Released Year: 1980Directed by Jeannot Szwarc
Casted by:
Christopher Reeve as Richard Collier
Jane Seymour as Elise McKenna
Christopher Plummer as William Fawcett Robinson
Story:The film begins in May 1972, when Richard Collier, a college theater student, is celebrating the debut of a play he has written. During the celebration he is approached by an elderly woman who places a pocket watch in his hand while pleading with him to "come back" to her. Richard does not recognize the woman who returns to her own residence afterwards. Eight years later, Richard is a successful 28-year old playwright, but he has recently broken up with his girlfriend and is struggling with writer's block. Feeling stressed from writing his play, he decides to take a break and travels to the Grand Hotel. While looking at a display on the hotel's history, Richard becomes entranced by a photo of a beautiful woman. With the assistance of Arthur Biehl, an old bellhop who's been at the hotel since 1910, Richard discovers that the woman is Elise McKenna, a famous early 20th-century stage actress.
Upon digging deeper, he learns that she was the aged woman who gave him the pocket watch eight years earlier, but who subsequently died later that same evening. Traveling to McKenna's home he discovers a music box she had made in the shape of the Grand Hotel which plays his favorite song. He also discovers among her effects a book on time travel written by an old college professor of his and learns that McKenna read the book several times. Richard becomes obsessed with the idea of travelling back to 1912 and meeting Elise McKenna, with whom he has fallen in love.
Visiting his old college professor Richard learns that the man believes that he himself time traveled once through the power of self suggestion. To accomplish this feat of self-hypnosis, one must remove from sight all things that are related to the current time and trick the mind into believing that they are in the past. He is also warned that such a process would leave one very weak, perhaps dangerously so. Richard buys an early 20th century suit and some vintage money, cuts his hair and, dressing himself in the suit, removes all modern objects from his hotel room and attempts to will himself into the year 1912 using tape-recorded suggestions, only to fail for lack of real conviction. However, while searching the hotel's attic, Richard finds an old guest book from 1912 with his signature in it, and realizes that he will eventually succeed.
Richard again hypnotizes himself (with the tape recorder hidden under the bed) and allows his absolute faith in his eventual success to become the tipping point or trigger for the journey back through time. He drifts off to sleep and awakens to the sound of whinnying horses in the year 1912. Richard looks all over the hotel for Elise, even meeting Arthur as a little boy, but he has no luck finding her. Finally, he stumbles upon Elise walking by a tree near the lake. She seems to swoon slightly at the sight of him, but then suddenly asks him if he's the one. McKenna's manager, William Fawcett Robinson, abruptly intervenes and sends Richard away. Richard stubbornly continues to pursue Elise until she finally agrees to accompany him on a stroll through the surrounding idyllic landscape. Richard ultimately asks why Elise wondered aloud if he was "the one" and she replies that Robinson somehow knows that she will meet a man one day who will change her life forever. Richard then shows Elise the same pocket watch which she will give him 60 years in the future.
Upon returning to the hotel, Elise invites Richard to her play. He attends the comedic-farce and she, in an almost trance-like state, recites an impromptu monologue dedicated to him. During intermission he finds her posing formally for a photograph. Upon spotting Richard, Elise breaks into a radiant smile and veritably glows with soft affection. Just then the camera's flash goes off and forever captures that wondrous moment in time. We realize now that this picture is the same one that Richard will see 68 years later on a wall near the lobby at the Grand Hotel. He later receives a letter from Robinson asking to meet him immediately and saying that it is a matter of life and death. Robinson tricks Richard and has him tied up and thrown into the stables. Later, Robinson tells Elise that Richard has left her and isn't the one, but she replies that she doesn't believe him and he's wrong. Elise admits to Robinson that she loves Richard and that he will make her very happy. Dispirited, Robinson leaves her dressing room and reminds her that they leave within the hour.
Richard wakes up the next morning and escapes his constraints. He runs to Elise's room and finds that her party has left. He goes out to the hotel's porch and becomes despondent. Soon he hears Elise calling his name and running towards him. They return to his room together and make love. The next morning they agree to marry. Elise tells him that the first thing she will do for him is buy him a new suit. (The suit Richard has been wearing the entire time in 1912 is about ten to fifteen years out of style). Richard begins to show her how practical the suit is because of its many pockets. He is alarmed when he reaches into one and finds a shiny new Lincoln penny with a mint date of 1979. Seeing an item from his real present wrenches him out of his hypnotically-induced time trip, and Richard feels himself rushing backwards from 1912, with Elise screaming his name in horror as he is pulled inexorably back to 1980.
Richard then wakes up in the same room he just left, now 68 years later. He is drenched in sweat and very weak, apparently exhausted from his trip through time and back. He scrambles desperately back to his own room and tries to hypnotize himself again, without success. Heartbroken and after wandering around the hotel property and sitting interminably at the places where he spent time with Elise, he eventually retires to his room and remains there unmoving for days until discovered by Arthur, who calls for a doctor. Richard then sees himself drifting above his body, and is drawn to a light shining through the nearby window (most likely heaven). There, he is reunited with Elise.
Upon digging deeper, he learns that she was the aged woman who gave him the pocket watch eight years earlier, but who subsequently died later that same evening. Traveling to McKenna's home he discovers a music box she had made in the shape of the Grand Hotel which plays his favorite song. He also discovers among her effects a book on time travel written by an old college professor of his and learns that McKenna read the book several times. Richard becomes obsessed with the idea of travelling back to 1912 and meeting Elise McKenna, with whom he has fallen in love.
Visiting his old college professor Richard learns that the man believes that he himself time traveled once through the power of self suggestion. To accomplish this feat of self-hypnosis, one must remove from sight all things that are related to the current time and trick the mind into believing that they are in the past. He is also warned that such a process would leave one very weak, perhaps dangerously so. Richard buys an early 20th century suit and some vintage money, cuts his hair and, dressing himself in the suit, removes all modern objects from his hotel room and attempts to will himself into the year 1912 using tape-recorded suggestions, only to fail for lack of real conviction. However, while searching the hotel's attic, Richard finds an old guest book from 1912 with his signature in it, and realizes that he will eventually succeed.
Richard again hypnotizes himself (with the tape recorder hidden under the bed) and allows his absolute faith in his eventual success to become the tipping point or trigger for the journey back through time. He drifts off to sleep and awakens to the sound of whinnying horses in the year 1912. Richard looks all over the hotel for Elise, even meeting Arthur as a little boy, but he has no luck finding her. Finally, he stumbles upon Elise walking by a tree near the lake. She seems to swoon slightly at the sight of him, but then suddenly asks him if he's the one. McKenna's manager, William Fawcett Robinson, abruptly intervenes and sends Richard away. Richard stubbornly continues to pursue Elise until she finally agrees to accompany him on a stroll through the surrounding idyllic landscape. Richard ultimately asks why Elise wondered aloud if he was "the one" and she replies that Robinson somehow knows that she will meet a man one day who will change her life forever. Richard then shows Elise the same pocket watch which she will give him 60 years in the future.
Upon returning to the hotel, Elise invites Richard to her play. He attends the comedic-farce and she, in an almost trance-like state, recites an impromptu monologue dedicated to him. During intermission he finds her posing formally for a photograph. Upon spotting Richard, Elise breaks into a radiant smile and veritably glows with soft affection. Just then the camera's flash goes off and forever captures that wondrous moment in time. We realize now that this picture is the same one that Richard will see 68 years later on a wall near the lobby at the Grand Hotel. He later receives a letter from Robinson asking to meet him immediately and saying that it is a matter of life and death. Robinson tricks Richard and has him tied up and thrown into the stables. Later, Robinson tells Elise that Richard has left her and isn't the one, but she replies that she doesn't believe him and he's wrong. Elise admits to Robinson that she loves Richard and that he will make her very happy. Dispirited, Robinson leaves her dressing room and reminds her that they leave within the hour.
Richard wakes up the next morning and escapes his constraints. He runs to Elise's room and finds that her party has left. He goes out to the hotel's porch and becomes despondent. Soon he hears Elise calling his name and running towards him. They return to his room together and make love. The next morning they agree to marry. Elise tells him that the first thing she will do for him is buy him a new suit. (The suit Richard has been wearing the entire time in 1912 is about ten to fifteen years out of style). Richard begins to show her how practical the suit is because of its many pockets. He is alarmed when he reaches into one and finds a shiny new Lincoln penny with a mint date of 1979. Seeing an item from his real present wrenches him out of his hypnotically-induced time trip, and Richard feels himself rushing backwards from 1912, with Elise screaming his name in horror as he is pulled inexorably back to 1980.
Richard then wakes up in the same room he just left, now 68 years later. He is drenched in sweat and very weak, apparently exhausted from his trip through time and back. He scrambles desperately back to his own room and tries to hypnotize himself again, without success. Heartbroken and after wandering around the hotel property and sitting interminably at the places where he spent time with Elise, he eventually retires to his room and remains there unmoving for days until discovered by Arthur, who calls for a doctor. Richard then sees himself drifting above his body, and is drawn to a light shining through the nearby window (most likely heaven). There, he is reunited with Elise.
L² Scored: 8/10L² Comment:
Well, how should i say this? A marvelous romance film which base on Richard Matheson's novel "Bid Time Return". Though the whole film is not that long but it definitely touch my heart. Seriously, this might be the most romantic movie of that period.
Christopher Reeve is so good looking with his dazing green eyes. The ex superman who has paralyze after falling from the horse back. It was really pity for him, or else he will be continue to strike in this acting career if he's well. Jane Seymour in another hand is so breath taking. So flawless and beautiful.
I feel so sad in the part when Richard back to him own time and never ever able to see Elise again in his lifetime. Shh~ it did tear me a little.
A romance movie that we should never miss in our lifetime.
Christopher Reeve is so good looking with his dazing green eyes. The ex superman who has paralyze after falling from the horse back. It was really pity for him, or else he will be continue to strike in this acting career if he's well. Jane Seymour in another hand is so breath taking. So flawless and beautiful.
I feel so sad in the part when Richard back to him own time and never ever able to see Elise again in his lifetime. Shh~ it did tear me a little.
A romance movie that we should never miss in our lifetime.
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