Jeff Bridges' heartwarming story will make you fall in love with film cameras again

Jeff Bridges holds up his "prized possession", two photographs of his wife from the moment they met
(Image credit: Oprah Winfrey Network)

Many of us keep small mementos from the early days of a relationship, but very few of us are lucky enough to have photographic evidence of the moment we met our significant others. 

A clip of American actor Jeff Bridges, 74, has recently resurfaced on Instagram where he talks about the moment he met his now wife while working on a film almost 40 years ago – which incredibly was caught on camera by a member of the crew. 

While working in Montana on the film Rancho Deluxe in the mid-Seventies, a young Bridges already had two decades of acting under his belt. 

So, it's safe to say he knew what he was doing on the set, but off it, was a very different story.   

"We're sitting there doing this scene," says Bridges in the full clip, which you can see below, "and I can't help looking at this gorgeous, I didn't know if she was a guest at the hotel or a waitress, but I just couldn't take my eyes off her."

After getting the guts to ask out this mystery woman, Bridges reveals that he was swiftly rebuffed. 

"It's a small town," she replied, "Maybe I'll see you around."

180301357 Jeff Bridges Receives Photo Of Small Town Waitress Rejecting - YouTube 180301357 Jeff Bridges Receives Photo Of Small Town Waitress Rejecting - YouTube
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ABOVE: Watch the original interview, from the Oprah Winfrey Network

A few nights later, the two met again.

"We danced, and that was about it, man. I mean, I was head over heels, the first time I saw her you know."

He then reveals that after he and his wife had been married for about ten years, he received a letter from "the makeup man" on Rancho Deluxe.

The crewman revealed that he found a couple of photographs of Bridges "asking a local girl out" while he was going through some old documents. 

"And then out of this envelope falls these two pictures of the first words I ever spoke to my wife. I have them in my pocket, they're my prized possession."

Bridges then shows two small photographs to the camera, one of both him and his now-wife Sue, and one of her alone.

Despite the cost-effectiveness, efficiency and convenience of digital photography, in recent years many people have either gone back to film or discovered it for the first time.

The magical nostalgia that film photography evokes is one of the reasons it has found its second wind. Finding an old photo from years ago in a box in the attic, or like Bridges being sent some from an old friend, is a strong way to reconnect with the past. 

It's no wonder companies are jumping back on the bandwagon with cameras like the Pentax 17.

Recapture the magic and take a look at the best film cameras out there right now. Browse the best 35mm film to use, and don't forget the best instant cameras to capture those analog moments instantly.

Leonie Helm
Staff Writer

After graduating from Cardiff University with an Master's Degree in Journalism, Media and Communications Leonie developed a love of photography after taking a year out to travel around the world. 

While visiting countries such as Mongolia, Kazakhstan, Bangladesh and Ukraine with her trusty Nikon, Leonie learned how to capture the beauty of these inspiring places, and her photography has accompanied her various freelance travel features. 

As well as travel photography Leonie also has a passion for wildlife photography both in the UK and abroad. 

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