SOMEWHERE IN TIME

US, 1980, 104 minutes, Colour.
Christopher Reeve, Christopher Plummer, Jane Seymour, Teresa Wright, Bill Erwin, George Voskovec, Susan French.
Directed by Jeannot Szwarc.

Somewhere in Time is definitely not for those who live in a rush - but for devotees of the love story (with sentiment) a chance for indulging themselves. The film capitalises on Christopher Reeves' charm as the hero who time-travels - back to 1912 with its elegant Edwardian decor and costumes and Mackinac Island, with Michigan's Grand Hotel. Jane Seymour is very attractive as the reason for his travels. Christopher Plummer and Teresa Wright have supporting roles.

Time travel, despite the philosophical fallacies, is a most entertaining way of exercising imagination. Writer Richard Matheson has specialised in adaptations of Poe and Stoker as well as original horror stories. Here he relaxes nicely with love and tears. The film is based on his novel 'Bid Time Return'. He declares it is based on his experience of seeing a portrait of celebrated American stage actress Maude Adams who changed in her manner of acting in 1896. Matheson is inventive. His story can be compared with other time-travel films of the '70s and '80s especially Time After Time about H. G. Wells and Jack the Ripper. The Final Countdown with Kirk Douglas speculated on returning from the '80s to the battle of Pearl Harbor. The direction is by Jeannot Szware, a television director with cinema films as Jaws II.

1. The popularity of the love story and the romance? The romantic treatment? Sentiment and feeling? The love story in contemporary context? In the past? The present film a pleasing blend of both?

2. The importance of the atmosphere - colour photography of contemporary Chicago, Lake Mackinac and the beauty of the Grand Hotel? The transition to 1912 with its decor and costumes? The lake, the interiors of the hotel, the theatre? The importance of the pace - especially in the 1912 scenes? The romantic musical score? The use of Rachmaninov's "Rhapsody on a theme of Paganini".

3. The film as a star vehicle for Christopher Reeve? His popularity as Superman? His transition to this role? The gearing of the film to a feminine audience?

4. Themes of time and their popularity? The significance of the title? The original title of the novel? Time as an element for fantasy to enjoy itself, indulge itself? The reality and unreality of such time travel? Breaking through the limitations of the imagination? The devices the film used for returning to the past? Coming back to the present? The scientific discussions? The psychic ability to go back? The melodrama and swiftness of the return to the present? How well handled was this time travel?

5. The character of Richard: presenting his first play, enjoying its success? The mysterious encounter with Elise and her giving him the watch, her words? Their haunting him? Her invitation to come back to her? The transition to 1980? His successes? His running out of inspiration? His decision to go for a holiday? The introduction to Richard Collier as a character, audience identification with him, interest in the mystery of the old lady?

6. The atmosphere of the hotel, the film capturing its beauty? The encounter with Arthur and the seeming recognition? The ordinary life of the hotel and its bustle in 1980? The finding of the Hall of History? The finding of the photo, Richard's infatuation with the photo? The collage effect of showing him return, think about the photo, puzzle? Asking Arthur for the information? His pursuit of information - to the library, the importance of the visit to Miss Roberts, her initial hesitation, her explaining things? His having the watch? The visit to the scientist and the discussion about time travel? His information about going back? The long sequences of his various attempts? His success?

7. The initial impact of Elise - the old lady at the play, people standing back as she walked up, gave the watch, spoke? Her beauty in the photo? The audience sharing Richard's view of her? The information about her life and career? The mystery of her change in 1912? Her return home, the comments to Miss Roberts? The information about her death?

8. The humour of Richard's arrival in the past? His delight in returning? The humour of listening to the man and the woman arguing in the room? Wandering the hotel? Gazing at the people, the fascination of life in 1912? The humour of his registering and almost getting the wrong room? His out-of-date suit?

9. The intensity of his search for Elise, the various characters he Het, the theatre, the red-headed actress? Seeing her at the lake, the fascination, speaking to her, her mysterious reply? Robinson interrupting the encounter? His intense pursuit of her?

10. How persuasive was the screenplay in showing Richard and Elise falling in love? The encounter in the dining room, the dance, the discussion, his waking her in the early morning, the carriage ride, the shared experien~ ces, the outing by the lake? His return to her room? The change in Elise? Her explaining it to Robinson? The impact of the long personal speech during the first act of the play? The credibility of this speech and its communicating to the cinema audience the intensity of the change in her? Her disappointment at the end of the play with Richard's absence? The joy of finding him? The lovemaking? The possibility of building a life together? The suddenness of the finding of the coin and the loss of Richard?

11. The effect on Richard - romantic pining, not eating, wanting to join Elise? The atmosphere of death and the vision of joining her?

12. The character of Robinson - Christopher Plummer's style, an entrepreneur, producer, his power over Elise, following her, creating scenes in the dining room, his threats, his watching the play, his reaction after the play, his engaging the thugs to beat up Richard and tie him up? His wanting to take Elise away?

13. The dramatic effect of Richard's return? The regrets? Elise's long life and her change after his disappearance?

14. The romanticism of the ending and the vision of death?

15. The perennial popularity of the love story? The quality of this love story? The values it explored, the tone, feeling and sentiment?