''Running Against Time'' is a 1990 American

science fiction Science fiction (sometimes shortened to Sci-Fi or SF) is a genre of speculative fiction which typically deals with imagination, imaginative and futuristic concepts such as advanced science and technology, space exploration, time travel, Paral ...

television film A television film, alternatively known as a television movie, made-for-TV film/movie or TV film/movie, is a feature-length film that is produced and originally distributed by or to a television network, in contrast to theatrical films made for ...

directed by

Bruce Seth Green Bruce Seth Green is an American television director. Green's credits include '' Knight Rider'', '' Hercules: The Legendary Journeys'', ''Babylon 5'', '' Buffy the Vampire Slayer'', ''Angel'', '' Dawson’s Creek'', '' Gilmore Girls'', ''Law & ...

, written by

Stanley Shapiro Stanley Shapiro (July 16, 1925 – July 21, 1990) was an American screenwriter and producer responsible for three of Doris Day's most successful films. Born in Brooklyn, New York, Shapiro earned his first screen credit for ''South Sea Woman'' ...

and Robert Glass, and starring

Robert Hays Robert Hays (born July 24, 1947) is an American actor, known for a variety of television and film roles since the 1970s. He came to prominence around 1980, co-starring in the two-season domestic sitcom '' Angie'', and playing the central role of ...

Catherine Hicks Catherine Mary Hicks (born August 6, 1951) is an American actress. She played the character Annie Camden on the long-running television series '' 7th Heaven''. Other roles included Dr. Faith Coleridge on the soap opera ''Ryan's Hope'' (1976– ...

, and

Sam Wanamaker Samuel Wanamaker, (born Wattenmacker; June 14, 1919 – December 18, 1993) was an American actor and director who moved to the United Kingdom after becoming fearful of being blacklisted in Hollywood due to his communist views. He is credited as ...

. Based on Shapiro's 1986 novel ''

A Time to Remember ''A Time to Remember'' is the 2009 double album recording of the show by the same name, by The Dubliners, recorded in Vienna. First performed in Vicar Street, Dublin on 4 July 2009 and later taken on tour around Europe, it was conceived as a tri ...

'', the film is about a college professor who travels back in time in an attempt to prevent the

assassination of John F. Kennedy John F. Kennedy, the 35th president of the United States, was assassinated on Friday, November 22, 1963, at 12:30 p.m. CST in Dallas, Texas, while riding in a presidential motorcade through Dealey Plaza. Kennedy was in the vehicle wi ...

. The film was Shapiro's final work; it aired on the

USA Network USA Network (simply USA) is an American basic cable television channel owned by the NBCUniversal Television and Streaming division of Comcast's NBCUniversal through NBCUniversal Cable Entertainment. It was originally launched in 1977 as Mad ...

on November 21, 1990, four months after his death, and was dedicated to his memory.

Plot

A college professor, who has not recovered after the death of his brother in

Vietnam Vietnam or Viet Nam ( vi, Việt Nam, ), officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam,., group="n" is a country in Southeast Asia, at the eastern edge of mainland Southeast Asia, with an area of and population of 96 million, making it ...

, hears rumors about a famous professor working on a time machine. He meets him and persuades the professor to send him back in time in order to stop the

and the Vietnam War, but things don't go according to plan.

Cast

as David Rhodes *

as Laura Whittaker *

as Hendryk Koopman, Ph.D. *

Wayne Tippit Wayne Tippit (December 19, 1932 – August 28, 2009) was an American television and stage character actor. He was best known to television audiences for playing Ted Adamson on the 1970s and 1980s CBS soap opera, ''Search for Tomorrow'', for fiv ...

as FBI Agent Landry * James DiStefano as

Lee Harvey Oswald Lee Harvey Oswald (October 18, 1939 – November 24, 1963) was a U.S. Marine veteran who assassinated John F. Kennedy, the 35th president of the United States, on November 22, 1963. Oswald was placed in juvenile detention at the age of 12 ...

* Paul Scherrer as Chris Rhodes * Brian Smiar as President

Lyndon B. Johnson Lyndon Baines Johnson (; August 27, 1908January 22, 1973), often referred to by his initials LBJ, was an American politician who served as the 36th president of the United States from 1963 to 1969. He had previously served as the 37th vice ...

* Milt Tarver as FBI Agent Clemens *

Russ Marin Russ Marin (May 1, 1934 – March 6, 2005) was an American film and television actor active from the early 1970s to the early 1990s. Career Among the many shows he guest starred include ''Mannix'', ''Bonanza'', ''The Secrets of Isis'', ''Wonde ...

as Chris's Doctor * Julie Ariola as Mrs. Rhodes * Duncan Gamble as Mr. Rhodes * Damion Stevens as Young David *

Michael Whaley Michael Whaley is an American film and television actor. He graduated from Culver City High School in 1980. Some of his most known characters are Dr. Wesley 'Wes' Hayes on '' Sisters'', Det. Nathan Brubaker on '' Profiler'', Detective Paul Armst ...

as Security Guard

Reception

Ken Tucker Kenneth Tucker is an American arts, music and television critic, magazine editor, and non-fiction book writer. Early life and education Tucker was born in Manhattan, New York City, New York, and raised in Stamford, Connecticut. He earned a ...

, writing for ''

Entertainment Weekly ''Entertainment Weekly'' (sometimes abbreviated as ''EW'') is an American digital-only entertainment magazine based in New York City, published by Dotdash Meredith, that covers film, television, music, Broadway theatre, books, and popular cult ...

'' called the movie "simultaneously solemn and wacky" but "not without charm". ''

The LA Times The ''Los Angeles Times'' (abbreviated as ''LA Times'') is a daily newspaper that started publishing in Los Angeles in 1881. Based in the LA-adjacent suburb of El Segundo since 2018, it is the sixth-largest newspaper by circulation in the ...

'' compared it unfavorably to the ''

Back to the Future ''Back to the Future'' is a 1985 American science fiction film directed by Robert Zemeckis, and written by Zemeckis and Bob Gale. It stars Michael J. Fox, Christopher Lloyd, Lea Thompson, Crispin Glover, and Thomas F. Wilson. Set in 19 ...

'' films. Years later, the similarities and differences with

Stephen King Stephen Edwin King (born September 21, 1947) is an American author of horror, supernatural fiction, suspense, crime, science-fiction, and fantasy novels. Described as the "King of Horror", a play on his surname and a reference to his high ...

's novel ''

11/22/63 ''11/22/63'' is a novel by Stephen King about a time traveller who attempts to prevent the assassination of United States President John F. Kennedy, which occurred on November 22, 1963 (the novel's titular date). It is the 60th book published b ...

'' and its

TV adaptation An adaptation is a transfer of a work of art from one style, culture or medium to another. Some common examples are: * Film adaptation, a story from another work, adapted into a film (it may be a novel, non-fiction like journalism, autobiography, ...

'','' were referenced by critics.

References

External links

* {{IMDb title, 0100529 1990 television films 1990 films 1990 science fiction films 1990s American films 1990s English-language films American science fiction television films Cultural depictions of Lee Harvey Oswald Cultural depictions of Jack Ruby English-language science fiction films Films about the assassination of John F. Kennedy Films about time travel Films based on American novels Films based on science fiction novels Films scored by Don Davis (composer) Television films based on books Time travel in television USA Network original films