Character: Megan Dayton
Best Friend

Release Date: 4/7/00
Total Gross: $32,662,299
Opening Weekend: $7,820836
Director: Bonnie Hunt
Screenplay: Bonnie Hunt and Don Lake
Budget: 25 Million.
Studio: MGM

The 1997 working title was Distance calls.

Return to Me is Bonnie’s first film as a director and writer.

It is shot in Chicago, Bonnie’s home town and stars many of her friends from her Second City days (Don Lake,Holly Wortell, Tom Virtue, Dave Pasquesi, Tim O Malley, Chris Barnes) as well as family members.
You can see her Mom in the restaurant asking how Gracie is.
Her husband in the scene where David is yelling at the execs at the zoo. (he’s not the one with sugar on his face.
Her nephew Patrick is Danny the dog walker.
Her sister Carol is a nurse who is taking Grace’s blood pressure. She’s an actress in real life.
Her sister Mary is in the chapel when Carroll O Connor is praying.
Heaps of her nieces and nephews are running after David Allen Grier thinking he is Sammy Sosa.
He brother Tommy is an electrician with a beard, working with David. He’s an electrician in real life.
Her brother Kevin who is a doctor in real life plays a doctor.

It has been said that everyone on the set really respected each other and they had a great time. Every Friday night they would wrap early and they’d go to one of Bonnie’s favourite restaurants where Robbert Loggia would sing until 3am.

Every location was no more than 5 minutes from Bonnie’s house and she would either walk or ride her bike to work.

The film has been compared to You can’t take it with you.(I saw this film and It's not like it at all. The feeling of family is there though)

One of the key locations is O Reilleys which is really called Twin Anchors. This restaurant is special because Bonnie used to go there on dates with her now husband. They’d have their special booth. The restaurant is near Second City.

In the movie the kid’s names are real.

Reuland was Bonnie’s grandmother’s maiden name.

Bob was based on her father at a young age.

Jim’s character of Bonnie’s husband was based on her real life father and her husband.

Bonnie originally wrote the lead for herself. Personally I think she would have been perfect for it.

Take note at the end scene where Bonnie is dancing with Jim. She’s pregnant!

When promoting Return to Me Bonnie had some personal tragedy with her Father in Law passing away unexpectedly and her dog Lacey dying at home at LA. Bonnie was very strong and promoted the film wonderfully. Of note, Bonnie spent several months looking after Lacey who had cancer until he died.

The wrap party was held at Club Macanudo Mid July 1999 Saturday. 375 guests. Stayed until 2:15 am. Bonnie showed a gag reel of the bloopers and was apparently the life of the party.

Joey Gian sings two new songs for the movie and can be seen in the ball room scene.
Get the soundtrack if you want to hear more.
Bonnie produced 4 of the songs.
The songs on the soundtrack have significance to Bonnie.

This is what she says in the cd booklet:
"One of my fondest memories is from the summer after my sixth grade, when my father decided to build new kitchen cabinets. Every weekend my brothers, sisters and I would wake to the fresh scent of sawdust and the sweet sound of "The Jackie Gleason Orchestra"coming from the Hi-fi, accompanied - of course by my mother, who would sing the absent lyric as the did the dishes or laundry. Every now and again I play one of my Dad’s Jackie Gleason albums and I’m instantly transported back to the comfort of my childhood. Each of the songs selected on this CD hold a special memory for me, some old, some new. I hope they bring you some joy, some comfort and the association with a favourite memory. Enjoy!"

If you want to learn more, go to the articles page and read Bonnie’s interviews. Also check out the DVD. Bonnie and Don Lake give a fantastic commentary about the film.

Bonnie on Return to Me:
"Oh, I'm the best friend! Figure!...I wrote it, I'm directing it, I auditioned for the lead and I did great! And [the studio execs] all, uh, taped up their ribs and laughed hysterically. I am now the best friend...Well, that's the way it goes. I'm like the before picture. I've already decided that I know that."
Tom Snyder Interview

On Chicago:
The city is a great character in itself, and it’s very believable that these neighborhoods and that sense of community and friendship exist there, because it does.
4/7/00

On what made her choose Caroll O Connor:
I think it was the strong connection I felt with my father. He always loved watching Carroll O'Connor on "All in the Family." My dad passed away when I was 18 and over the years, whenever I would see Carroll on television, he brought back good memories. Of course, that's all a personal connection, but on the professional side, Carroll is a gifted actor that brings instant credibility to the character of Marty. When we were writing the script, Don Lake and I kept picturing Carroll saying Marty's lines. It was a dream come true when Carroll said he would do the picture. And it's his first picture in 25 years.
checkout.com chat

I just went into it with the idea that a movie is forever. I’m not sure if I was conscious of it every minute, but I can see my Dad in the whole thing. And the rest of my family’s there too.
SanFrancisco Chronicle April 2 2000.

It’s all about the most romantic times in your life, and you know you can’t compete with that newness. And after you fall in love, after that, the work begins, if you’re going to stay together for a lifetime. In the movie we get to see David and Joely and their husband and wife love. We see my and Jim’s love, which is the reality of a long term marriage. And the boys (Carrol O Connor, Robert Logia etc) who’ve had a long and respectful friendship all their lives.
April 7th 2000 Scripps Howard News Service.

On the role of Megan.
I had to audition four times for myself. I wasn’t even returning my own calls!
4/7/00

Movie Quotes:

Megan: Grace has Bob's dead wife's heart!

(Doing a magazine quiz)
Megan: "What do you expect most from a relationship? A: Companionship. B: Sex. C: Repsect." I'd have to go with B: Sex. But let's mark "C" so we get a higher score.

Megan: You'll get a new heart and before you know it, you'll be back in your garden, you'll be painting... you'll be getting asked out by fantastic men.
Grace: I'm getting a new heart, not a new ass.

Megan: I'm just saying, for safety, don't shave your legs, because then you definitely won't let it go too far.
Grace: Megan, it's a first date.
Megan: I married a first date. I'm sure you plan on being level-headed, but once you're in the moment, the male brain seems, I don't know, everything they say suddenly seems brilliant. Hairy legs are your only link to reality.
Grace: You should needlepoint that on a pillow.
Megan: Hey, all I know is that it kept me a virgin until... well, whenever.

Caroll O Connor to Minnie’s character Grace: It’s the character with strength that God gives the most challenges.
(this quote was originally from Bonnie’s Dad, Bob Hunt)

Streets Return To Me shot in:
People living in the Old Town neighborhood in Chicago got letters in their mailbox about where the movie would be shooting. Friday June 11th from 6:30AM to 7PM, all around the neighborhood.

The following streets were used:

Menomonee from Sedgwick to Lincoln Park West

Orleans from Menomonee 1/2 block north

Sedgwick from Wisconsin to Willow

Orleans from Willow to Eugenie

North Park from Menomonee south 1/2 block

Scenes of Return to Me were also shot at:

Lincoln Park Zoo, Oak Park, Buckingham Fountain in Grant Park and Twin Anchors restaurant.

Return to Me Premiere Photos