Somewhere in time, is a magical movie. I don’t even mean that with any remote trace of irony, or cynicism at all. I really was enchanted by every viewing of this incredible film. The film, has a hypnotically comforting, tranquil and heartwarming quality to it
It tells the beautiful story of, Richard Collier, a young and famous screenwriter, who, meets a mysterious elderly woman, at a party and immediately falls for her at first sight. Later that night she dies in her sleep. From there driven only by a scientist’s brief guidence and the…”Power of Love” he sends himself back to the old woman’s youth to fall in love with her. Now, this may be a heavy pill to swallow, but, that’s the kind of thing one must do to properly enjoy this movie.
That isn’t a complaint about the movie either, it’s a REALLY great and original movie. However, it’s vital that you believe, in how much Christopher Reeve falls for this woman. That way, when he goes back in time, you know why he falls for her to truly become enchanted by the film. The biggest thing that you need to know, is that this is one of the most intimate and whimsical looks at love between two people and it COMPLETELY sells it.
Christopher Reeve and Jane Seymour have exceptional chemistry, that pops on the screen and Christopher Plumber plays a great third wheel, with questionable allegiance and morals. All in all, this is FAR more then just a lovey-dovey date night movie, especially given the novelist who wrote the book the film is based on. I am referring to Richard Matheson, the brilliant writer responsible for the best episodes of The Twilight Zone (Nightmare at 20,000 Feet, Little Girl Lost, Nick of Time and many others), I Am Legend (made into a movie of it’s own name as well as The Omega Man and The Last Man on Earth), and…Jaws 3D (nobody’s perfect). So, between John Barry (composer for most of the early Bond movies, Dances with Wolves and more)’s hauntingly beautiful score (that NEVER fails to bring tears to my eyes), an intoxicatingly charismatic love affair between Christopher Reeve and Jane Seymour, a great (well meaning) antagonist performance by Christopher Plummer and damn good writing, what’s not to love?