he third Duke of Albany is a late 19th-century Viscount named Leopold (Hugh Jackman), who gets trapped in an energy field and is accidentally transported one hundred and some odd years into the future. Stranded in present day New York, he meets Kate Mckay (Meg Ryan), a 21st-century executive trying to make her way in the corporate world. While Leopold awaits his return to 1867, Kate gives him a tour of contemporary Manhattan.

  Spending much time together Kate and Leopold inevitably fall for each other and Leopold must now decide whether he really wants to return to his own time.

  This Miramax production has been in development for six years. In 1997, the script, written by Steven Rogers, was tabled because there was no one to play Leopold. Sandra Bullock was originally supposed to be cast as Kate and Hugh Grant was a potential prospect for the Viscount. However, when Grant rejected the piece, the script was put aside and Bullock went on to do Miss Congeniality.

  Three years later, Ryan and Jackman signed on to do the piece and the script was revived, rewritten, and put into production.

  This is Ryan's return to the romantic comedy role, a character type that people seem to label her with. "I've accepted I'm never going to be in control of my image,"
actors
Meg Ryan
Hugh Jackman
Natasha Lyonne
Liev Schreiber
Philip Bosco
Bradley Whitford
Breckin Meyer

director
James Mangold

locations
New York
outtake
Meg Ryan apparently felt guilty that
co-star Hugh Jackman had to work late on his wedding anniversary, while she had the night off, so she took his wife, actress Deborra-Lee
Furness, out for a fancy dinner.

Ryan said.   "Okay, let my image be what it is. That's part of the job."

  Ryan has tried experimenting with other genres such as drama and suspense. However, her lovable expressions and cutesy mannerisms always seem to bring her back to being the object of affection.

  Director James Mangold, who has done such films as Copland and Girl, Interrupted, tackles his first romantic comedy. Mangold comments that since the movie involved shooting so many scenes in the highly populated locales of New York, it was hard to avoid reporters. "Because Girl, Interrupted was mostly shot in a studio, I didn't have the problem of reporters trying to barge in on the set," says Mangold. "However, when you're shooting at the Commune restaurant or Hanover Square, it's hard to keep the press under control."

  The director managed to wrap up shooting ahead of schedule thanks to the professionalism of his two stars. "It was a privilege to work with Meg and Hugh."

- Dave Lim