Time After Time (1979)

Director:

Nicholas Meyer

Writers:

Karl Alexander (novel) &
Steve Hayes (story) ...

Release Date:

31 August 1979 (USA)

Genre:

Adventure | Sci-Fi | Thriller | Romance | Drama

Tagline:

H.G. Wells Races Through Time To Catch Jack The Ripper!

Plot:

H.G. Wells pursues Jack the Ripper to the 20th Century when the serial murderer uses the future writer's time machine to escape his time period.

Plot Keywords:

Time Machine | Jack The Ripper | Bank Clerk | Bank | Writer

Awards:

5 wins & 7 nominations

Cast

Malcolm McDowell	...	H. G. Wells
David Warner	...	Jack the Ripper - John Leslie Stevenson
Mary Steenburgen	...	Amy Robbins
Charles Cioffi	...	Police Lt. Mitchell
Kent Williams	...	Assistant
Andonia Katsaros	...	Mrs. Turner
Patti D'Arbanville	...	Shirley
James Garrett	...	Edwards
Leo Lewis	...	Richardson
Keith McConnell	...	Harding
Byron Webster	...	McKay
Karin de la Penha	...	Jenny (as Karin Mary Shea)
Geraldine Baron	...	Carol
Laurie Main	...	Inspector Gregson
Joseph Maher	...	Adams

Runtime:

112 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Iceland:16 | West Germany:16 | Australia:M | Finland:K-16 | New Zealand:R16 | Norway:15 (re-rating) | Norway:16 (original rating) | Singapore:PG | Sweden:15 | UK:15 | USA:PG

Filming Locations:

1800 Block of Union Street, Cow Hollow, San Francisco, California, USA

Company:

Orion Pictures Corporation

Trivia:

Amy Robbins is the name of H. G. Wells' second wife in real life.

Goofs:

Continuity: When H.G. is reading about the fourth killing, the newspaper changes from being folded to unfolded and back again between shots.

Quotes:

H.G. Wells: We could easily avoid this whole thing.
Amy Robbins: You mean, give him the key?
H.G. Wells: No. I mean... come back with me.
Amy Robbins: Back?
H.G. Wells, Amy Robbins: Yes. Back to 1893.
Amy Robbins: I'm a twentieth century woman. I have a career and a mind of my own. Be reasonable. How am I gonna make it in 1893?
H.G. Wells: Is your career so important? It's your life we're talking about!
Amy Robbins: My work is my life. As much as yours or any other man's. Please don't start sounding like my husband. Wait a minute... What about forward?
H.G. Wells: Forward? You mean the future. Yes, of course!
[thinks a moment]
[...]

Movie Connections:

References Things to Come (1936)

A Fascinating Time Trip

"Time After Time" is an interesting movie. It has the legendary H.G. Wells chasing Jack the Ripper through time, from London in 1893 to San Francisco in 1979. Wells is played by Malcolm McDowell, as a young idealistic visionary and scientific genius, who looks upon the future as Utopia. (How many movies can you remember where McDowell was the good guy?) Jack the Ripper is played by David Warner, who exudes something cold and frightening as the infamous killer. While the future hardly turns out to be Wells' imagined Utopia, Jack embraces the prevalent violence of the 20th century. In "From Hell," Jack the Ripper said he had invented the 20th century. "Time After Time" gives that statement a kind of significance. The movie may not offer much to the many theories surrounding the Jack the Ripper mystery, but it's still enjoyable.