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Jack the Ripper (David Warner) resurfaces in London in 1893 and escapes through time in a machine built by H. G. Wells (Malcolm McDowell); Wells pursues him to 1979 San Francisco, where he falls in love with bank employee Amy Robbins (Mary Steenburgen). Thoroughly enjoyable science fantasy that may not make a lot of sense (what time travel story does?) but compensates nicely with vigorous script, engaging characters, and noteworthy performances, especially by McDowell and Steenburgen. Lets Jack be Jack and picks up Wells before he began writing his famous novels, making of him a much more palatable man (one might have expected him to be wearingly wise) whose naivete in the face of 20th century violence connects well with the pessimism in real life works like The Time Machine. Based on Karl Alexander's at-that-time-unfinished novel of the same name.
Jack the Ripper (David Warner) resurfaces in London in 1893 and escapes through time in a machine built by H. G. Wells (Malcolm McDowell); Wells pursues him to 1979 San Francisco, where he falls in love with bank employee Amy Robbins (Mary Steenburgen). Thoroughly enjoyable science fantasy that may not make a lot of sense (what time travel story does?) but compensates nicely with vigorous script, engaging characters, and noteworthy performances, especially by McDowell and Steenburgen. Lets Jack be Jack and picks up Wells before he began writing his famous novels, making of him a much more palatable man (one might have expected him to be wearingly wise) whose naivete in the face of 20th century violence connects well with the pessimism in real life works like The Time Machine. Based on Karl Alexander's at-that-time-unfinished novel of the same name.