Somewhere in Time (1980)

A Chicago playwright uses self-hypnosis to travel back in time and meet the actress whose vintage portrait hangs in a grand hotel.

Director:

Jeannot Szwarc

Writers:

Richard Matheson (screenplay), Richard Matheson (novel)

Stars:

Christopher Reeve, Jane Seymour, Christopher Plummer

Nominated for 1 Oscar. Another 7 wins & 3 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Christopher Reeve	...	Richard Collier
Jane Seymour	...	Elise McKenna
Christopher Plummer	...	William Fawcett Robinson
Teresa Wright	...	Laura Roberts
Bill Erwin	...	Arthur Biehl
George Voskovec	...	Dr. Gerald Finney
Susan French	...	Older Elise
John Alvin	...	Arthur's Father
Eddra Gale	...	Genevieve
Audrey Bennett	...	Richard's Date
William H. Macy	...	Critic (as W.H. Macy)
Laurence Coven	...	Critic
Susan Bugg	...	Penelope
Christy Michaels	...	Beverly
Ali Marie Matheson	...	Student (as Ali Matheson)

Storyline

Young writer Richard Collier is met on the opening night of his first play by an old lady who begs him to "Come back to me". Mystified, he tries to find out about her, and learns that she is a famous stage actress from the early 1900s, Elise McKenna. Becoming more and more obsessed with her, he manages, by self hypnosis, to travel back in time where he meets her. They fall in love, a matching that is not appreciated by her manager. Can their love outlast the immense problems caused by their "time" difference? And can Richard remain in a time that is not his?

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Plot Keywords:

love across time | time travel romance | time travel | love | hotel | 

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Taglines:

He sacrificed life in the present... to find love in the past.

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Genres:

Drama | Fantasy | Romance

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Certificate:

PG

Details

Official Sites:

Official site

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

3 October 1980 (USA)

Also Known As:

Bid Time Return

Filming Locations:

Grand Hotel, 1 Grand Ave, Mackinac Island, Michigan, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$5,100,000 (estimated)

Gross USA:

$9,709,597

Company Credits

Production Co:

Rastar Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

103 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The professor in the movie is named "Finney". The book's author Richard Matheson gave this character the name in tribute to Jack Finney, the science fiction writer. It is (controversially) said that Matheson stole or borrowed his idea for "Bid Time Return" - the book's title, published in 1975 - from Finney's book "Time and Again", published in 1970.

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Goofs

When Richard is about to cross the street carrying the box of clothing, the camera wobbles just at the end of the tracking movement, suggesting the operator hit the end of the track just slightly too hard.

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Quotes

[first lines]
[various snippets in crowd chatter]
Richard Collier: I got some news. There was an agent in the house tonight, and he said he thinks this play might be good enough for Broadway.
[cheers from crowd]
Richard Collier: Fingers crossed, who knows? Come on, let's all have some cake.

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Alternate Versions

The new 20th anniversary edition DVD and video have been digitally remastered for better clarity, and include a new documentary on the making of "Somewhere In Time" (60 minutes on DVD, 30 minutes on video) featuring current interviews with the cast and crew, as well as a running commentary from director Jeannot Szwarc. They also include new, never-before-released stills from the film, and a documentary on the fan organization INSITE: The Int'l Network of Somewhere In Time Enthusiasts (rare for a studio to acknowledge).

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Connections

Featured in Back to 'Somewhere in Time' (2000)

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Soundtracks

You Made Me Love You
(uncredited)
Written by James V. Monaco and Joseph McCarthy
Performed by Jane Seymour

User Reviews

Sublime !

A perfect "Mobius strip" of plotting... try explaining what happens, and you find yourself intriguingly embroiled in explaining a plot that encircles itself. Not many people "get" this aspect of the movie, but it's what makes it work. Cinematic perfection! Let it challenge you ... and let it therefore make you think about the multi-level parameters of love, and longing, and yearning, and loss. Mr. Reeve and Miss Seymour are perfect as the star-crossed lovers; they bring to the screen an innocence and a beauty sorely lacing in today's "in your face" sexual manifestos. I can watch this over over and over, and cry each time-- it is that moving 1