• Warner Bros. released the film in the United States on February 12, 1999. It opened at No. 1 and ultimately earned nearly $119 million worldwide, despite receiving generally mixed reviews from critics.