FOR ALL TIME

US, 2000, 85 minutes, Colour.
Mark Harmon, Mary Mc Donald, Katherine Hicks, Bill Cobbs.
Directed by Stephen Schachter.

For All Time is based on a Rod Serling episode from Twilight Zone, A Stop at Willoughby. It has been reworked for the millennium and the beginning of the 21st century. It is directed by Stephen Schachter, who has had a career for over twenty years in making television movies including Door to Door, Above Suspicion. He often works with William H. Macy.

This is a rather more gentle time travel film. Mark Harmon works in an advertising agency, is dissatisfied with his job, wants to withdraw from the high pressures and the rat-race. Catherine Hicks is his busy wife. In preparing an agency campaign he draws a picture of a woman from the 19th century. When he buys an antique watch from antique storekeeper, Bill Cobbs, he finds that in his travelling home in the train, he stops at a village and the setting is 1896. He meets the proprietor of the local paper and her daughter, becomes involved with the work of the paper, introducing cartoons into papers, falling in love. He has to make a final decision – and, of course, returns to the 19th century.

The film is reminiscent in tone of the rather romantic Somewhere in Time with Christopher Reeve and Jane Seymour. It is gently paced – and should satisfy an audience looking for light romantic entertainment.

1. The impact of the film? Romance? The rat-race of the 21st century? The nostalgia for a quieter time? The possibility of time travel – and returning in time?

2. St Louis and the busyness of the 21st century? Advertising agencies? Commuter trains and passengers? Busy home life? Spouses not being able to communicate with each other? The hustle and bustle – and the desire to withdraw from this?

3. The contrast with Summerville in the 19th century? The steam train, the station, the people, horses and buggies, the Gazette, the old printing press, typesetting? Homes, restaurants? The countryside, the river? A different world? The musical score?

4. The title, the indication of time travel? The suggestion that time is open-ended, that people can move about in time? The logic of this? The reality?

5. Mark Harmon as Charles Lattimer? Age, fifteen years of marriage to Kristen, his artwork and drawing, his working in the advertising agency, his friendship with Al? The tensions at home? Kristen and her being busy? The advertising campaigns, the 19th century style? His wanting to opt out? Going to see the doctor, his dreams? His buying the watch, the friendship with the proprietor? Finding him as the conductor on the train? The possibility of getting off at Summerville, his seeing the 19th century outside the window? His not doing it, returning home? His final decision to get off?

6. Charles in Summerville? His meeting Mary, checking the paper for the date, meeting Laura, the printing press? The discussions, the cartoon? Having lunch with her and her family? In the horse and buggy? Her mother’s criticisms? His going away? Seeing the cartoon in the resources in the library? His return, helping with the typesetting, going to the restaurant for dinner? His talk, the knowledge of the 20th and 21st centuries? Laura and her response? The feminism? The time together, missing the train? His saying he should go? The attraction, falling in the river, the discussions? His going back to Kristen?

7. Kristen, her character, love for Charles, her career, busyness? Not being able to listen – or not being able to respond? Her acknowledging the breakdown of the marriage? Charles and his feeling free? The discussions with Al? Going to the presentation, the 19th century style, its acceptance? His resignation?

8. The discussions with the conductor, his finally getting off the train? The importance of the book – his showing Kristen the photo? The news of Laura’s death? Discussions with Al? His going back, warning the people in the park, the explosion? The photo in the book – and the happy ending?

9. Al and Kristen together, their son, his research on journalism?

10. A satisfying imaginative time travel story – and the touch of romance?