After his huge debut as the man of steel in 1978's "Superman", Christopher Reeve decided to play a romantic lead in his next feature, 1980's SOMEWHERE IN TIME.
An interesting, very old fashioned mix of science fiction, fantasy and romance, the film finds Chicago playwright Richard Collier (Reeve) celebrating opening night of his latest play when an elderly woman approaches him backstage, hands him a gold watch and says "Come back to me....."
Eight years later, Richard stumbles upon a picture of the woman, discovering she was a beautiful and famous actress names Elise McKenna in the early 1900's.
Richard Matheson (The Omega Man, I Am Legend) adapted his own novel for the screen and spins a tale that requires you to take rather large leaps of good faith.
As Collier (Reeve) realizes that he is in the same hotel property that Elise appeared at many years before, he wills himself back in time to meet her.
Elise is played by Jane Seymour and she is stunning (those Bond girls know how to work a camera) and their chemistry as she falls in love for the first time with this stranger from the future is strong.
Reeve is a bit awkward for me, he seems so over anxious at times it's like he is acting in a silent film, but he's so likable, it's soon forgiven.
Christopher Plummer is terrific as Elise's controlling manager, wary and jealous of Richard.
Any romance is going to be great on screen when you have a big, beautiful John Barry score filling the frame, weaving Rachmaninoff symphonies and one of Barry's best scores around our couple.
The last twenty minutes is a suspenseful twist and finale as the couple strive to find a place where they can be together forever, somewhere in time.
It's achingly old-fashioned and romantic, kind of corny and very sweet. And that ending! awwwwww.... we'll give it a B-.
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