April 21, 1995
While You Were Sleeping is a 1995 American romantic comedy film directed by Jon Turteltaub and written by Daniel G. Sullivan and Fredric Lebow. It stars Sandra Bullock as Lucy, a Chicago Transit Authority token collector, and Bill Pullman as Jack, the brother of a man whose life she saves, along with Peter Gallagher as Peter, the man who is saved, Peter Boyle and Glynis Johns as members of Peter's family, and Jack Warden as a longtime family friend and neighbor.
The film was a critical and commercial success, grossing over $182 million worldwide. Bullock and Pullman received praise for their performances. Bullock also garnered a nomination for the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Motion Picture Comedy or Musical.
Storyline
Fare token collector Lucy Eleanor Moderatz works for the Chicago Transit Authority, stationed at the Randolph/Wabash station. She is secretly infatuated with commuter Peter Callaghan, though they are strangers. On Christmas Day, Lucy rescues Peter from the Chicago "L" train after muggers push him onto the tracks. She accompanies the comatose Peter to the hospital, where a nurse overhears her mumbling, "I was gonna marry him." Misinterpreting, she tells everyone that Lucy is his fiancée.
As the family has not heard from Peter in a while, the engagement is a surprise. Lucy becomes too involved in the situation to reveal the truth. She remains silent due to embarrassment, loneliness, and the heart condition of Peter's grandmother Elsie. While visiting Peter, Lucy confesses her predicament to him, unaware that his godfather Saul overhears her. When he confronts her, she confesses that she feels alone, as her mother died when she was very young and her father died the year before. He keeps her secret, as the accident has brought the family closer and he knows that Lucy is not being malicious.
Captivated by the quirky Callaghans and their unconditional love, Lucy spends a belated Christmas with them, where she meets Peter's younger brother Jack, who is supposed to take over his father's furniture business, though he wants to start his own business. Lucy and Jack start spending time together. Their relationship comes to a momentary standstill when Jack, due to a misunderstanding, announces her "pregnancy" during her friend's New Year's Eve party.
Meanwhile, Peter's actual girlfriend Ashley accepts his proposal on his answering machine. She leaves follow-up messages about his non-responsiveness, saying that she is back in town and wants to see him.
After New Year's Eve, Peter wakes up. He does not recognize Lucy, so the doctor deduces he has amnesia. Lucy attempts to tell the Callaghans the truth, but they presume that she is saying that she is not actually pregnant and brush it off. Saul intercepts Lucy, saying that he will explain the news to them. When Jack drives Lucy home, she thanks him for his kindness and friendship. He finally tells his father that he would rather make furniture than take over the business. He understands.
Saul tells Peter that he is a putz for how he treats women and that Lucy is special. Lucy and Peter begin spending time together. Meanwhile, Ashley discovers from Peter's doorman that he is now engaged and in the hospital. Ashley confronts Peter, insisting that they are engaged, but he reminds her that they broke up after she rejected his proposal. He declares that he is a changed man and is marrying Lucy now.
Lucy discovers that Saul never told the Callaghans anything and returns to the hospital to tell Peter herself. He mentions how much he cares for her, proposes "again" and she accepts, despite now being in love with Jack. When Jack visits Lucy the day before the wedding, she asks if he can give her a reason not to marry Peter. He disappoints her, saying that he cannot.
On the day of the wedding, just as the ceremony begins, Lucy blurts out, "I object", and Jack agrees. She finally confesses everything, telling the family that she not only fell in love with all of them, but that she loves Jack. Ashley arrives and demands that the wedding be stopped. Ashley's husband also arrives, objecting. As everyone argues, Lucy slips out unnoticed.
Some time later, while Lucy is at work, Jack places an engagement ring in her booth's token tray. He proposes to her in the booth, with most of the Callaghans watching. Lucy and Jack marry and then take a CTA train for their honeymoon. He fulfills her dream of going to Florence, Italy. Peter asks when she fell in love with Jack, and she replies, "It was while you were sleeping."
Sound Effects Used
- Hollywoodedge, Metal Creaks Machine FS015801
- Hollywoodedge, Metal Creaks Machine FS015802
- Hollywoodedge, Train Exterior Persp PE064701