"Time after Time," from 1980, stars Malcolm McDowell, Mary Steenburgen, and David Warner, and is directed by Nicholas Meyer.
In this story, the author of "The Time Machine," H.G. Wells, lives in England, has invented the time machine, and shows it to guests visiting, among them, Dr. John Stevenson, who has arrived late. Wells then admits that he hasn't gone on a trip to the past or future because he hasn't gotten his nerve up yet.
Moments later, the police arrive, and it's revealed that Dr. Stevenson is really Jack the Ripper and has just killed someone. Searching the house, they can't find him, nor did anyone see him leave. Wells realizes that Stevenson took his time machine. The machine has a key in it that causes it to return to its starting point. Wells can see that he traveled to 1979. So he sets the dial.
He winds up in San Francisco, smack in the middle of an H.G. Wells exhibit, which is modeling his time machine. He sets out to find Stevenson; after changing some money, he realizes the doctor did the same and goes searching for the bank that changed it.
At the bank, he meets Amy Robbins. They fall in love. But Wells is there to do a job.
This is a great story, very tense, suspenseful, and exciting as Wells seeks out Stevenson and tries to keep him from killing again and also to get the key away from him - the key that will return the machine to its starting point.
In one scene, he faces off with the doctor at his hotel, and Wells points out that "neither of us belongs here." Stevenson turns on the TV and starts zapping the remote. There are hostages being killed in Israel, tanks moving through the desert, an assassination of a mayor -- "I'm home," Stevenson announces. He feels he's found a place and time where he fits.
Malcolm McDowell, young and cute here, does an excellent job as the brilliant and earnest Wells, and Steenburgen is lovely as a feminist who falls for him. They have great chemistry; they did fall in love during this film and married. McDowell's career didn't take off as it should have, due to some personal problems, and he wound up playing bad guys in low-budget films and on television. As can be seen here, that's a shame. However, he is in constant demand. Warner makes an attractive villain.
A delightful movie, a charming cast, that will keep you entertained and absorbed. Highly recommended.
