Somewhere in Time

Richard, say, kudos.

Wow. You found some essential truth in that staging.

Yeah? MAN : Absolutely. Clearly, it's about Vietnam.

He suffers from suburban existential...

It's about whatever you want it to be about.

Richard, we loved the play.

You understood it, huh? Perfectly.

I'll talk to you later.

You aced it. You aced it.

I'm sorry. I don't know your name. Pam.

Pam? This is Shelley, my girlfriend. Hi.

Hi. How are you? I'm Richard and I'm thirsty.

So we'll talk to you later. Bye-bye.

That was a fine, fine play. Really. Absolutely.

Hey, Shelley, I gotta go talk to this guy, okay?

What is happening?

This is for you from all of us.

Hey, Shelley! Thank you. Shelley, look at this.

Wait a minute. What happened here, did everybody sign this?

Yeah, everybody signed. Fabulous. Thank you.

Where'd you sign this? I signed it inside.

Good, I got some news.

There was an agent in the house tonight,

and he says he thinks this play might be good enough for Broadway.

All right! Yeah. I know.

Let's keep our fingers crossed. Let's all have some cake.

Penelope, great!

Okay. Now, I think this thing that we ought to do here is...

Everybody get a piece? Here you go. Let me trade you that.

I think we shouldn't cut the mask. We save those for later.

Hmm?

Come back to me.

Who was she?

I never saw her in my life.

What'd she give you?

Oh, my God.

Is this a party or what? Let's have some cake.

How was the play? Did you enjoy it?

Are you all right?

A-ha! "A-ha," what?

"A-ha," where ya goin'?

I'm going on a trip.

Where? I have no idea.

What about the play?

Well, it isn't done.

Okay. When will it be done?

I don't know.

Oh, my God. Richard, there are people waiting for that play.

Is Jill going with you?

No. I don't think so. We broke up.

The Red Sox are at home tonight

for a Comiskey Park game against the Yankees.

The Cubs are just beginning a West Coast swing...

How long will you be with us? Just tonight.

Fine. If you'll sign in here, sir.

Sure.

Arthur, 313, please.

Have a pleasant stay. Thank you. Okay, thanks a lot.

This your first time here, Mr... Collier.

Yeah. For some reason, I never got around to coming here.

I always heard how nice it was, though.

When was that?

About eight years ago.

See, I used to be a student up at Millfield College.

Yeah, the students come here now and then to enjoy the restaurant

and the rooms.

It seems to me, I remember they had a graduation prom here back in '47, was it?

Really? You been here that long?

Why, I've been here since 1910.

1910? Uh-huh.

Came here with my parents when I was five years old.

Really? My father was a desk clerk.

I used to drive him crazy playing ball in the lobby.

He got so mad at me sometimes. I'm lucky I lived to be six.

Three, George.

Got yourself a nice view here. Let me see.

Great.

Okay, let's see now. Here you go.

Thank you, Mr. Collier.

If there's anything I can do for you, just let me know.

My name's Arthur and I live in the bungalow behind the hotel.

Okay. Thanks a lot. See ya around, Arthur.

Have we ever met before?

Have we ever... No, no. I don't think so.

No. No. I'm sure we haven't. Have a nice stay here, Mr. Collier.

Okay, thanks a lot.

Sir? Yeah, when do you open?

In about 40 minutes, sir.

Forty minutes?

Yes, sir.

Arthur! Hi.

Yes, Mr. Collier.

Arthur, you know, in the Hall of History,

there's a photograph, a young woman.

There's no nameplate.

Yes, that's Elise McKenna.

She was a famous actress in her day.

Starred in a play in the hotel theater.

I'm sorry. Did you say there was a theater here?

Down by the lake.

Really?

When was this play done?

Oh, um...

1912.

1912?

Hey, Arthur! Arthur. Hi. Listen.

Could you take my luggage and put it back in my suite? Great. Thanks a lot.

And can you tell me where the nearest library is?

In town. Right past the church.

Great. Look out. Thanks. Terrific!

Thanks a lot. See you around, Arthur.

Yeah.

Yes.

Oh, my God.

"One of the most revered actresses on the American stage,

"for many years, she was the theater's greatest box office draw. ".

"Under the guidance of her manager, William Fawcett Robinson,".

"Elise McKenna was the first American actress"

"to create a mystique in the public's eye."

"Never seen in public in her later years,

"apparently, without an offstage life,

"the absolute quintessence of seclusion. ".

Excuse me. Do you have any theater biographies

that aren't in the racks under the rare books or magazines?

Well, we do have some magazines,

but they're in the back, and I'd have to find them and...

Could you do that for me, please?

Well, all right.

Thanks. I'm in the back. Okay.

Great!

Here you are.

Thank you. Thank you.

Yes? Hello, yes. Miss Roberts?

Yes. Hi. My name's Richard Collier.

And I just read your book on famous American actresses,

and I really enjoyed it a lot.

What is it you want?

Information about Elise McKenna.

What sort of information?

Well, I'm a playwright and I was thinking about doing a play based on her life.

And of course I'd have to talk... I'm sorry.

Ma'am, please. Please, don't.

This is not for a play, Miss Roberts.

This is something very personal.

I don't understand.

Where did you get that?

She gave it to me, ma'am.

At the opening night of a play that I wrote

at Millfield College about eight years ago.

That watch was very precious to her.

She never, never left it out of her possession.

It disappeared the night she died.

She died that night?

Won't you come in, please?

Thank you.

I have some things I've been saving for the theater collection.

That was a costume from one of the plays she was in.

Miss Roberts, what was she like?

When I knew her, she was kind and thoughtful.

But she was just too much within herself.

She seemed empty somehow.

Well, she wasn't always that way, was she?

No, not at all.

People who knew her when she was young said

that she was quick and bright and full of fun.

Strong, willful, not at all the way she was later.

What made her change?

I don't know, but the change seems to have taken place about 1912.

After she performed in a play at the Grand Hotel.

That was her manager, William Robinson.

Was he really as strange as you seemed to indicate in the book?

There was something strange about their relationship.

Wow, look at this.

Hey. May I?

Of course. This is incredible.

This guy, Finney. He was my philosophy teacher at Millfield.

Really? Yeah.

She read that book over and over.

She had that made.

What is it?

That's my favorite music in the whole world.

I don't understand what's happening.

Dr. Finney? You'll have to walk with me, young man.

I have another class. What's your name?

Collier, sir. Richard Collier.

Student? Yes, I was, nine years ago.

Well, I try to make my classes interesting, but nine years?

What can I do for you?

I have a question for you, sir.

Shoot. Is time travel possible?

That is a question.

Let me tell you something, Richard, is it? Yes, sir.

I was in Venice in 1971.

I was staying in a very old hotel.

But I mean, very old.

The structure, the furnishings, everything.

The atmosphere was aged, if you follow me.

And my room, I felt as though it was

a century or more earlier than 1971.

You understand? Yes, sir.