I do not mean to disrespect or disparage this film in anyway. I know it has a hard core fanbase and I can certainly see why. It is well acted and executed and it certainly one of the most romantic of all romance movies.
I did enjoy the film but it did make me feel rather uneasy in places. Read on an I'll explain why.
If you haven't seen it, the basic plot is a young play-write with writers block in 1980 (Christopher Reeve) sees a portrait of a beautiful actress from 1912 (Jane Seymour) and falls madly in love with her. (And let's face it who wouldn't? She was and IS incredibly beautiful)
His obsession leads to the discovery that the actress is the old woman who 8 yrs previously had once appeared out of nowhere, gave him an ornate pocket watch and begged him to "come back to me" a mystery not resolved until now.
Knowing somehow he has an overwhelming connection with this woman, he literally wills himself back to 1912 to be with her.
The romantic aspect of this film is very touching. For two people to have such a strong and unbreakable connection and attraction that it breaks down the barrier of time itself will be enough to win over most romantics I'm sure, but I think on the whole we as an audience are expected to suspend disbelief a little too far with this movie.
The time travel aspect is of course fantasy. All time travel is so I don't want to put too much stock into it, but in this film there is no time machine or time portal, he merely wills himself back to 1912 by the power of suggestion. I mean if we could really do that I think we would all have dumped the 2020's long ago and we would all be living in the past. It's just too much of a nonsense for a viewer to believably accept..fantasy or not.
Then we have the first meeting of our two time crossed lovers. These were the scenes that made me feel the most uneasy. You have the beautiful Ms Seymour innocently strolling near some woodland and all of a sudden a man she has never seen before slowly walks towards her through the thicket with a look of pure desire on his face. I'd defy any woman not to have run a mile..even if it was the incredibly handsome Christopher Reeve.
Then as she is walking back to the Hotel, he's following her, matching her pace just a few steps behind. I'm not going to lie to you reader, this all seemed pretty creepy!
Yet despite this, love does bloom between the two leads and it is very heartwarming to watch and the film redeems itself as a result.
I was however a bit disappointed with the ending. Lovers of romance always wish for a happy ending. I feel in this case the ending was more disturbing than happy. It again made Reeve's character seem like he was harbouring an extremely unhealthy obsession driving him to insanity rather than true love.
In my opinion a better ending would have been for Seymour's character to have found a way back to him in the 1980's where they could live their lives together in a much more liberated era, one where she could inspire him to write again and resume her own career.
However, as in the case of Wuthering Heights (another book/film touching on a theme of an unhealthy romantic obsession) a large hot steaming bowl of death was served for our dessert instead. Such a shame!
Christopher Reeve and Jane Seymour make a great cinematic paring and their chemistry really shines, but the great Christopher Plummer almost steals the film as Seymour's manager/mentor/Svengali/would-be-lover who is literally Von Trapping his pants at the thought of losing her to the taller, younger, much more physically handsome Reeve. He plays his role with a sinister charm that has you loathing him and in a way sympathising with him in equal measure.
Another thing that was in danger of nearly stealing the film from its two leads was John Barry's beautiful score. It really is so beautiful and an unusual departure from Barry's usual fayre. It's a shame he never wrote more softer offerings.
All in all, it's a good film built around a great idea but it could have been so much better.
I did enjoy the film but it did make me feel rather uneasy in places. Read on an I'll explain why.
If you haven't seen it, the basic plot is a young play-write with writers block in 1980 (Christopher Reeve) sees a portrait of a beautiful actress from 1912 (Jane Seymour) and falls madly in love with her. (And let's face it who wouldn't? She was and IS incredibly beautiful)
His obsession leads to the discovery that the actress is the old woman who 8 yrs previously had once appeared out of nowhere, gave him an ornate pocket watch and begged him to "come back to me" a mystery not resolved until now.
Knowing somehow he has an overwhelming connection with this woman, he literally wills himself back to 1912 to be with her.
The romantic aspect of this film is very touching. For two people to have such a strong and unbreakable connection and attraction that it breaks down the barrier of time itself will be enough to win over most romantics I'm sure, but I think on the whole we as an audience are expected to suspend disbelief a little too far with this movie.
The time travel aspect is of course fantasy. All time travel is so I don't want to put too much stock into it, but in this film there is no time machine or time portal, he merely wills himself back to 1912 by the power of suggestion. I mean if we could really do that I think we would all have dumped the 2020's long ago and we would all be living in the past. It's just too much of a nonsense for a viewer to believably accept..fantasy or not.
Then we have the first meeting of our two time crossed lovers. These were the scenes that made me feel the most uneasy. You have the beautiful Ms Seymour innocently strolling near some woodland and all of a sudden a man she has never seen before slowly walks towards her through the thicket with a look of pure desire on his face. I'd defy any woman not to have run a mile..even if it was the incredibly handsome Christopher Reeve.
Then as she is walking back to the Hotel, he's following her, matching her pace just a few steps behind. I'm not going to lie to you reader, this all seemed pretty creepy!
Yet despite this, love does bloom between the two leads and it is very heartwarming to watch and the film redeems itself as a result.
I was however a bit disappointed with the ending. Lovers of romance always wish for a happy ending. I feel in this case the ending was more disturbing than happy. It again made Reeve's character seem like he was harbouring an extremely unhealthy obsession driving him to insanity rather than true love.
In my opinion a better ending would have been for Seymour's character to have found a way back to him in the 1980's where they could live their lives together in a much more liberated era, one where she could inspire him to write again and resume her own career.
However, as in the case of Wuthering Heights (another book/film touching on a theme of an unhealthy romantic obsession) a large hot steaming bowl of death was served for our dessert instead. Such a shame!
Christopher Reeve and Jane Seymour make a great cinematic paring and their chemistry really shines, but the great Christopher Plummer almost steals the film as Seymour's manager/mentor/Svengali/would-be-lover who is literally Von Trapping his pants at the thought of losing her to the taller, younger, much more physically handsome Reeve. He plays his role with a sinister charm that has you loathing him and in a way sympathising with him in equal measure.
Another thing that was in danger of nearly stealing the film from its two leads was John Barry's beautiful score. It really is so beautiful and an unusual departure from Barry's usual fayre. It's a shame he never wrote more softer offerings.
All in all, it's a good film built around a great idea but it could have been so much better.