Turn Back the Clock (1933)

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Siskoid
Capra before Capra, Turn Back the Clock is a little more fable in which a man wishes for a different life, gets it, and not too surprisingly, wishes he hadn't changed a thing. In the Depression era, it seems appropriate that films 1) indulge in this kind of fantasy since many were surely expressing regrets about the course of their lives, and 2) teach audiences about finding contentment in a time of scarcity. Or it's a movie, and love trumps money every time. The fantasy (or travel through time, you decide) is at least well thought out, with the lead not only taking the road previously not taken, but also using knowledge of the future to make the best investments and try to change things for the better and not just for himself. But there's a certain solidity to events that makes that a little pointless in big doses, I guess. A little stagey at times, and with a character who's not very smart when it comes to discussing his situation in the open, but this is still an interesting what if-type tale. 3 years 7 months ago