Such a frustrating disappointment

Simply A Masterpiece

Although it has its amusing moments, in eneral the plot does not convince.

Blistering performances.

Oddly enough this particularly interesting story never showed up on the old American series ONE STEP BEYOND. One could see John Newland delving into it and whether it was true or not.Ms Elizabeth Morrison (Wendy Hiller) and Ms Francis Lamont (Hannah Gordon) were two proper English ladies, Oxford graduates and educators both. In August 1901 they took a vacation trip to France, and were viewing all the famous historical landmarks. This took them to the palace at Versailles on August 10, 1901. What happened depends on your acceptance that there are many unanswered phenomenon in our world. The ladies got separated from other people in their tourist party, and sat down for awhile. Suddenly they heard people speaking French, and saw men and women appear who were wearing clothing and fashions from the late 18th Century. In fact, one of the ladies appeared to be Queen Marie Antoinette. There were anxious looks on the various people, who were listening to a messenger pointing towards Paris. Gradually the oddly dressed people left the scene, and our two ladies wandered off, and found the modern dressed people again. One of the ladies would return on her own and have another similar experience. Being bookish they studied the existing material and found that they may have somehow been taken back in time to August 10, 1792, the day the Tuileries palace was sacked and the Swiss Guard massacred. They also found that the ghost of the Queen may have been seen on the grounds by others. The two ladies presented their story to various psychic societies, damaging their academic credentials. Finally they published an account of it in 1911, but the drama ends with the death of Lamont, apparently worn out by denying she was hallucinating or lying. Actually the two ladies did not die (in real life) so soon after 1911.For a short account of the story see Rupert Furneaux'a THE WORLD'S MOST INTRIGUING TRUE MYSTERIES (New York: ARC BOOKS, INC., 1969), pp. 24 - 38 "An Adventure in Time". The television film (first shown on the series "MYSTERY" in the United States) was a good one, particularly in the performances of the two leads. As mentioned in the other reviews, tricks with photography were used to suggest events going on around the ladies that could have been ghosts, or could have been due to heat prostration.

I have seen this film a couple of times and found it a beautifully produced and insightful film. Wendy Hiller and Hannah Gordon are excellent as two courageous Edwardian scholars clashing with the closed, male dominated academic world of Oxford in 1901. Determined to tell the world of their strange paranormal experience at Versailles even if it means jeopardizing their credibility as scholars (albeit women scholars!). Authentic period detail, combined with sensitive performances, make the film a rare gem. The 'ghostly' subject matter is very effectively presented and leaves a lasting impression on the viewer. The great Dame Wendy is at her best!

I'm not a big fan of paranormal stories, but this is different. Not just because Hannah Gordon manages to astonish me once again. She is absolutely brilliant in this interesting historic scenario, and next to Dame Wendy Hiller, they put together a masterpiece. The two women, as different as they are, make a very intreaging couple, given the time the story is taking place - and an interesting portrait of women a hundred years ago in britain. I just love that speech Gordon makes to the students in the end - she is indeed better than the lot of them put together - that goes for Hannah Gordon as well as the character she plays. Wendy Hiller's mimic is absolutely excellent too.

I saw this film and absolutely loved it!! I am a great fan of the stunning actress Hannah Gordon and the reason I bought the film was because she was in it. Dame Wendy Hiller was also fantastic and some of her remarks in the film were light-hearted and so this gave her character a different side to what we first see. Hannah Gordon never ceases to be wonderful and I think that both actresses should have got an award for such a brilliant masterpiece!!