A Timeless Christmas (2020 Hallmark)
Cast: Ryan Paevey, Brandi Alexander, Nelson Wong
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Synopsis (via Hallmark)
Charles Whitley travels from 1903 to 2020, where he meets Megan Turner and experiences a 21st Century Christmas.
Thoughts
The movie starts at a 1903 auction; Charles wins a timeless Christmas Clock he plans to give it to his fiance, Eliza. They all talk in maybe British accents, except to the maid Rosey, who isn’t even trying! Rosey doesn’t seem to care for Eliza and advises Charles that he should wait for true love. Charles tinkers with the Christmas Clock during a full moon to get it working again and sends himself into the 21st century.
2020, Megan (a distant relative of Rosey) works as a tour guide for the historic manor. Charles has a huge painting on the wall and mysteriously disappeared one night in 1903. The REAL Charles wakes up and is very confused. He kicks the tour out of the manor and gets angry with the staff for impersonating his servants. They think Charles is an actor who is WAY too method. Charles doesn’t understand anything. Carm planes, microwaves all confused him.
Charles is insistent that he is from the past, and Megan starts to consider that he could be telling the truth. After Charles is taken away by the police, she searches for a hole in the floor and finds a secret compartment with the Christmas clock and old notes.
Megan spring Charles out of jail and takes him for pizza. Megan is a scholar and studied his history for her dissertation. She informs him that his assets have been liquidated, and his home turned into a museum. His name is his legacy in 2020. Charles wants to go back. (That is until he figures out what TV is.) Charles spends the night in the manor and wakes up the next day, agreeing to play himself on tour. Megan and Charles flirt in front of the guests.
Charles is a hit with his fellow actors and director. The tour reviews call him a hunk, which he is. Megan uses his first week’s salary to buy Charles’s new clothing and more pizza. Then they go to the town Christmas tree lighting, and when the townsfolk start singing, “We wish you a Merry Christmas.” Charles doesn’t know the words because it wasn’t written until 1903; it was written in 1935. (Love all these little details.) Megan doesn’t just teach him about songs; she explains the entirety of the internet and cellphones. Then the movie is over because that took so long.
Just kidding, the Christmas moon is coming, and Charles realizes that the clock paired with the moon could have something to do with his time travel. They ask Kenny, the tour director, to check it out. He shows them the archives and tells them to have at it. Charles read up on time travel in old books, instead of the INTERNET! Megan doesn’t want him to leave and tells him to be happy to be where he is. She invites him to a family party to show her family traditions. Charles learns more than he bargains for via a family PowerPoint. Eliza married his sworn enemy. He feels betrayed, but thanks, Megan, for telling him the truth. (Only after getting caught trying to hide the truth.)
While on a job interview at the university, Megan sees the clock and brings it to Charles. She tells him that he has to try to go back to 1903. Charles is beginning to think that he might want to stay. At least for the manor’s holiday party.
Charles makes his grand entrance and looks fab. Everyone at the party notices and is super into it. Charles makes an impassioned speech about remembering your past but embracing your present. Then he dances with actor Eliza while Megan watches on, confused, and hoping he will stay. Charles gives Megan a Christmas present, he is going to stay because they deserve happiness. They kiss and plan to spend NYE together. Hopefully, that means a sequel!
Side Note
Minority Report: Amber, Dan, Kenny, Sheriff, Tourists,
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Overall rating
ššššš (5 Christmas Trees)
š·š·š· (3 glasses of wine required.)
*Photo Credit: Ā© 2020 Hallmark Crown Media
Very enjoyable review, you really gave me a giggle!
In the “A Timeless Christmas” TV movie,Charles James Whitley, born June 6th 1870, was NEVER in jail, as the ‘review’ states.
I’m surprised, that during questioning, at the station, that the good Sheriff NEVER asked Mister Whitley for any ID. Guess he assumed,…’all is good’.