Does anyone know this old movie?

[gypsybangles]

British film, probably circa 1930's: A boy and girl, perhaps 12 year old cousins are visiting at a large manor house, and find an old clock while exploring. During the course of the film they periodically change the hands of the clock, and are able to observe themselves at later ages looking down from second floor windows or upstairs halls, as their relationship changes. I feel sure the boys name was Roger in the film. Does anyone know the name of this film or how it turned out? I watched it as a child on TV at my grandparents home, but my parents and I left before the movie was over. I watch a lot of old movies but I've never seen this one again. It's been driving me crazy for years wondering how it ended. Thanks for any info.

[dot1990cml]

I've seen that movie too but know that you've mentioned it I don't know the name either. You would'nt happen to know any of the actors or even the studio that it was made by, that could be helpful. Sorry I couldn't be of any help at all.But do know that I have seen it.

[gypsybangles]

Hi,

Thanks for your reply. The only other thing I remember about the movie was that they became engaged, but had some sort of falling out. Do you remember what happened after that?

I am completely clueless regarding the actors as I was only 4 or 5 years old when I saw it. If you happen to remember anything else I'd love to hear from you. At least now I know I didn't make it up.

Thank you,

Dianne

[danthemoviefan]

That sounds like a movie I'd like to see. On IMDB, I tried various searches for British films released in the time period you mention and using various keywords mentioned by you (and some related to those you mentioned), and I couldn't come up with a thing. Possibly no one has written a plot summary for this film on IMDB. Character-name searches for "Roger" and "Rodger" led nowhere as well.

 

What year did you see this film? Did you see the film on a black-and-white TV (which can make any film look decades old!)? If you saw it in the 1950s or '60s, there could be a chance the film itself could be in color. If you saw the film as a child in the "television era," is there any chance you saw a TV-show episode or TV movie?

[gypsybangles]

Hi,

Thanks for your interest. It was between 1952-'54 when I saw the film, and feel sure it was a film. I remember it played in the afternoon. There was so little programming on at that time, and only 2-3 channels, sometimes only showing a test pattern until the next program came on. It was a black and white set, so I can't be sure the movie was in color or not, but feel more likely it was a B&W movie. It has occured to me that the movie may have even been made in the 1940's, even perhaps more likely now that I think more about it, and hope this particular clue didn't mislead you too much. It's only an impression I have because of the clothing, but it's hard to tell as it seems twin-sets, tweeds, and jodphurs span decades in English country life. I hope this helps.

Thanks,

Dianne

[danthemoviefan]

Thanks for the reply.

 

Before I saw your post in the other forum, I stretched my search all the way into the 1960s, at the time not knowing exactly what part of the black-and-white era you saw the film in. I'll see if I can ID the film before anyone else, but this is a tough one!

[gypsybangles]

Thank you for your persistance. I get so lost and confused in some websites, my head is spinning.

Dianne

[danthemoviefan]

I'm still trying to narrow down the title of this movie, but no luck so far.

 

This may be asking too much, but is there any way to remember what TV channel you were watching or what town that station broadcast from? What day of the week do you think that might have been? A Saturday? (Old TV listings for that town might be of assistance.)

[gypsybangles]

Hi Dan,

We only had a couple of channels in those days, but I don't remember any specific call letters. Not knowing anything really about broadcasting, I thought everything came out of New York on either NBC or CBS, (ABC I think came later) I lived about thirty miles east of Pittsburgh, PA. Most likely it was a Saturday or Sunday, being days we'd go and visit. I don't think we had yet gotten our first set at home, so naturally I was fascinated. We did get a set shortly after this and in between test patterns I remember seeing 'Howdy Doody' (I think it came on in the afternoon, but can't be sure), 'The Big Top' a circus show sponsored by Sealtest Icecream(I think this was on Saturday mornings), and a creepy show with a scary announcer and a screeeeeeching door called 'The Inner Sanctum' (this came on maybe around 8 or 9PM, but I don't remember which night of the week) . My uncles used to come over and watch "the fights" with my Dad (maybe called either 'The Wednesday Night Fights' or 'The Saturday Night Fights', sponsored by beer,(Hey Mabel, Black Label, and I think Pabst Blue Ribbon, and Miller High Life). I know that 'The Ed Sullivan Show' was on, and I think Jackie Gleason. I'm not too good at remembering time frames so the following may have come a little later: 'Captain Video and his Video Rangers', 'Meet Millie' (with Elena Verdugo, who later became 'Marcus Welby's nurse), 'My Little Margie'(with Gale Storm (I just love that name)), 'The Life of Riley' (with William Bendix and Joan Blondell), 'Our Miss Brooks (with Eve Arden and Richard Crenna).

 

In August of 1954 we moved to Ft. Lauderdale after I had just turned six the month before, so I know it was definitely prior to this. My memory for some things goes back quite a way, but I don't think I could have been less than four when I saw the film so that would take it back to 1952 at the earliest I think. The thing I most definitely remember was the boys name being Roger. That was my Dad's name, and I knew the film was British as the girl pronounced it "Rajjuh". I've been trying to remember the girls name and I just can't, although I have a vague feeling it could actually have been Diana (a dirivative of my own name, and you'd think I could remember that), or perhaps Pamela or Daphne, but this could be due to all the English mysteries I've read over the years.

 

I so appreciate the trouble to which you're going trying to locate this film. I know the above is rather vague, but hope something there will assist you in the quest. For all the trouble, I hope the film doesn't turn out to be some "stinker" nobody in their right mind would want to see.

 

Thanks again for your help.

 

Dianne

[danthemoviefan]

Periodically since the original post, I've tried to pinpoint the title of this film--but no luck! Perhaps newer readers of this thread can suggest something.

 

There was an anthology show called "The Clock" whose plots likely could have included one such as Dianne described. It was only a half-hour show, though. Do you think this could have been it, Dianne? I know that, to a child, a shorter broadcast might seem like a movie! Do you remember how long you watched it? More than a half-hour?

 

Trouble is, "The Clock"--all of whose plots revolved around some sort of timepiece--may have been broadcast live and not preserved for reruns. Its original run ended in 1952, and that was the earliest year you thought this show/movie aired. I can access TV Guide on microfilm at the local university for plot descriptions of this show, but that publication began in 1951 while "The Clock" debuted in '49. Finding TV descriptions for pre-TV Guide shows might be a challenge.

 

Another anthology show of the era that might have included such a plot was "Douglas Fairbanks Jr. Presents," also a half-hour series. Some of these do survive.

[danthemoviefan]

Thought I'd bring this to the fore again. Does anybody have any inkling as to the movie in question here? I've checked on this off and on ever since the original post and can't come up with a promising lead, other than perhaps what I've already posted. A recent thread on "Peter Ibbetson" (1935) got me to research that film's plot, and something in a plot description (for some version of the film) reminded me of Gypsy's film. However, I don't think that was the film she saw.