"The Lost Valentine" - SPOILER ALERT

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Happy 100th Birthday to the late great Betty White!

Betty White was an iconic American actress who passed away unexpectedly on December 31, 2021, just weeks before she would have turned 100. In her honor, today I watched my first ever Betty White movie. It first aired on the Hallmark Channel in January 2011 and is in the Hallmark Hall of Fame. I am not sure how much of it is true, but it is based on a true story.

This happens to be the third consecutive movie I'm reviewing that involved flashbacks, the first two being "Little Women" and  "Eternals". In "The Lost Valentine", Betty White plays an elderly woman who got married young and never loved another man. The movie opens in present day as she is waiting at the train station hoping her lost love would come home. She faithfully goes there every Valentine's Day. 

They were married for one year before her husband went off to fight in the war. Just before he went off to war, Caroline (Betty White's character in present day) got pregnant. In the nick of time, as Caroline's husband, Neil, is riding off on the train, she is able to hand him a special note - a Valentine. Throughout his time at war, Caroline never gave up hope. Even when she received word that he was missing, she believed missing still meant he could be alive.

In present day, Jennifer Love Hewitt plays Susan, a reporter who finds out about Caroline and wants to do a story about her experience. They are able to connect because Caroline's (Hallmark handsome) grandson, Lucas, shares the story at the station where Susan works.

Of course, this wouldn't be a Hallmark movie without a budding romance between two young characters. Susan is in a relationship with someone else, but not a happy one. They eventually end their relationship, which leaves the door open for Susan and Lucas to act on their feelings. They predictably end up together in the end. However, before Susan's now former boyfriend leaves the scene, he helps Susan locate someone who knew Caroline's husband.

Through the magic of technology, Caroline is eventually able to chat face to face with the man who knew her husband. He explains how kind Neil was and that sadly he passed away. However, Neil's friend knew where Neil was buried and they were able to bring his body home. His body is brought to the same train station where Caroline had been waiting for him every Valentine's Day for all those years.

Close to the end of the movie, Caroline and Lucas are working in her garden (of the house Caroline and Neil renovated themselves when they got married all those years ago). Lucas is about get rid of a rose bush that appears to be completely dead. Caroline insists that they nurture it to see if something will grow. Lucas reluctantly obliges and eventually roses do grow there. It was so beautiful and symbolic.  

When Neil's body was recovered, the Valentine that Caroline gave him all those years ago was also recovered. Close to the end of the movie, Caroline ends up with the Valentine she had given to her husband.

I love how this movie is circular. Caroline ends up with the Valentine she gave to Lucas just before he went off to war, his body is brought back to the train station where Caroline had been waiting for him every Valentine's day, and even the young couple, Susan and Lucas, symbolize new life beginning.

Although I wasn't crazy about Susan and Lucas in the beginning of the movie and I found their budding romance distracting, I ended up really liking them being together and I realized it was a necessary part of the movie. In the beginning, Susan seemed more concerned about covering the story than about Caroline's feelings and Lucas seemed arrogant towards Susan. I found them annoying. I guess it was supposed to be that way so we could see how they changed. 

The true star, however, in this movie clearly is Betty White. Her talent is undeniable. I surprisingly found myself in tears during the latter part of the movie. Everyone wants a happy ending, but sometimes life has other plans. We learn to cope, live our lives to the fullest, and move on the best way we know how to. This movie had a bittersweet ending, but isn't that how life really is? It was more realistic than most Hallmark movies are and I found that refreshing. (Don't get me wrong, though; I also love a truly happy ending.)

I cannot think of a better way to honor Betty White's talent. May she rest in peace knowing she graced this world in every way possible.