Synopsis

In the small New England town of Loblolly-by-the-Sea, bookseller Helen MacFarquhar discovers an unsigned love letter and assumes it was meant for her. As the letter passes through the community, several people mistake it for a personal message from a secret admirer. Helen becomes caught between a youthful romance, unresolved feelings for an old friend, and the letter's surprising true history.

Factoids & Trivia

• The film is based on Cathleen Schine's novel of the same name, with the screenplay adapted by Maria Maggenti.

• Although the story takes place in the fictional Massachusetts town of Loblolly-by-the-Sea, filming took place in Rockport, Massachusetts.

• The production used the film's central prop as a publicity stunt, mailing copies of the anonymous love letter to film critics. Some recipients initially believed they had received genuine personal correspondence.

• The movie was released in the United States on May 21, 1999, directly opposite Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace. It opened in fifth place with approximately $2.6 million from 769 theaters.

• The film's original score was composed by Luis Enriquez Bacalov, an Oscar-winning composer whose other notable work included Il Postino.

• The film was Kate Capshaw's final feature-film appearance before she retired from acting in 2001.

• The story's romantic confusion is built around the idea that an anonymous message can give ordinary people permission to act on feelings they normally suppress.

• The production was the first American studio film for its Hong Kong-born filmmaker, who had previously become known for romantic comedies and dramas made in Hong Kong.