What Is Turn Back the Clock About?
The premise of Turn Back the Clock in 292 words, with nothing given away. The full story follows below.
In the hushed corridors of a 1930s hospital, a middle‑aged man awakens from a car crash with the weight of a lifetime pressing on his chest. While the antiseptic smell and distant clatter of nurses remind him that the present is fragile, his thoughts drift back to the narrow storefront where he has spent years polishing cigars for a town that feels both familiar and unforgiving. The accident becomes a catalyst for a quiet reckoning, forcing him to confront the choices that have stitched together the seams of his modest existence.
Joe Gimlet has always balanced more than the books of his cigar shop. A restless ambition and a longing for something larger have led him into a secret double life—a series of relationships and opportunities that have pulled him between the steadiness of his marriage to Mary and the intoxicating allure of wealth promised by his old friend, the confident banker Ted Wright. The tension between duty and desire is amplified by the era’s smoky optimism and looming uncertainty, painting a portrait of a man who has learned to wear two masks while trying to keep his heart whole.
As he lies still, Joe envisions a version of himself that could have stepped onto a different path twenty years earlier, when youthful hope still shimmered in the streets of his childhood home. The film slips into a wistful, almost dream‑like tone, inviting the audience to share his curiosity about what might have been while he navigates the delicate balance between memory and possibility. The world around him—soda fountains, bustling banks, and the promise of the American dream—serves as a backdrop for an intimate exploration of regret, love, and the quiet courage it takes to accept the life that unfolds before us.
What Happens in Turn Back the Clock?
The complete story of Turn Back the Clock, from the first scene to the last, in 511 words (about 2 minutes). Spoilers throughout. Names in the text link to 4 cast member pages.
Spoilers ahead
On March 6, 1933, Joe Gimlet, a middle-aged proprietor of a cigar store, crosses paths with his childhood friend, the confident banker Ted Wright. During a dinner with his wife, Mary Gimlet, Ted presents a tempting investment scheme, urging the couple to commit $4,000 to his enterprise. Joe is buoyant at the prospect, but Mary hesitates to part with their hard-earned savings, and the tension between them grows as the night wears on. In a drunken, fretful moment, Joe laments not having married the wealthy Elvina Evans Wright, a remark that deepens the rift between husband and wife and foreshadows darker trouble to come.
That same evening spirals into calamity as Joe staggers out of the house and ends up in a car accident, landing him in the hospital. When he regains consciousness, he discovers he has slipped back in time to his youth, living again in the home of his upbringing. The clues of his strange displacement multiply—a newspaper recounting Roosevelt’s African expedition confirms something uncanny has happened. He resolves to keep his foreknowledge hidden, cautiously navigating a world that now feels both familiar and strangely altered. He starts anew as a soda jerk, moving through ordinary routines while concealing the extraordinary knowledge he possesses.
In this younger life, Joe encounters Elvina again and soon enters into an engagement with her, unaware of the emotional toll it will exact on the people around him, particularly his former flame and his mother Mrs. Gimlet, who gently reminds him that wealth often wears a hollow smile. The romance with Elvina blossoms into marriage, and Joe’s unusual abilities propel him to rapid financial success. He leverages his glimpses of the future to amass wealth and prestige, all while trying to balance the demands of his double life and the expectations of those who care about him.
Meanwhile, Mary and Ted embark on their own married life, moving forward in a world that neither of them fully understands. Joe’s rise is marked by philanthropy and public admiration, yet his union with Elvina becomes strained, and mismanagement of resources slowly erodes the foundations of his fortune. The crash that marks the end of the era—the stock market collapse of 1929—rumbles through his carefully built empire, casting a long shadow over his personal and professional affairs. The unraveling leads to a divorce from Elvina and leaves betrayals by bank employees in its wake, as legal troubles loom on the horizon.
As the consequences of his choices close in, Joe experiences a surreal rush of time once more, a churning return to the crucial moment of March 6, 1933. He flees from the mounting penalties, begging Mary to leave her life behind for a shared escape. His plea is cut short by the encroaching law, and he is ultimately seized by authorities. The world quiets, and Joe awakens back in the hospital, restored to the present moment. Grateful for the life he shares with Mary, he accepts the fate that binds them together, choosing to embrace what cannot be changed and to cherish the love that endures.
Turn Back the Clock Timeline: Every Key Event in Order
13 key events in the order they happen, from “Dinner confrontation and investment pitch” to “Return to the present and awakening”. 11 events name a place, across 11 locations.
- 1
Dinner confrontation and investment pitch
On March 6, 1933, Joe Gimlet hosts a dinner with his wife Mary where his childhood friend, banker Ted Wright, pitches a plan to invest $4,000 in Joe's business. Ted frames it as a life-changing opportunity, and Joe is eager to commit, while Mary hesitates to part with their savings. The evening exposes a fault line in Joe's marriage, as his drunken envy over Elvina seeps into the discussion.
When:March 6, 1933 Where:Joe's home
- 2
Drunken departure and accident
After leaving the dinner intoxicated, Joe's reckless drive ends in a car crash that lands him in the hospital for surgery. The accident serves as the catalyst for his uncanny journey through time. He begins the long, painful recovery with the suspicion that something extraordinary has happened to him.
When:March 6, 1933 (late night) Where:Near his home
- 3
Waking in his youth
Joe awakens as a younger version of himself, back in his hometown and among the places he knows so well. A newspaper recounting Roosevelt's African expedition confirms he is out of sync with time. He resolves to navigate this second chance without revealing his future knowledge.
When:Early era (before 1929) Where:Childhood home
- 4
Soda jerk in a familiar town
To survive, Joe takes a job as a soda jerk, living a simpler life while keeping his future knowledge secret. He learns the rhythms of his hometown and observes faces he once knew without tipping them off. The ordinary job anchors him as he tests his adjustments to the past.
When:Early 20th century Where:Local soda fountain
- 5
Encounter with Elvina and engagement
Joe meets Elvina and forms a romance, becoming engaged while still young and unaware of the consequences for Mary and his mother. Elvina's charm pulls him into a life he's only beginning to understand. His decisions here echo through the lives of those he left behind.
When:Early era Where:Elvina's circle
- 6
Marriage to Elvina and rise in wealth
Joe marries Elvina and begins leveraging his glimpses into future events to amass wealth and social standing. He enjoys public notice as a benefactor, but his happiness is tempered by the strain of keeping secrets from those closest to him. His marriage marks a turning point with consequences that ripple outward.
When:Early 20th century Where:Elvina's world
- 7
Public good and gilded success
With his prescience, Joe's wealth grows and he engages in philanthropic acts that boost his public image. He receives praise and influence, even as the personal costs of deception linger. The arc presents a man who has it all yet remains emotionally unsettled.
When:1930s
- 8
Mary and Ted marry
Meanwhile, Mary and Ted marry and pursue their own lives apart from Joe's new dynasty. Their relationship unfolds against the shifting economy and social circles, highlighting divergent paths shaped by Joe's decisions. The narrative underscores how one man’s choices affect others.
When:1930s
- 9
Stock market crash and wealth ruin
The stock market crash of 1929 shatters Joe's carefully built fortune, exposing the fragility of his wealth and leading Elvina's comforts to collapse. His empire crumbles as mismanagement and bad bets pile up. The consequences ripple through his personal and professional life.
When:1929 Where:New York / Wall Street
- 10
Divorce and professional disgrace
As his finances fail, Joe divorces Elvina and faces the betrayal of his banking employees. He confronts professional ruin and looming legal trouble that threaten to ruin him completely. The past, once a source of power, becomes a trap he cannot escape.
When:Late 1920s–1930s Where:Banking circles / courthouse
Show the other 3 events of Turn Back the Clock Hide the last 3 events
- 11
Temporal convergence back to 1933
The consequences of his actions trigger a surreal time reversal, and Joe is pulled back to March 6, 1933. He finds himself again in the world he thought he had left behind, confronting the consequences of what he did. He sees Mary and the others anew through the lens of fate.
When:March 6, 1933 Where:March 6, 1933 city
- 12
Escape attempt with Mary and capture
Desperate to alter the course of events, Joe urges Mary to run away with him, but their attempt to flee is halted when law enforcement closes in. The moment underscores the inescapable pull of time and consequence. They are apprehended by the authorities.
When:1933 Where:City streets
- 13
Return to the present and awakening
Joe wakes in the hospital, restored to the present moment with the memory of his visions. He expresses gratitude for the life he shares with Mary and accepts the fate that connects them. The experience leaves him with a quiet peace about ordinary life.
When:Present Where:Hospital
Who Are the Main Characters in Turn Back the Clock?
8 characters, among them Joe Gimlet (Lee Tracy), Mary Gimlet / Mary Wright (Mae Clarke) and Elvina Evans Wright / Elvina Evans Gimlet (Peggy Shannon): who each one is and the part they play in the story. Every profile links to the actor’s page.
- JG
Joe Gimlet (Lee Tracy)
Played by Lee Tracy
A middle-aged cigar-store owner who dreams of a better life. He is ambitious, perceptive, and prone to impulsive decisions when influenced by pride and fear. His time-travel experience forces him to reevaluate the costs of wealth and the honesty of his relationships.
- 💼 Ambition
- ⏳ Time
- 🧭 Self-reflection
-
Mary Gimlet / Mary Wright (Mae Clarke)
Played by Mae Clarke
Joe's wife, initially cautious about spending and wealth. She provides emotional grounding and embodies pragmatic, steady love. Her perspective helps Joe realize that happiness isn't bought with money, and she remains a moral compass through the turmoil.
- 💖 Loyalty
- 🧭 Sound judgment
- EE
Elvina Evans Wright / Elvina Evans Gimlet (Peggy Shannon)
Played by Peggy Shannon
A confident social climber who marries Joe after their youth-fueled ascent. Her relationship with Joe highlights how wealth and status can strain personal bonds and lead to conflict when financial mismanagement occurs.
- 💎 Status
- 💔 Strain
-
Ted Wright (C. Henry Gordon)
Played by C. Henry Gordon
Joe's childhood friend and banker who pushes the investment opportunity that begins the chain of events. He embodies practicality and ambition, and his involvement helps set the plot in motion, including the eventual marital pairing with Mary.
- 🏦 Finance
- 🧭 Opportunism
- MG
Mrs. Gimlet (Joe's Mother) (Clara Blandick)
Played by Clara Blandick
A pragmatic and wise presence who cautions Joe about the illusions of wealth. She offers counsel and reinforces the theme that happiness shouldn't be measured by riches.
- 👵 Wisdom
- 🧭 Guidance
- DH
Dr. Henderson (Charley Grapewin)
Played by Charley Grapewin
A physician connected to the hospital where Joe recovers, serving as a procedural backdrop to the life-changing hospitalization after the accident.
- ⚕️ Medicine
- 🏥 Support
- PE
Pete Evans (George Barbier)
Played by George Barbier
A character connected to the social circle and the business world surrounding Joe, illustrating the broader network that influences the protagonists’ fortunes.
- 👔 Society
- 🧑💼 Influence
-
Cigar Store Customer (Ed Wynn)
Played by Ed Wynn
A minor, uncredited presence who appears in the shop, adding texture to Joe's everyday life before the extraordinary events unfold.
- 🎭 Minor role
- 🧭 Everyday life
Where and When Is Turn Back the Clock Set?
Turn Back the Clock is set in Cigar shop, Joe's home, childhood home, Elvina Evans Wright's home, bank… (1933). Here is why the time and place matter to the story.
When
1933
The story unfolds in 1933, amid the early years of the Great Depression. A pivotal late-life awakening sends Joe back to his youth, allowing a crash course in how choices shape destiny. The narrative also touches on the 1929 stock market crash and its consequences, framing wealth as a precarious illusion within this era.
Where
Cigar shop, Joe's home, childhood home, Elvina Evans Wright's home, bank, hospital
The action centers around a small-town setting where a cigar shop anchors Joe Gimlet's life. Key locations include Joe's shop and family home, Elvina's home after their marriage, a bank where financial decisions are made, and the hospital where Joe wakes after the accident. The film weaves between the present day (1933) and Joe's younger years, grounding its fantasy in familiar, everyday places.
- ❄️ Nostalgia
- ⏳ Time travel
- 🏛 1930s America
What Are the Themes of Turn Back the Clock?
3 ideas the story keeps returning to, among them Time and Fate, Wealth and Consequence and Love and Realization.
-
01
Time and Fate
Time acts as both a driver and a mirror in Turn Back the Clock. The protagonist experiences a literal return to youth, forcing him to confront past choices with foreknowledge of future events. The story suggests that while time can reveal consequences, it cannot easily rewrite a life’s core decisions.
-
02
Wealth and Consequence
Wealth is depicted as seductive yet unstable, capable of corrupting relationships and judgment. Joe leverages foreknowledge to accumulate wealth, but the profits come with moral and personal costs. The film cautions that financial success without wisdom can erode happiness and integrity.
-
03
Love and Realization
Relationships anchor the narrative, showing how love, loyalty, and forgiveness endure beyond material gains. Mary embodies steadiness and moral clarity, reminding Joe of what truly matters. The tale argues that fidelity and human connection hold more enduring value than wealth or status.
What Kind of Film Is Turn Back the Clock?
Bittersweet in tone, with steady pacing and a moderate story, going by the plot summary.
- Tone
- Bittersweet
- Pacing
- Steady
- Story
- Moderate
- Intensity
- Medium
- Ending
- Bittersweet
This reflective fantasy drama explores the poignant weight of regret and the 'what if' questions of life through a nostalgic time-travel premise, balancing tense personal drama with a somber, ultimately grateful resolution.
- nostalgic
- reflective
- regretful
- dreamlike
- tense
- grateful
- time travel
- alternate life
- regret
- marriage
Content notes: car accident, alcohol abuse.
Quiz
How well do you remember Turn Back the Clock? Test yourself on the story.
