MARIO GAUCI I'd been looking forward to this one, in view of its time-travel/reincarnation theme (released as part of a 10-movie set of minor Tyrone Power vehicles, I had opted to acquire it through ulterior sources – though I may still get my hands on some of the other titles). Still, I was surprised by how well this implausible yet fascinating theme is handled here – surely making for one of the star's most underrated (and unusual) efforts.Made in Britain, the film was based on John L. Balderston's romantic fantasy play "Berkeley Square" (the literate adaptation here is by Ranald MacDougall) – already brought to the screen in 1933 under that name (while the original title of this one is actually THE HOUSE IN THE SQUARE); the first version is virtually impossible to see nowadays, though it did land Leslie Howard an Oscar nomination – the ultimate irony, given that the transcendental narrative essentially bestows its protagonist with immortality, is that an untimely demise was in store for the leading man of both cinematic renditions! Anyway, Power is an American scientist working in England (the initial radiation experiment is intriguing but superfluous and misleading under the circumstances) who lives in a house belonging to an ancestor of his and who conveniently looked just like him. Finding the latter's diary, he learns that he had been persecuted for his strange beliefs and practices and was eventually locked up in an insane asylum – he becomes convinced that, by some quirk of nature, the two had actually exchanged places and, soon enough, he's hit by a bolt of lightning and wakes up in 1784! He meets the family of his forebear including the latter's future wife (Beatrice Campbell); thanks to letters which had been preserved and that he had read, Power's initially able to comfortably fill his shoes – however, he then meets and falls for Ann Blyth, Campbell's sister and of whom he was unaware! Soon, the hero begins to commit other gaffes by which he demonstrates to be perceptive of things that hadn't yet occurred or, at least, weren't common knowledge (from the gift of a shawl for Campbell which Blyth hadn't even unpacked, the secret and subsequently famous portrait of a Duchess – played by Kathleen Byron – by the painter Gainsborough, delivering the lady's own obituary at a ball, not to mention 'feeding' Dr. Johnson with some of his own celebrated epigrams[!], etc). This doesn't sit at all well with either Campbell (who's unwilling to keep up her engagement to Power, not least because of his constant attentions for her sister) or the vindictive Raymond Huntley (Blyth's much older suitor). The hero, finding himself increasingly out-of-touch with the times, retires to a basement in a poor quarter of town to 'recreate' future inventions such as the light bulb and the model of a steam-ship; when these are discovered, they're branded the handiwork of a sorcerer by eminent scientist Felix Aylmer – the place is destroyed there and then, while Power is on his way to perpetual confinement in Bedlam! Other notable cast members are Dennis Price (playing an amiable rake, as was his fashion during this time – the relentless and rather effeminate pursuit of etiquette by the aristocrats, in fact, is just about the sole blemish on the picture) and Michael Rennie (as Power's pragmatic scientist associate in the modern-day sequences). Incidentally, the film utilizes moody black-and-white cinematography for these bookends – while soft but attractive color is employed throughout the central 'fantasy' section; both are courtesy of Georges Perinal, a top French cameraman resident in Britain for over thirty years. Similarly, Power effectively tackles both facets of his character: the film, ultimately, can be read as both a morality play (the hero's decision to tempt Fate which, as often happens, subsequently threatens to unbalance the order of the things) and a celebration of that well-worn Surrealist concept – l' amour fou – in his relationship with a radiant Blyth (herself playing a dual role, the second as Rennie's sister who had cared for the Power's even more bewildered ancestor in his unseen tenure in the 20th century).Given my appreciation for THE HOUSE IN THE SQUARE (the title I'm partial to myself), I'm all the more interested now in one day catching the original version. Finally, this was one of British director Baker (a future horror regular)'s brief four-movie brush with Hollywood – I'd already watched DON'T BOTHER TO KNOCK (1952; which I also own) and INFERNO (1953), but not the minor noir NIGHT WITHOUT SLEEP (1952).

Kira Trek I've searched nearly forty years for this film and was pleased to see it had finally been released on DVD. Having seen it as a child, I was desperately hoping that I would still like it as I did so many years ago. I was not disappointed. It's a great film, very well written, and beautifully restored. I loved it from beginning to end. I rented the film from Netflix and it includes another Tyrone Power film on the other side. "The Luck of the Irish," has been restored to the green color they used in the theatricle release. I'll probably watch that one too. I will definitely buy this DVD for my own library.Well worth the wait.

silverscreen888 This is a powerful and disturbing film. Its fantasy-for-the-sake-of-idea storyline sends a man back in time to the days of Samuel Johnson, Boswell, and the England of the bygone era. The time traveling scientist is played most ably by Tyrone Power. He falls in love back in time, runs afoul of those who wonder how he can know the future, and is compelled to return to his own era. This film was adapted from John Balderston's eerie play "Berkeley Square" by Ranald Macdougall. The director of this beautiful; B/W dramatic gem was Roy Baker. In the cast along with Power were Ann Blyth, Michael Rennie, Kathleen Byron, Beatrice Capmbell, Irene Browne, Raymond Huntley, Felix Aylmer, Ronald Adam, Robert Atkins, Alex McCrindle, Ronald Simpson and many more. Whenever the time traveler makes an error in tenses, the 18th Century denizens grow afraid of him, wondering if he is a witch or a madman. But he is able to see and converse with Sir Joshua Reynolds, Samuel Johnson, Boswell and others; and the time traveler returns home to an even stranger ending than he had imagined--or that the viewers could have guessed. The film boasts very fine music by William Alwyn, wonderful costumes by Margaret Furse and art direction by C.P. Norman that is a delight to behold. This is a powerful production, unforgettable, and a bit unusual until one gets used to it. The B/W sets look densely photographed and very convincing; for some reason, the feature hard-to-find in this country but not to be missed if you get the opportunity. Also known as "The House On the Square".

jhand2651 Like many I haven't seen this movie in years, but it gave me a lasting impression. Thing I remembered the most is when the gal in the past (Ann Blyth) knew that Tyrone was going back to the future (where have I heard that phrase before?) she told him that she would have the letters in her tombstone cut deep so that he could read them in the future. When he returned to the future (his present) he went to the cemetery and found her tombstone, old and fading, but still marked as she had promised. Touching, and sad. Then later, lo and behold, the spitting image of her appears in his present and he has a chance to "renew" his love. Great movie, in the great old black and white format. You could categorize it as the forerunner of Somewhere in Time, with Jane Seymour appearing as possibly the loveliest woman in film.