Repeat Performance (1947)

In the pivotal year of 1946, life takes a tragic turn for the celebrated Broadway actress Sheila Page. The climax of her sorrowful tale unfolds just before the stroke of midnight, when she takes the life of her husband, Barney Page, a playwright whose career peaked with his debut five years ago. As the echoes of the gunshots fade, Sheila flees, leaving behind a mystery that weaves itself into the fabric of the narrative. As the year draws to a close, Sheila seeks solace in her poet friend, William Williams, whose own year has been a cascade of misfortunes. In the quietude of their shared despair, Sheila confesses her act and voices a wish that, if given the chance, she would relive the past year and change the course of her destiny. The universe, it seems, is listening and as the clock chimes midnight, time rolls back to January 1, 1946. Suddenly gifted with the opportunity to rewrite her tragic script, Sheila navigates through the labyrinth of her past, determined to avert the paths that led to her downfall. William, her confidante, is also drawn into the vortex of this temporal anomaly, with his own demons to confront in the form of the demanding matron of the arts, Eloise Shaw, and the talented yet manipulative writer, Paula Costello. However, fate is a tricky player and Eloise and Paula weave themselves into their lives in unexpected ways, setting the stage for a second act that is as unpredictable as the first. As they grapple with their past decisions and future uncertainties, Sheila and William must explore the essence of destiny and free will. Will they rewrite their stories, or will destiny assert its unyielding grip, forcing them to relive their past mistakes? The film 'Repeat Performance' is a dramatic symphony of choices and consequences, a riveting exploration of the eternal battle between fate and free will. As Sheila ascends the stairs to her destiny, the question remains - can one truly alter their past, or are we all just players in the grand theatre of life, destined to perform our parts as scripted by fate?

Repeat Performance is a crime movie featuring Louis Hayward.

Repeat Performance is currently streaming for free (ad-supported) on Cineverse and Kanopy and it's also available on Criterion Channel, TCM and The Film Detective.