Always (1989)

Always is a 1989 American romantic fantasy film directed and produced by Steven Spielberg. It is a remake of the 1943 romantic drama A Guy Named Joe, which was set during World War II. The main departure from the 1943 film is changing the setting from wartime to a modern aerial firefighting operation. However, it follows the same basic plot line: the spirit of a recently dead expert pilot mentors a newer pilot, while watching him fall in love with the girlfriend he left behind. The names of the four principal characters of the earlier film are all the same, except the Ted Randall character, who is called Ted Baker in the remake, and Pete's last name is Sandich instead of Sandidge. The film stars Richard Dreyfuss, Holly Hunter, John Goodman, Brad Johnson, and Audrey Hepburn in her final film role before her death in 1993. Always was released in the United States by Universal Pictures on December 22, 1989, and received mixed reviews. The film was a mild success, earning $74 million worldwide on the budget of $31 million.