The Lost Valentine (2011)
This Hallmark Hall of Fame movie is such a tearjerker, my entire family watched it and were actively trying to hold back our sniffles, embarrassed to be the first one to break down. By the end, we were all mopping our eyes with Kleenexes and not caring about our pride. With a beautifully romantic story, great attention to detail on the time period, and a fantastic performance from Betty White, The Lost Valentine could have easily made it to the big screen. It’s one of the best.
Betty stars as an octogenarian whose husband was reported MIA in 1944. Every Valentine's Day, their anniversary, for the past sixty years, she has waited at the train station for him to come home. It’s so tragic, and yet shows a great testament to Betty’s loyalty, devotion, and belief in true love. Some audience members might think she threw her entire life away waiting for her husband to return, but when journalist Jennifer Love Hewitt gets assigned to make a television special out of her story, she learns more about Betty’s very full life. She raised a son, helped during the war effort, became a teacher, and volunteered at the local veteran’s hospital for decades. She didn’t wither away and wallow in self-pity. She just loved her husband and let love and hope carry her through her life.
We see some tender and sweet flashback sequences where young Betty is played by Meghann Fahy, and her husband is Billy Magnussen (Rapunzel’s prince in Into the Woods for those who think he looks familiar). There’s so much attention to detail about the war era, with vintage clothes, authentic hairdos, and accurate lifestyle depictions. Nothing irks me more than inaccurate historical depictions, but this one is wonderful. Tire drives, victory gardens, and old-world trivia like a non-24-hour news cycle will all please history buffs. Another great attention to detail is the casting of Meghann as young Betty. There is a definite resemblance, and she has such a sweet old-fashioned chemistry with Billy, you can really imagine Betty has grown old waiting for Billy.
As it might be too depressing for Hallmark to have the one and only romance featured in a flashback, Jennifer is also given a love interest in the form of Betty’s grandson, Sean Faris. Their story isn’t nearly as interesting, but it doesn’t ruin the movie. It’s more like parsley, with Betty, Meghann, and Billy providing the perfectly cooked, delicious steak on the plate. If you missed this movie when it originally aired, buy an extra box of Kleenex and rent it. It’s very moving.
More Jennifer Love Hewitt movies here!
Betty stars as an octogenarian whose husband was reported MIA in 1944. Every Valentine's Day, their anniversary, for the past sixty years, she has waited at the train station for him to come home. It’s so tragic, and yet shows a great testament to Betty’s loyalty, devotion, and belief in true love. Some audience members might think she threw her entire life away waiting for her husband to return, but when journalist Jennifer Love Hewitt gets assigned to make a television special out of her story, she learns more about Betty’s very full life. She raised a son, helped during the war effort, became a teacher, and volunteered at the local veteran’s hospital for decades. She didn’t wither away and wallow in self-pity. She just loved her husband and let love and hope carry her through her life.
We see some tender and sweet flashback sequences where young Betty is played by Meghann Fahy, and her husband is Billy Magnussen (Rapunzel’s prince in Into the Woods for those who think he looks familiar). There’s so much attention to detail about the war era, with vintage clothes, authentic hairdos, and accurate lifestyle depictions. Nothing irks me more than inaccurate historical depictions, but this one is wonderful. Tire drives, victory gardens, and old-world trivia like a non-24-hour news cycle will all please history buffs. Another great attention to detail is the casting of Meghann as young Betty. There is a definite resemblance, and she has such a sweet old-fashioned chemistry with Billy, you can really imagine Betty has grown old waiting for Billy.
As it might be too depressing for Hallmark to have the one and only romance featured in a flashback, Jennifer is also given a love interest in the form of Betty’s grandson, Sean Faris. Their story isn’t nearly as interesting, but it doesn’t ruin the movie. It’s more like parsley, with Betty, Meghann, and Billy providing the perfectly cooked, delicious steak on the plate. If you missed this movie when it originally aired, buy an extra box of Kleenex and rent it. It’s very moving.
More Jennifer Love Hewitt movies here!