Somewhere In Time

[Disco ]

[ Crowd Chattering]

[ Chattering Continues ]

- [ Man ] Richard, say,, kudos.

- Oh, thank you.

Wow, that was-- You found some

essential truth in that staging.

- Yeah?

- Absolutely,. Clearly, it's about Vietnam.

He suffers from

suburban existential--

[ Richard] It's about whatever

you want it to be about.

- [ Woman ] Richard, we loved the play,.

- Thank you.

- You could understand it?

- Perfectly, well.

[ Richard]

I'll talk to you later.

[ Chattering Continues ]

You aced it.

You aced it.

This is. uh-- I'm sorry. I

don't know your name. Pam. Pam.

Pam? This is Shelley. my

girlfriend. Hi. Shelley. Hi.

Hi. How are you? I'm

Richard. and I'm thirsty.

So we'll talk to you later.

Bye-bye.

Oh. boy. Iook at--

Hi. Dan. How are you?

Kudos. That was a fine. fine

play. really. Absolutely.

I'm afraid I don't know-- Mike

Neeley. Chicago Alternative.

[Richard] Hey,, Shelley,, I

gotta go talk to this guy,, okay,?

What is happening? This

is for you. from all of us.

Hey. Shelley! Oh. thank

you. Shelley. Iook at this.

Wait a minute.

Did everybody sign this?

- [ Woman ] Yeah, everybody, signed.

- Oh, fabulous. Thank you.

- [Richard] Where'd you sign this?

- Inside.

[ Richard]

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.

[ Cheering ]

Yeah. I know.

Let's keep our fingers crossed.

Let's all have some cake.

[Richard]

Penelope, great!

Okay,. Now, I think this thing

that we ought to do here is--

Here you go.

Let me trade you that.

I think we shouldn't cut the

mask. We save those for later.

[ Chattering Stops ]

[ Whispers ]

Come back to me.

[ Shelley ]

Who was she?

I never saw her in my life.

What'd she give you?

[ Gasping]

Oh. my God.

[Man ] Is this a party, or

what? Let's have some cake.

How was the play?

Did you enjoy it?

Are you all right?

[ Classical ]

[ Stops ]

[Elevator Humming]

Aha!

Aha. what?

Aha. 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.

Shell going with you?

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

[Jazz]

[Radio Announcer] The White

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.

[ Clears Throat ]

Arthur. 313. please.

Have a pleasant stay.

Thank you. Okay. thanks a lot.

Uh. this your first time

here. Mister. uh--

Collier. Yeah. For some reason.

I never got around to coming here.

I always heard how nice it

was though. Oh. when was that?

Oh. 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.

[ Chuckles ]

It seems to me. I remember they

had a graduation prom here...

back in. uh. '47.

was it?

Oh. really?

You been here that long?

Why. I've been here

since 1910.

Uh-huh.

Came here with my parents when I was five

years old. 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.

Oh. 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 me--

No. no. I don't think so.

No. No. I'm sure we haven't.

Have a nice stay. Mr. Collier.

Okay,, thanks a lot.

Sir? Uh. 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-I'm sorry. D-Did you say

there was a theater here?

Down by the lake.

Really?

When was this play done?

Oh. uh. 1912.

Hey. Arthur!

Arthur. hi. Iisten.

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.

[ Whispers ]

Oh. my God.

[Richard] "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 ofher

manager, William Fawcett Robinson,

Elise McKenna was the first American actress

to create a my,stique in the public's ey,e. "

"Never seen in public

in her lateryears,

"apparently, without

an offstage life,

the absolute quintessence

ofseclusion. "

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-- Oh. could you

do that for me. please?

Well. all right.

Thanks. I'm in the back.

Okay.

Great!

Here you are.

Oh. Thank you. Thank you. Mm-hmm.

Yes? Uh. hello. yes. M-Miss Roberts?

Yes. Hi. uh. 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. she seemed

empty somehow.

Well. she wasn't always

that way. was she?

Oh. 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.

aftershe 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.

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