MovieChat Forums > Somewhere in Time (1980) Discussion > The pocket watch

The pocket watch

posted 9 years ago by lostn
9 replies | jump to latest

So Old Elise gives Richard the pocketwatch. He goes back in time and gives it back to Young Elise, who then keeps it for 50 odd years before giving it back to him once again. This same watch has been passed back and forth between them. Two obvious questions arise.

1. Watches are not indestructible. Eventually that watch will be centuries old. Wear and tear will break that thing down and it will fall into disrepair. What happens then when the watch can no longer be exchanged?

2. Where did that watch originate from in the first place? Who had it first? What chain of events kick started this repeating cycle?

[–] Maniac_In_Black 8 years ago

Question #2 , was wondering the same thing. When the movie ended I felt like I missed apart of the movie or something. Just didn't feel very well explained (the points you brought up) and seemed rushed.

[–] wendycscott9 8 years ago

If you watch with the commentary, they talk about this as being one of several paradoxes. There's really no explanation that would make sense. Presumably, the watch would give people something to wonder about after the movie was over, which, as we can see here, is still the case 36 years later. ⌚

—
"How was the war, sir?"
"As any war, ma'am, a waste of good men." (Poldark)

[–] PoliticallyIncorrectone 8 years ago

According to the trivia section:

Playing the older Elise McKenna, actress Susan French only has four words of dialogue in the whole film. These were spoken when she gives Richard Collier (Christopher Reeve the antique gold fob-watch. The four words of dialogue were "Come back to me," a very serious key scene in the movie. During one take, as a joke, French said instead four other words, "Have it fixed, dear," which caused the whole set to crack-up with laughter.

[–] wendycscott9 8 years ago

I actually got to meet her once 21 years ago. She was a lovely woman. She talked about her part in this movie and said she was told that there wasn't much dialogue but no one would forget it, or words to that effect. It has been 21 years. 😉

—
"How was the war, sir?"
"As any war, ma'am, a waste of good men." (Poldark)

[–] MysteryofLife (1) 3 years ago

The watch would never wear out. It is caught in a time loop and will retain its original condition until the loop is resolved. Each time the loop is reset. The watch will return to its original state of being uncorrupted by time.
To resolve the loop Richard would have to discover a way to remain in her timeline for the rest of his life or young Elise would need to find a way to go forward to his timeline to be with him for the rest of her life

[–] MikeCable (1879) 3 years ago

I guess it's like the chicken and the egg, which came first? Just a fun movie. I kept waiting for him to tell her he is from the future and she gave it to him, etc. But he didn't ruin the mystery.

[–] Appleknocker (1) 2 years ago

I’ve thought about this a lot. Either Richard bought the watch at the vintage coin shop to complete his travel needs as he would certainly need a watch Or Elise purchased it as a tool for her efforts to travel in time, finally giving it to to Richard to use it for time travel. She could have said; ok listen dude you were at my place in 1912 when I was smoking Hot, made love to me then split. Here’s your watch pal! Now use. It to come back to me!

[–] PaladinNJ (21629) 4 months ago

That's not how it worked at all. He dropped the the watch when he returned to the present. She held onto it. She gives it back to him in the present. He takes it back with him to the past. Then he drops it again when he returns to the present. Ad infinitum.....

Since he's had it for many years I assume he probably gets it serviced since it was already an antique when she gave it to him.

[–] liscarkat (19031) 6 months ago

From the modern period of the movie to the earlier time Richard travels to is only about 77 years. I have a pocket watch that belonged to my great grandfather, that he bought in 1895 when it was new, 129 years ago. I also have a wrist watch that my grandfather bought in 1949 when it was new, 75 years ago. They both still run perfectly. All you have to do is take care of them and not toss them around.