Anthony Bergamini
Somewhere in Time is a romantic science fiction film from 1980, directed by Jeannot Szwarc and starring Christopher Reeve as Richard Collier, Jane Seymour as Elise McKenna, and Christopher Plummer as William Fawcett Robinson. The film opens on Collier’s college graduation day, where a mysterious elderly woman approaches him, hands him a pocket watch, and pleads, “Come back to me.” She then retreats to her hotel room, where she passes away that night.
Years later, Collier—now a successful playwright—visits the same hotel while suffering from writer’s block and becomes enamored with a photograph of a woman who had performed in a play there in 1912. He soon discovers that this woman was the same person who gave him the pocket watch, as evidenced by a newspaper photo of her in old age. After finding the hotel’s sign-in ledger from 1912, he learns that he will succeed in traveling back in time. With help from an old college professor, who had explored time travel and whom McKenna had once admired, Collier uses hypnosis to will himself back to 1912 in pursuit of the woman he has fallen in love with.
This film is notable for many reasons, all of which contribute to its unique place in pop culture history. One of the most prominent aspects is the casting of Christopher Reeve, best known for his portrayal of Superman across four feature films. As explored in the documentary Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story, Reeve struggled to find success in roles outside the Superman franchise. This remains a concern for many actors today who avoid big-budget comic book films for fear of being typecast. That concern isn’t unfounded—many actors are now strongly associated with a single role, such as Robert Downey Jr. as Iron Man or Chris Hemsworth as Thor. Despite this, Reeve delivered a phenomenal performance in Somewhere in Time.
Reeve often cited Somewhere in Time as his favorite film project, and after watching it, it’s easy to understand why. For an actor so closely linked to such an iconic character, Reeve completely immerses himself in the role of Richard Collier. This not only highlights the strength of his performance but also proves just how talented an actor he truly was. His portrayal seamlessly shifts from dramatic to lightly comedic depending on the scene, and he consistently guides the emotional tone through his well-timed delivery and expressive, understated style.
While Reeve rightly receives top billing and delivers a career-defining performance, credit must also be given to Jane Seymour and Christopher Plummer. Seymour brings depth to her role as a love interest who maintains a sense of agency, even within a narrative framework that places her in a patriarchal society. Her portrayal of a woman pushing back against these constraints feels progressive for a film made in 1979. Plummer, though in a supporting role, also shines as the film’s quasi-antagonist. While this may not be the most prominent film of his career, he delivers a strong and memorable performance.
Another standout feature of Somewhere in Time is how it blends time travel and romance. For audiences familiar with Back to the Future as the gold standard of time travel films, it’s refreshing to see a story where romance takes precedence. In fact, the time travel here serves primarily as a narrative device—the real heart of the story is the relationship between Collier and McKenna. That simplicity is precisely what makes the time travel aspect feel more palatable and less contrived.
As a science fiction enthusiast, I find the film’s approach to time travel particularly intriguing. Unlike most time travel stories, which rely on elaborate machines and pseudo-scientific explanations, Somewhere in Time grounds the concept in psychology. The film suggests that one can travel through time by entering a hypnotic trance and fully convincing themselves they are in another era. While this idea raises many questions about plausibility, it adds to the film’s charm. It’s important to remember that this is, first and foremost, a romance—its time travel mechanics are not meant to be taken too seriously.
Like any time travel film, Somewhere in Time includes a few narrative paradoxes and questionable plot mechanics. For instance, the pocket watch creates a causal loop: McKenna gives it to Collier, who then takes it back in time and gives it to her, raising the question of its origin. But the more glaring issue lies in the film’s own logic regarding the time travel process. Collier is told he must rid himself of anything modern to maintain the hypnotic illusion, as such items can break the spell and return him to the present. However, Collier is consciously aware throughout the film that he is from the future—a fact that, by the story’s logic, should itself shatter the illusion. Yet the plot hinges on a single penny from 1979 triggering his return. The inconsistency is clear, but it serves as a necessary plot device (a MacGuffin) to advance the story.
One of the most fascinating elements of the film is the enigmatic character of William Fawcett Robinson. McKenna tells Collier that Robinson has accurately predicted key events in her life, always placing her in the right situation to advance her career. He even foresaw Collier’s arrival, warning that he would bring misfortune. Later, Robinson claims that his obsession with McKenna stems from his belief in her future greatness. However, the film never fully explains how he possesses such knowledge. Two popular theories emerge: (1) Robinson made self-fulfilling predictions to guide McKenna’s decisions, or (2) Robinson himself is a time traveler who returned to the past after discovering McKenna’s future significance. Though the film never confirms either theory, the ambiguity adds to its allure and makes repeat viewings particularly rewarding.
