ABC ORIGINALS: LOVE LETTERS (TV)
Summary
This made-for-television production is about a U.S. senator's reflection on his enduring, star-crossed relationship -- much of it conducted via letters -- with an artistic friend who becomes his lover. The program begins with Senator Andrew Ladd returning to Washington from a funeral for his "soul mate" Melissa Gardner Cobb. Andrew's staff members can tell that he is not all right as he blows off the day's meetings and goes home. In his study, Andrew looks at a box of Melissa's letters that he received at the funeral. Melissa appears in his mind and he imagines them discussing how they saved each letter ever written to the other. Andrew digs out her first letter to him, inviting him to her seventh birthday party. They reminisce, flashing back to grammar school when Melissa first enrolled in Andy's second grade class. The kids become fast friends and start corresponding regularly during summer vacations. After Melissa gets sent to a much-despised convent school, she hopes Andrew will come save her. Andrew meanwhile gets sent to an elite all-boys boarding school. The correspondence continues as the two enter their teenage years. One day at a New Year's dance, they catch up in person and continue their flirtations. There, Andrew asks Melissa to go steady with him but she refuses. Melissa ends up flirting with fellow student Bob Bertrem, raising Andrew's ire. Melissa reveals that she is going to live with her father in California. Melissa even smooches Bob at midnight, while a hurt Andrew has to kiss pal Gretchen Lescelles. Later, Andrew visits Melissa en route to the airport and they spat. Melissa tells Andrew that he is just a friend to her. While in California, Melissa doesn't answer Andrew's letters for six months. Melissa is caught drinking gin in the woods and is thrown out of school. She wonders if she should go to art school in Italy, an idea that Andrew does not support. Soon, Melissa is at another academy, wondering if Andrew is still dating Gretchen, which he says he isn't. He reveals that he will be working at a camp that summer and won't be coming home. Melissa is tired of writing letters, wanting to actually see Andrew. Later, Gretchen writes a letter to Andrew, telling how Melissa drunkenly behaved at a summer party he was unable to attend. Andrew is upset at Melissa's "disgusting" behavior, a reaction which she says hurt her deeply. Later, Andrew hears that Melissa's grandmother has died and offers his sympathies. He also congratulates her on getting into Briarcliff College. Melissa discusses her artistic ambitions and congratulates Andrew on his scholarship to Yale. Andrew invites Melissa to the Harvard/Yale game and she arrives in her grandmother's red Mustang. Immediately, they are kissing and storing their luggage at a seedy hotel. Later they head to a keg party, where U-Mass Amherst student Darwin Cobb tries to lure Melissa from Andrew. Afterward, the drunken Melissa and Andrew try to make love for the first time, which proves unsuccessful. Melissa theorizes that what messed them up is that they know each other more from letters than from real life. Melissa thinks they will get to know each other better if they talk on the phone more often. Andrew prefers the permanence of letters though. Thus, Melissa ends up accepting a date with Darwin, particularly since he'll accommodate her wish to communicate via telephone. Eventually, Andrew gets a postcard from Florence, where Melissa now resides and paints. Their correspondence continues as Melissa's art career flourishes while Andrew goes from summa cum laude at Yale to Harvard Law School. However, Andrew decides to skip law school to fight in the war, infuriating Melissa. Soon, Andrew is writing Melissa letters from Saigon about his military duties. There, Andrew finally learns the limitations of letters while penning standard condolence missives. Melissa hears a rumor that Andrew has hooked up with a Vietnamese bar girl, then a Cambodian concubine. Soon, he isn't responding to her letters. Melissa reveals that she is jealous, even though she is continuing to date Darwin, who is now working on Wall Street. Melissa also hears that Andrew is set to marry "Madame Butterfly," while she says she will soon marry Darwin. Andrew doesn't attend Melissa's wedding and sends her a bowl as their relationship becomes distant. Melissa wonders why Andrew refuses to write about his "big romance." Finally, Andrew does, telling his old friend that the relationship is now over. Later, Melissa reveals that she has given birth to Darwin's daughter. Andrew hears that Melissa has had an art show near her home in suburban Connecticut. Melissa claims that she struggles to focus and congratulates Andrew on making law review. Melissa also hints that her marriage may be in trouble as she welcomes "baby number two." Andrew is soon writing from Washington, where he clerks for a Supreme Court justice. When Andrew's father dies, Melissa attends the funeral. There, Andrew reveals to Melissa that he plans on going into politics. Melissa also discusses how her marriage has simply became one of convenience, with Darwin embroiled in an affair. One afternoon, returning from Mexico, Melissa lunches with Andrew in Washington. Melissa asks Andrew if she and her daughters can move in with him. He reveals that he's been living with a woman named Jane. Soon, Andrew marries Jane and an increasingly soused Melissa refuses to attend the ceremony. Andrew reveals that he and Jane are moving to New York. Soon, Andrew is unable to track down Melissa, who he hears has started to have some "difficulties." One day Andrew visits the ailing Melissa in a sanitarium, where she admits having become too dependent on alcohol and having lost custody of her girls to Darwin. Andrew reveals that Jane is pregnant. Soon, Andrew and Melissa's correspondence continues as their life and careers become more wildly divergent. Andrew tells of the birth of his son and having become a law firm's partner. She relates her latest marriage, and divorce. He runs for Congress as his family expands with two more sons. Meanwhile, Melissa continues moving around the country, ultimately ending up in New York just as the Ladds move to the suburbs. Andrew gets elected to office while Melissa has an art show in Manhattan. Andrew wants to buy a painting but is unable to attend her show. Melissa reveals that she may be "dancing on the edge of an abyss." Later, Melissa receives a mimeographed family Christmas letter penned by Andrew, catching her up on his life. She's appalled at getting such a standard missive. Later, Andrew reveals that he may run for the Senate and soon he has made his latest goal a reality. One day, Andrew's campaign gets a large finance check, dropped off by Melissa. Andrew tracks her down on the street and she tries to avoid him. She is forced to fill him in on her life, including her relapse into alcoholism. Soon, Melissa is congratulating Andrew on his election victory while revealing that she is back in rehab. Melissa wonders how their lives have become so different, "the best and the worst." Soon, Melissa is better and working with clay, trying to get back to her "old feelings of the homeland." One day, Melissa has an art opening and a New York Times critic arrives. Surprisingly, so does Andrew, but he claims to have only five minutes to spare. He buys a plasticine kangaroo she made in tribute to him, based on one of their grade school sketches. He buys the sculpture and says he has to go. Then, the two begin to passionately kiss before Andrew blows off his duties and returns to Melissa's apartment. There, they move to the bedroom and finally consummate their love. However, Melissa is soon unable to get hold of Andrew again. He is upset when she contacts him via phone, noting that all calls are screened and logged at his office. He stresses that he wants to see her next time he is in New York. The two begin struggling to find a place to meet, as Andrew is unable to make the affair public lest his political career suffer. They meet secretly in a park one day, with Melissa complaining about how she wants to start seeing him for more than a few hours at a time. Melissa reveals that a reporter stopped her on the street recently. With the election coming up, Andrew reveals they will have to lie low. Melissa admits that she needs to be with him and that he's her "anchor." After not hearing from him for six weeks, Melissa wonders if Andrew is trying to tell her something. One day, after his election victory, Andrew pays a visit to Melissa at her apartment. He confirms her worst fears: that he can't see her anymore and that their relationship can only continue through letters. He says he must be loyal to his family and constituents. Eventually, Andrew sends Melissa another holiday greeting, angering her when she sees how staid his family looks in the accompanying photo. Melissa's reply references her being among "we who are about to die." A concerned Andrew wants to see Melissa again but she refuses to let him, stating that she has been hospitalized and that the drugs she's taking make her somewhat incoherent. She says she now hates life and feels that she's made a mess of everything. She wonders what might have happened if she and Andrew had become a couple long ago. Melissa insists that Andrew stay away, but he claims he is coming. When he arrives, he finds Melissa has died. Finally, Andrew writes a letter to Melissa's mother to discuss his "complicated" life with Melissa and the huge gap that now looms for him. Andrew claims he has never loved anyone in the way he loved Melissa, and that he'll never stop missing her. Upon thanking Melissa for having given his life a purpose, her figure disappears from his imagination. Includes commercials.
Details
- NETWORK: ABC
- DATE: April 12, 1999 9:00 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 1:58:36
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: T:57054
- GENRE: Drama
- SUBJECT HEADING: Drama; Romance; Letter-writing
- SERIES RUN: ABC - TV, 1999
- COMMERCIALS:
- TV - Commercials - Always maxi-pads
- TV - Commercials - Burger King restaurants
- TV - Commercials - Clairol hair color
- TV - Commercials - Crest toothbrushes
- TV - Commercials - Denny's restaurants
- TV - Commercials - Domino's pizza
- TV - Commercials - Education Excellence Partnership for Children First
- TV - Commercials - Excedrin pain relief
- TV - Commercials - Fanny Mae foundation credit information
- TV - Commercials - Ford automobiles
- TV - Commercials - Gardenburger veggie patties
- TV - Commercials - General Mills Honey Nut Cheerios cereal
- TV - Commercials - Guide Dog Foundation for the Blind, Inc.
- TV - Commercials - Honda automobiles
- TV - Commercials - Imitrex nasal spray
- TV - Commercials - Infiniti automobiles
- TV - Commercials - K-Mart stores
- TV - Commercials - KFC restaurants
- TV - Commercials - Lucky stores
- TV - Commercials - Maxwell House coffee
- TV - Commercials - Mazda automobiles
- TV - Commercials - McDonald's restaurants
- TV - Commercials - Office of National Drug Control Policy/Partnership for a Drug-Free America
- TV - Commercials - Pampers diapers
- TV - Commercials - Paul Mitchell hair care
- TV - Commercials - PetSmart stores
- TV - Commercials - Pop Secret popcorn
- TV - Commercials - Scott's grass seed
- TV - Commercials - Sears stores
- TV - Commercials - Sprint long-distance calling
- TV - Commercials - T.G.I. Friday's restaurants
- TV - Commercials - Target stores
- TV - Commercials - The Alliance for Youth/America's Promise
- TV - Commercials - Viactive calcium source
- TV - Commercials - Whirlpool washing machines
- TV - Commercials - Wrigley's Extra gum
- TV - Promos - "All My Children"
- TV - Promos - "Cleopatra"
- TV - Promos - "Copycat"
- TV - Promos - "David Blaine: MagicMan"
- TV - Promos - "Dharma & Greg"
- TV - Promos - "Double Platinum"
- TV - Promos - "Eyewitness News"
- TV - Promos - "Home Improvement"
- TV - Promos - "It's Like, You Know ..."
- TV - Promos - "NYPD Blue"
- TV - Promos - "Nightline"
- TV - Promos - "Politically Incorrect With Bill Maher"
- TV - Promos - "Spin City"
- TV - Promos - "Sports Night"
- TV - Promos - "Swing Vote"
- TV - Promos - "The Drew Carey Show"
- TV - Promos - "The Hughleys"
- TV - Promos - "The Norm Show"
- TV - Promos - "The Practice"
CREDITS
- Martin Starger … Executive Producer
- Leonard Goldberg … Executive Producer
- Howard Alston … Associate Producer
- Stanley Donen … Director
- A.R. Gurney … Writer, Based on his stage play
- Lee Holdridge … Music by
- Laura Linney … Cast, Melissa Gardner Cobb
- Steven Weber … Cast, Andrew Ladd
- Kirsten Storms … Cast, Teenaged Melissa
- Tim Redwine … Cast, Teenaged Andrew
- Isabella Fink … Cast, Melissa (Age 7)
- Stephen Joffe … Cast, Andy (Age 7)
- Chas Lawther … Cast, Harry
- Patrick Galligan … Cast, Charlie Jenkins
- Jackie Richardson … Cast, Ella
- Emily Hampshire … Cast, Gretchen Lescelles
- Eve Crawford … Cast, Miss Conroy
- Marcia Diamond … Cast, Kitty Walpole
- June Whitman … Cast, Mrs. Pommeroy
- Aaron Ashmore … Cast, Bob Bertrem