Thursday, February 24, 2011

Somewhere in Time


Another time travel movie that didn't quite gel with me was "Somewhere in Time".

It's the story of 28 year old playwright Richard Collier (Christopher Reeve) who is strangely drawn to the portrait of young woman at the Grand Hotel. He learns that woman is a 1912 actress Elsie McKenna (Jane Seymour) and realizes that this woman was the same old lady that had given him a pocket watch way back in his graduation in 1972 and had requested him to go back to her. Go back - as in not only reuniting with her but literally going back in time - back to 1912.

Now for the aarrrrgh part - Collier through means of self-hypnosis wills himself back to 1912. In order for the suggestion to work - he has to ensure that all the objects he sees and the clothes he's dressed date back to 1912. Collier finds a Visitor's Book from 1912 with his signature in it and this convinces him that he can indeed time-travel.

Which he does. He finds Elsie McKenna and discovers that she is the love of his life and the feeling is mutual. However, he is abruptly yanked back to the present day when he unfortunately discovers a coin from 1979 in the pocket of his suit. The time-travel process has not only aged him but has weakened him tremendously.

The ending was also aaaargish - with a suggestion that Collier and McKenna are united in "heaven"????? after Collier dies heartbroken. And before you ask - why he could not go back in time again - that is obviously because his mind and body are too weak to do so. (Thank heaven for small mercies!!).

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