# Repeat Performance

Repeat Performance is a 1947 American film noir (with fantasy elements) starring Louis Hayward and Joan Leslie. The film was released by Eagle-Lion Films, directed by Alfred L. Werker, and produced by Aubrey Schenck.

## Plot

On New Year's Eve 1946, Sheila Page stands over her dead husband Barney with a gun in her hand. She panics and arrives at a party, requesting two friends for help. There, William suggests she should see theatrical producer John Friday for advice. She arrives at Friday's apartment, and as she ascends the stairs, she wishes that she could live 1946 all over again. William suddenly disappears, and she is transported back to New Year's Day 1946. At Friday's apartment, she decides not to perform in a play Saying Goodbye in London she had played in the future, which baffles Friday.
She returns to her apartment and embraces Barney. They invite their friends, including Friday, for a New Year's Day breakfast, where Sheila warns William to avoid Eloise Shaw, who will have committed to an asylum. To Sheila's surprise, English playwright Paula Costello crashes the party and flirts with Barney. He and Sheila argue, in which Barney leaves to go out drinking. Sheila begins to question whether fate really does exist. The next morning, Barney returns home drunk.
Determined to keep Barney from seeing Paula, Sheila travels to California with Barney. There, Barney reads Paula's new play Saying Goodbye, which Sheila remembers performing in the original timeline. However, she refuses to perform in the play and angers Barney, after stating he wastes his time reading other plays and not finishing his own. Friday arrives and convinces her to perform in the play. During rehearsals, Barney arrives with Paula, and Sheila tries to convince Sheila to rewrite the final act.
As the play continues its yearly run in New York, Barney and Paula continue their affair. At a Thanksgiving party, Barney get drunk, insults Sheila and kisses Paula on the balcony. When he is discovered, Barney falls over the edge and near the railing of the stage. Barney is immobilized with a brain paralysis, and Sheila quits the play to help him recover. Meanwhile, Sheila learns from Eloise that William has been committed to an asylum. There, William recalls what Sheila's earlier statements about reliving 1946, and is reminded he walked out of the asylum on New Year's Eve.
On Christmas Eve, Sheila returns to reprise her stage role, leaving Barney alone with their housemaid. Paula arrives at their apartment where Barney considers leaving with her to London. Sheila returns and confronts Paula as she leaves. On New Year's Eve, Sheila finishes her performance, and asks Friday to accompany her to the apartment. There, she receives a note from Barney stating he had left for Paula, and can walk again with a cane. On the ship, Barney arrives in Paula's stateroom but she rejects him.
Angered, Barney returns to their apartment and confronts Sheila wanting to kill her. As Barney prepares to strike, he is shot dead by William. Police officers arrive and arrest William. As he is being taken into custody, William realizes that while certain actions can be altered, the end results remain the same.

## Cast

* Louis Hayward as Barney Page
* Joan Leslie as Sheila Page
* Virginia Field as Paula Costello
* Tom Conway as John Friday
* Richard Basehart as William Williams
* Natalie Schafer as Eloise Shaw
* Benay Venuta as Bess Michaels
* Ilka Grüning as Mattle
* John Ireland as Narrator (uncredited)
* Eric Wilton as Reveler (uncredited)

## Production

There were various actors and directors in mind for the film, with Jules Dassin once in mind to direct while Franchot Tone and Constance Dowling were tapped in mind for the lead roles. Eventually, Dowling was dropped for Sylvia Sidney in mind. All of the considerations would instead be washed away for Alfred L. Werker to direct for Joan Leslie and Louis Hayward.
The film reversed the original story that involves Barney having been the one killing his lover before he relives the previous year and Sheila being a drunk. This was evidently done due to the perception that 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 poet.
Filming began November 1946.
Eagle-Lion, noticing the good reviews for Basehart, gave him higher billing and even gave the film a premiere showing in his home town of Zanesville, Ohio.

## 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, David Dukes, Jere Burns, Wendy Kilbourne and original cast member Joan Leslie.