Found Somewhere in Time
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I have written several essays about a film that I truly enjoyed back in 1980 and still do, Somewhere in Time. Interestingly, that movie was based upon a novel, Bid Time Return, by Richard Matheson. Matheson visited the Piper's Opera House in Virginia City, Nevada while on vacation. 
While there, he happened upon a picture of Maude Adams, who was a great actress over a century ago. This is the picture of Maude Adams, which Matheson saw while on his sightseeing trip to Piper's Opera House. However, it changed his life. 
Matheson wrote about being intrigued by this photo of Maude Adams. He said, "It was such a great photograph that crteatively I fell in love with her. What if some guy did the same thing and could go back in time?" With that creative question racing around in his mind, Matheson wrote a novel, Bid Time Return. He adopted the title from a part of a line in Shakespeare's Richard II, "O call back yesterday, bid time return." A handful of years later, Richard Collier fell in love with a similar photo in the movie, Somewhere in Time. In fact, Matheson wrote the screenplay for that movie, which he based upon Bid Time Return. 
Both Richards, Matheson/Collier, fell in love with a picture of both Maude/Elise. The first Richard checked into a room in the Hotel del Coronado, which is in San Diego. In his screenplay, the Hotel del Coronado morphs into the Grand Hotel in Mackinac Island, Michigan. Millions of Americans loved that movie as did I. I have written an article about the storyline of Somewhere in Time. In fact, I went to Mackinac Island to see the Grand Hotel after seeing the film. That is the backstory, but the real Maude Adams was not known by most of us in the 21st century. In 1872, Maude Adams was born Maude Kiskadden in Salt Lake City, Utah. However, she used her mother's maiden name. Interestingly, Maude Adams' mother was a fairly well known actress. Her mother took Maude on stage during a play when she was around nine months of age and did the scene with Maude in her arms. Thus began Maude's acting career. It wasn't long before she had roles as a toddler. In her prime, she became the highest paid actress. During her heyday, Maude Adams made an annual income of more than a million dollars. The following photos are from the Portland Center Stage. 
We have discussed how Bid Time Return and Somewhere in Time related to Maude Adams, which is interesting. However, what can we take away from the book, the movie, and the actress? Don't we all have dreams that weren't fulfilled? Haven't there been times that we wanted to return and relive parts of the past? I wish that I could. There were times is the past that are lost in time. I learned from two of my mentors Don Quixote and Randy Pausch about things lost somewhere in time. Don Quixote taught me to go on quests to try to obtain some of those impossible dreams that were not realized and have be lost in time and space. There are people with whom I would like to talk about the past over dinner. This is a serious quest of mine. Randy Pausch taught me about the importance of expressing appreciation to people. He said, "Showing gratitude is one of the simplest yet most powerful things humans can do for each other." I have benefitted from the help of many people in the past. I want to thank them. Additionally, there have been dreams of the past lost somewhere in time that I want to address. Now, in some cases, the persons are no longer still alive. Some are still alive but have moved, which creates a twofold problem for me. They aren't aware of my quest, and I can't connect with them. However, at least, I have tried. I would rather have attempted those quests and failed than not to have made an effort. Interestingly, Maude Adams said, "Sometimes I think the only real satisfaction in life is failure, failure in your endeavor to do your best." Teddy Roosevelt's Man in the Arena said at the Sorbonne over a century ago,
I have failed in the past and will in the future. Nonetheless, I failed "while daring greatly...." I have learned that lesson clearly. The true failure would have been had I not tried. At least, I will emulate Don Quixote on his deathbed having spent his entire life joisting with various windmills and failed.... Between now and the time that I reach the last moments of life, I will dare greatly. Even when I fail, at least, I will be able to remember those moments lost in time.
Visit the Connecting the Dots page to read more about this topic.
Visit the The Last Lecture page to read more about this topic.
Visit the Dancing with Death page to read more about this topic.
Visit the My Hauntings page to read more about this topic.
Visit the Man in the Arena page to read more about this topic.
Visit the Music I Love and Why page to read more about this topic. 04/13/16 Follow @mountain_and_me |
