''Repeat Performance'' is a 1947 American film noir (with

fantasy Fantasy is a genre of speculative fiction involving magical elements, typically set in a fictional universe and sometimes inspired by mythology and folklore. Its roots are in oral traditions, which then became fantasy literature and d ...

elements) starring

Louis Hayward Louis Charles Hayward (19 March 1909 – 21 February 1985) was a Johannesburg-born, British-American actor. Biography Born in Johannesburg, Louis Hayward lived in South Africa and was educated in France and England, including Latymer Upper Scho ...

and

Joan Leslie Joan Leslie (born Joan Agnes Theresa Sadie Brodel; January 26, 1925 – October 12, 2015) was an American actress and vaudevillian, who during the Hollywood Golden Age, appeared in such films as '' High Sierra'' (1941), ''Sergeant York'' (1941) ...

. The film was released by

Eagle-Lion Films Eagle-Lion Films was a British-American film production company owned by J. Arthur Rank intended to distribute British productions in the United States. In 1947, it acquired Robert R. Young's PRC Pictures, a small American production company, ...

, directed by Alfred L. Werker, and produced by

Aubrey Schenck Aubrey Schenck (August 26, 1908, New York City – April 14, 1999, Murrieta, California) was an American film producer from the 1940s through the 1970s. Biography The son of George Schenck, a Russian immigrant theatrical manager, and Mary Schen ...

Plot

On New Year's Eve 1946, a woman is standing over her dead husband with a gun in her hand. She panics and goes to two friends for help. While seeking help from the friends at a pair of parties, she wishes that she could live 1946 all over again. Magically, on the way to see the trusted producer John Friday for advice, she tells the poet William Williams about her desire for a re-do exactly at the strike of midnight on New Year's. Her wish is granted and she is transported back to the beginning of 1946 with her husband alive. She attempts to relive the year without making the mistakes she and her friends made throughout the year, but certain events repeat themselves, including Williams being committed to a psychiatric institution. Nonetheless, Sheila is left to question whether there really is such a thing as fate or not. The story climaxes again on New Year's Eve, when through Sheila's interferences over the year, her husband, a sloppy alcoholic hopelessly devoted to Paula Costello, a now-indifferent fellow playwright, becomes convinced that his spouse is trying to destroy him. He violently confronts her. This time, her friend William, who believes in Sheila's foresight, shoots her husband with her gun.

Cast

as Barney Page *

as Sheila Page *

Virginia Field Virginia Field (born Margaret Cynthia Field; 4 November 1917 – 2 January 1992) was a British-born film actress. Early years An only child, born in London, her father was Sir John Field. He was the judge of Leicester County Court Circuit. H ...

as Paula Costello *

Tom Conway Tom Conway (born Thomas Charles Sanders, 15 September 1904 – 22 April 1967) was a British film, television, and radio actor remembered for playing private detectives (including The Falcon, Sherlock Holmes, Bulldog Drummond, and The Saint) ...

as John Friday *

Richard Basehart John Richard Basehart (August 31, 1914 – September 17, 1984) was an American actor. He starred as Admiral Harriman Nelson in the television science-fiction drama '' Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea'' (1964–68). He also portrayed Wilton Knig ...

as William Williams *

Natalie Schafer Natalie Schafer (November 5, 1900 – April 10, 1991) was an American actress, known for her role as Lovey Howell on the sitcom ''Gilligan's Island'' (1964–1967). Early life and career Natalie Schafer was born on November 5, 1900, in Manhatta ...

as Eloise Shaw *

Benay Venuta Benay Venuta (born Benvenuta Rose Crooke, January 27, 1910 – September 1, 1995) was an American actress, singer and dancer. Early life Born in San Francisco, Venuta was a graduate of Hollywood High School. She attended finishing school in G ...

as Bess Michaels *

Ilka Grüning Ilka Grüning (born Ilka Henriette Grunzweig; 4 September 1876 – 11 November 1964) was an Austrian-Hungarian actress. Born in Vienna in the old Austrian-Hungarian Empire, she was one of many Jewish actors and actresses that were forced to fle ...

as Mattle *

John Ireland John Benjamin Ireland (January 30, 1914 – March 21, 1992) was a Canadian actor. He was nominated for an Academy Award for his performance in ''All the King's Men'' (1949), making him the first Vancouver-born actor to receive an Oscar nomin ...

as Narrator (uncredited) * Eric Wilton as Reveler (uncredited)

Production

The film changed the original story where the girl was the villain because it was felt Joan Leslie could not play a villain. Also, in the book by William O'Farrell, the Richard Basehart character called William Williams was a

cross dressing Cross-dressing is the act of wearing clothes usually worn by a different gender. From as early as pre-modern history, cross-dressing has been practiced in order to disguise, comfort, entertain, and self-express oneself. Cross-dressing has play ...

poet.Turner Classic Movie's "Noir Alley" with host Eddie Muller on "Repeat Performance" (1947) https://www.tcm.com/video/1558166/noir-alley-eddie-muller-on-repeat-performance-1947

Restoration

The film was restored after a screening in 2007 featuring a guest appearance by cast member Joan Leslie resulted in the discovery that a 35mm print had badly decomposed. The Film Noir Foundation, UCLA and others then followed up with restoration of the film, now available on Blu Ray.

Remake

This film was remade as the television film ''Turn Back the Clock'' (1989) directed by Larry Elikann. It featured

Connie Sellecca Connie Sellecca (born Concetta Sellecchia; May 25, 1955) is an American actress, producer, and former model, best known for her roles on the television series '' Flying High'', ''The Greatest American Hero'', and ''Hotel'', for which she was nomi ...

David Dukes David Coleman Dukes (June 6, 1945 – October 9, 2000) was an American character actor. He had a long career in films, appearing in 35. Dukes starred in the miniseries '' The Winds of War'' and '' War and Remembrance'', and he was a frequent tel ...

Jere Burns Jere Eugene Burns II (; born October 15, 1954) is an American actor who has appeared in theatre productions and on television. He played the roles of ladies' man Kirk Morris on the television series '' Dear John'', DIA psychiatrist Anson Fullert ...

Wendy Kilbourne Wendy Kilbourne Read (born June 29, 1964) is an American attorney and former television actress. Biography Kilbourne may be best known as Constance Hazard on the ''North and South'' miniseries (1985, 1986 and 1994), and as Devon King in '' Midn ...

and original cast member

References

External links

* * * * * Turner Classic Movie's "Noir Alley" with host Eddie Muller on "Repeat Performance" (1947) https://www.tcm.com/video/1558166/noir-alley-eddie-muller-on-repeat-performance-1947 {{Alfred L. Werker 1947 films 1947 crime drama films 1940s fantasy drama films American black-and-white films American crime drama films American fantasy drama films Film noir Eagle-Lion Films films Films about time travel Films about wish fulfillment Films directed by Alfred L. Werker Films scored by George Antheil Films set in 1946 Films set around New Year 1940s English-language films 1940s American films