Too often, movies are remade by Hollywood and the result is terribly predictable and offers nothing over the original. That being said, sometimes a remake is different enough or corrects flaws in the original film...and perhaps "Love Affair" is one of these remakes....perhaps. It's based on the famous 1937 film with Charles Boyer as well as its 1957 remake with Cary Grant and Deborah Kerr ("An Affair to Remember"). Oddly, the 50s film is more popular...mostly, I assume, because it was talked about so much in "Sleepless in Seattle". But, despite this, the '37 film is clearly the better version. But what about this 1994 film?
The plot is pretty much the same as other versions, though the setting is quite different. In this version, Mike and Terry (Warren Beatty and Annette Benning) are on a flight across the Pacific when the plane crash lands on a VERY isolated island in the Cook Islands. The pair are engaged to others but soon fall for each other. The plan is, if they STILL want to make a go of it, is to meet weeks later at the Empire State Building. And, if either doesn't show, it means they've decided to marry their respective fiancés and go on with their lives. Of course, complications arise when Terry is hit by a car on the way to their rendezvous.
To me, the main way this film differs from other version is the energy level. It just seems slower and the acting more restrained than other versions. This doesn't mean it's bad...just different in this way. But the basic story is the same and for me, it's very good BUT pretty much unnecessary to watch if you've seen the other films. Not bad at all...just nothing special. I do think it's a bit better than the 1957 film (which was glossy but a bit dull) but simply lacks the originality and wonderfulness of the first film.
The plot is pretty much the same as other versions, though the setting is quite different. In this version, Mike and Terry (Warren Beatty and Annette Benning) are on a flight across the Pacific when the plane crash lands on a VERY isolated island in the Cook Islands. The pair are engaged to others but soon fall for each other. The plan is, if they STILL want to make a go of it, is to meet weeks later at the Empire State Building. And, if either doesn't show, it means they've decided to marry their respective fiancés and go on with their lives. Of course, complications arise when Terry is hit by a car on the way to their rendezvous.
To me, the main way this film differs from other version is the energy level. It just seems slower and the acting more restrained than other versions. This doesn't mean it's bad...just different in this way. But the basic story is the same and for me, it's very good BUT pretty much unnecessary to watch if you've seen the other films. Not bad at all...just nothing special. I do think it's a bit better than the 1957 film (which was glossy but a bit dull) but simply lacks the originality and wonderfulness of the first film.