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Somewhere in Time

Somewhere in Time

Someday in the past he will find her...

1980103 minPGMidcredits score: 84th percentile of all films
Director
Jeannot Szwarc
Starring
Christopher Reeve, Jane Seymour, Christopher Plummer, Teresa Wright

Young writer Richard Collier is met on the opening night of his first play by an old lady who begs him to "Come back to me". Mystified, he tries to find out about her, and learns that she is a famous stage actress from the early twentieth century. Becoming more and more obsessed with her, by self-hypnosis he manages to travel back in time—where he meets her.

Where to watch

Where can I watch Somewhere in Time?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists Somewhere in Time streaming on Pluto TV (free), Prime Video, The Roku Channel (free) and Tubi (free) and to rent or buy on Apple TV and Prime Video.

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Highlights

What stands out about Somewhere in Time?

Somewhere in Time earns 10 badges, led by Universally Loved and Guilty pleasure.

Show 2 more
  • Reception
  • Craft and mood
  • Awards and box office
  • Content
  • Cast

Reception

Is Somewhere in Time worth watching?

Somewhere in Time's Midcredits score is the 84th percentile of all films, from 69K ratings across 6 sources. 75% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

84th percentile

Better received than 84% of films

86th percentile among Drama85th percentile among 1980s
Acclaim (how much people like it)80th
Approval (how many liked it)85th

70 /100

80th percentile of all films

83rd percentile among Drama83rd percentile among 1980s

Critics 29 · Audience 72

Audiences liked it more than critics did.

Rating distribution

A broad spread centered near 7.5 — solid but not unanimous.

75% liked it

85th percentile of all films

86th percentile among Drama85th percentile among 1980s
75% rated it 7–1025% rated it 1–6

Critics 54% · Audience 87%

On Rotten Tomatoes, a bigger share of audiences approved than critics.

Awards

0 Oscars won · 1 Oscar noms · 4 wins / 4 noms overall

  • NominatedAcademy Awards· Best Costume Design
  • NominatedGolden Globes· Best Original Score - Motion Picture

92nd percentile

68K ratings across platforms

94th percentile among Drama92nd percentile among 1980s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 15% in 30 days

Box office

Budget$5.1M
Opening weekend$1.2M
Domestic gross$9.7M
Worldwide gross$9.7M

Returned 1.9× its budget — 85th percentile earner in its genre.

What reviewers say

Common ground

The film is a deeply romantic time-travel love story set in a beautiful period location, with a memorable score, but it divides viewers over its earnestness and logic.

Fans praised

  • Christopher Reeve and Jane Seymour's chemistry and beauty
  • John Barry's score and Rachmaninoff's music
  • Beautiful, romantic atmosphere and setting (Grand Hotel, Mackinac Island)

Detractors panned

  • No subtext, dramatic tension, humor, or cleverness
  • Ridiculous and unbelievable time travel premise
  • Leads lack chemistry; overwrought, syrupy music

What stands out

Emotional impactDivisive80

Moves fans to tears; detractors find it silly and unaffecting

Sound and musicDivisive80

John Barry and Rachmaninoff score enchanting but syrupy to some

AtmosphereDivisive80

Magical setting of Grand Hotel and Mackinac Island

ActingDivisive70

Reeve and Seymour's chemistry praised by fans; detractors see no chemistry

CinematographyDivisive60

Beautiful period setting and golden haze, but overdone in places

CharactersDivisive50

Characters liked by fans but underdeveloped and unmotivated

Plot and story30

Time-travel premise confusing and lazy; romance not developed

Originality30

Ridiculous time travel; paint-by-numbers romance

Preferred by

Under-30s vs over-30s

Preferred by Over-30s

Over-30s scored it 15 points higher than under-30s.

Critics vs users

Preferred by Users

Users scored it 28 points higher than critics.

No notable difference between the other groups: each pair ranks it within 10 percentile points.

  • Women vs men 8 points apart
  • US vs non-US 4 points apart

Watch experience

What is Somewhere in Time like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Romantic: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you are in the mood for a love story.

It takes its time and leaves you bittersweet. Skip it when you want things to move fast.

ToneFeelDemandwhat the answer rests onexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

Patience.

What it feels like

Romantic.

The answer rests on this: Moods
RomanticMelancholicHopeful
Heaviest: late
Register
Romantic · 8% of filmsSentimental · 8% of films
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.
ToneThe film plays its romantic premise completely straight, with no irony or self-awareness, embracing sentimentality and the magic of its story.
The rideThe film sustains a tender, romantic mood until the late act when separation and loss dominate, making the ending the emotional peak.
StructureThe story follows a straightforward chronology: present, past, present.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Bittersweet.

BittersweetHopeful
Why it leaves you this wayThe film balances the tragedy of separation with a hopeful reunion, leaving a bittersweet longing.
How it ends · evidence
Bittersweet ending

Story archetype

where it sits among all films
Monster — 21% of films. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of films. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 10% of films. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 4% of films. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 11% of films. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 9% of films. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 13% of films. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 7% of films. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 22% of filmsPredator — 6% of films. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 6% of films. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of films. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 2% of films. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of films. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of films. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of films. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of films. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of films. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of films. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — under 1% of films. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of films. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of films. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of films. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of films. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 4% of films. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 5% of films. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of films. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — 1% of films. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of films. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 2% of films. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — 1% of films. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of films. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — 1% of films. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 4% of films. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of films. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of films. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of films. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 1% of films. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of films. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — 2% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 2% of films. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 2% of films. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 3% of films. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 3% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 5% of films. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of films. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 2% of films. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of films. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 5% of films. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 2% of films. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).Voyage
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 21%: Predator 6% · Tyrant 6% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 2% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent under 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 10%: Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 4% · Mission 5% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage 1%
  • Voyage 4% (this title): Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 2% · Survival ordeal 1% · Time displacement under 1% (this title) · Descent 1%
  • Comedy 11%: Romantic comedy 4% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 1%
  • Tragedy 9%: Hubris 1% · Obsession 2% · Corruption arc 2% · Doomed love 2% · Crushed by fate 3%
  • Rebirth 13%: Redemption 3% · Healing 5% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 2%
  • Mystery 7%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 5% · Enigma 2%
  • No archetype 22%

Voyage and return: Into a strange world and back again, changed. · Time displacement: Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).

4% of films fit this archetype

Why this archetypeRichard Collier travels back to 1912 through self-hypnosis to meet a woman from a photograph, and returns to the present before dying and reuniting.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 27% of filmsSelf — 22% of filmsPower — 7% of filmsMorality — 16% of filmsSurvival — 15% of filmsSociety — 9% of filmsIdeas — 5% of filmsRomantic love — 15% of filmsMarriage — 2% of filmsFamily bonds — 21% of filmsParenthood — 2% of filmsFriendship — 9% of filmsLoyalty — 4% of filmsIdentity — 14% of filmsComing of age — 5% of filmsAging — under 1% of filmsSelf-worth — 7% of filmsAmbition — 7% of filmsPurpose — 9% of filmsMemory — 3% of filmsObsession — 3% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 2% of filmsCorruption — 3% of filmsGreed — 3% of filmsClass — 3% of filmsOppression — 4% of filmsFreedom — 5% of filmsJustice — 13% of filmsDuty — 2% of filmsRevenge — 4% of filmsGuilt — 3% of filmsRedemption — 6% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — 1% of filmsSacrifice — 4% of filmsBetrayal — 5% of filmsDeception — 9% of filmsSurvival — 17% of filmsWar — 1% of filmsViolence — 4% of filmsMortality — 2% of filmsGrief — 6% of filmsTrauma — 7% of filmsMental illness — 1% of filmsAddiction — 1% of filmsIllness and disability — under 1% of filmsCommunity — 14% of films. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 5% of filmsPrejudice — 3% of filmsDisplacement — 1% of filmsFaith — 3% of filmsTradition vs change — 2% of filmsFame — 3% of filmsLegacy — 4% of filmsFate — 1% of filmsFree will — under 1% of filmsTruth — 4% of filmsHope — 5% of filmsNature — 2% of filmsArt — 4% of filmsTechnology — 1% of filmsSelfRomanticlove
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27% (this title): Romantic love 15% (this title) · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 21% · Parenthood 2% · Friendship 9% · Loyalty 4%
  • Self 22%: Identity 14% · Coming of age 5% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 7% · Purpose 9% · Memory 3% · Obsession 3% (this title)
  • Power 7%: Power 2% · Corruption 3% · Greed 3% · Class 3% · Oppression 4% · Freedom 5%
  • Morality 16%: Justice 13% · Duty 2% · Revenge 4% · Guilt 3% · Redemption 6% · Forgiveness 1% · Sacrifice 4% · Betrayal 5% · Deception 9%
  • Survival 15%: Survival 17% · War 1% · Violence 4% · Mortality 2% · Grief 6% · Trauma 7% · Mental illness 1% · Addiction 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 9%: Community 14% · Isolation 5% · Prejudice 3% · Displacement 1% · Faith 3% · Tradition vs change 2% · Fame 3% · Legacy 4%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% (this title) · Free will under 1% · Truth 4% · Hope 5% · Nature 2% · Art 4% · Technology 1%

Bonds

Romantic love · 15% of filmsFate · 1% of filmsObsession · 3% of films: A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).
Celebrates its theme: Affirms its theme — this is good and worth having.Intimate stakes: Consequences reach a person or a household.Dual lead
How it treats its themeThe film is about a love that transcends time, driven by a sense of destined connection and an all-consuming pursuit of that bond.
StanceThe film celebrates the transformative power of romantic love, presenting Richard's pursuit and union with Elise as transcendent and beautiful.

The world

Early 20th centuryRuralDomesticInstitutionalStylized realism
Orchestral classicalForeground music · original score · John Barry
SettingA grand lakeside hotel and its grounds in 1912, with brief scenes in contemporary 1972/1980 Chicago.
MusicThe score heavily features Rachmaninoff's Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, 18th Variation, which is thematically tied to the love story.

Content guide

Is Somewhere in Time okay for kids?

PG

Somewhere in Time is rated PG. As of October 3, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at mild (22/100), sexual content at mild (19/100), language at mild (25/100), drug and alcohol content at minimal (10/100) and frightening material at minimal (15/100). Overall it is heavier than 7% of PG-rated films.

Ratings in 7 other countries
  • UKPG
  • Germany16
  • FranceTP
  • JapanG
  • BrazilL
  • MexicoB-15
  • Sweden11
Overall
Mild · all five categories
Heavier than 2% of all filmsHeavier than 7% of PG-rated films
Violence & Gore
Mild
light for a PG-rated film
heavier than 20%
Sex & Nudity
Mild · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
typical for a PG-rated film
heavier than 42%
Profanity
Mild · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
typical for a PG-rated film
heavier than 46%
Alcohol & Drugs
None / Minimal
light for a PG-rated film
heavier than 20%
Frightening / Intense
None / Minimal
light for a PG-rated film
heavier than 13%

Point along a line to see a well-known title at that level.

Nothing here is extreme. The strongest element is language, heavier than 46% of PG-rated films.

Source: Midcredits content scores, 0 (none) to 100 (severe) per category, with each standing ranked against other films that have them.

What content warnings does Somewhere in Time have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in Somewhere in Time?

Cast

Christopher Reeve
as Richard Collier
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
newcomer then · star now
Jane Seymour
as Elise McKenna
Breakout: Their highest-reaching film role at the time, and they went on to a career at least 3 times their standing then.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Christopher Plummer
as W. F. Robinson
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Teresa Wright
as Laura Roberts
Bill Erwin
as Arthur Biehl
Career best: Their highest-reaching film role by billing, audience size and rating.
George Voskovec
as Dr. Gerald Finney
Susan French
as Older Elise
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
John Alvin
as Arthur's Father
Career best: Their highest-reaching film role by billing, audience size and rating.
Eddra Gale
as Genevieve
William H. Macy
as Critic (1972)
Screen debut: No prior film or television role.
newcomer then · star now

Crew

More like this

What are movies like Somewhere in Time?

Movies like Somewhere in Time include The Lake House (2006), Secret (2007) and The Time Traveler's Wife (2009). Of the 12 closest matches, several are time-travel stories, and half are films about fate.

Balanced: every group counts the same, and production only breaks ties.

3 of these 12 share its story type: time displacement. Those cards say what else they share.

Explore by

What else shares a premise, people or place with Somewhere in Time?

458 other films share the rarest tag below, kind of film: time travel. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.