A Matter of Time

A Matter of Time

Year: 1976

Runtime: 97 mins

Language: English

Director: Vincente Minnelli

FantasyDrama

During a press conference, international star Nina drifts back to her early days as a maid in a rundown Italian hotel. There she befriends the elderly Contessa Sanziani, who shares vivid memories of a lavish life with Count Sanziani. Inspired, Nina yearns for the same excitement and adventure she once imagined.

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Timeline & Setting – A Matter of Time (1976)

Explore the full timeline and setting of A Matter of Time (1976). Follow every major event in chronological order and see how the environment shapes the story, characters, and dramatic tension.

Time period

Mid-1950s

The narrative moves through the mid-1950s, opening with a press conference that casts Nina's rise as a public spectacle. A flashback to her arrival in Rome at age 19 anchors personal history in the era of postwar European cinema. Glamour and constraint of the period help explain both Nina's opportunities and the Contessa's unraveling.

Location

Rome, Italy, dilapidated hotel

Rome serves as the backdrop for Nina's ascent, anchored by the dilapidated hotel where she begins as a chambermaid. The city juxtaposes ancient grandeur with postwar fatigue, shaping a world where dreams contend with survival. Fantasies of casinos and Venetian palazzos reveal how Nina envisions a future beyond the hotel walls.

🏛️ Roman setting 🏨 Dilapidated hotel life 🎬 Film backdrop

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 18:00

Main Characters – A Matter of Time (1976)

Meet the key characters of A Matter of Time (1976), with detailed profiles, motivations, and roles in the plot. Understand their emotional journeys and what they reveal about the film’s deeper themes.

Nina (Liza Minnelli)

Nina starts as a humble chambermaid in a dilapidated Rome hotel and is mentored toward sophistication by the Contessa. Her transformation toward stardom reflects a hunger for escape from poverty and a yearning for a brighter future. As she rises, she grapples with the price of fame and the pull of genuine selfhood.

✨ Transformation 🌟 Fame 🎯 Ambition

Contessa Sanziani (Ingrid Bergman)

A once-glamorous matriarch who takes Nina under her wing, the Contessa embodies elegance and vulnerability. Her relationship with her husband reawakens old wounds, and her decline culminates in a fatal accident, marking a poignant end to a life of extravagance. She serves as both mentor and cautionary tale.

👑 Elegance 💔 Affair 🪞 Reflection

Count Sanziani (Charles Boyer)

Husband of the Contessa, estranged for decades, whose sudden presence and departure underscore themes of memory, pride, and unresolved conflict. He remains a figure of distant influence, retreating after a heated exchange that foreshadows the Contessa's fragility.

💼 Distance 🕰️ Remembrance 💔 Estrangement

Mario Morello (Spiros Focás)

A frustrated screenwriter who becomes a conduit between Nina and the film industry. His pragmatic view of the Contessa's stock certificates contrasts with Nina's romantic optimism, driving key decisions and revealing the gray areas of talent and opportunity.

🖊️ Screenwriting 💡 Friendship 🎭 Manipulation

Antonio Vicari (Gabriele Ferzetti)

A film director who notices Nina during a test and envisions her as the star of his next picture. His professional interest catalyzes Nina's leap from obscurity to screen superstardom, highlighting the commodification of talent in cinema.

🎬 Director 🎯 Opportunity 🔥 Ambition

Sister Pia (Isabella Rossellini)

A Catholic charity hospital nurse who attends to the Contessa in her final days. She represents care and compassion amid upheaval, grounding Nina's journey in humanity and mortality.

🙏 Compassion 🕊️ Mercy 💊 Care

Valentina (Tina Aumont)

Nina's cousin whose arrangement brings her first into the hotel world. Valentina embodies family ties and practical pathway-creating support, even as she navigates the complexities of aspiration in a challenging environment.

👩‍👧 Family 💃 Aspiration 🗺️ Pathfinding

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 18:00

Major Themes – A Matter of Time (1976)

Explore the central themes of A Matter of Time (1976), from psychological, social, and emotional dimensions to philosophical messages. Understand what the film is really saying beneath the surface.

🎭 Identity Shift

Nina's transformation from maid to potential star shows how identity can be shaped by mentors, appearances, and social polish. The Contessa guides her toward sophistication, blurring lines between self and performance. The film examines the costs and limits of reinventing oneself for fame.

🪞 Memory Echo

The ornate mirror that triggers Nina's flashbacks links memory with aspiration, making fantasy and reality collide. Past experiences color present decisions as Nina negotiates her future. The narrative uses memory as a compass and a trap, shaping how she sees herself.

🎬 Fame vs Self

The lure of cinema and public acclaim tests Nina's autonomy against external manipulation. Relationships with Vicari and the Contessa illuminate how ambition can both empower and corrode. The story weighs personal integrity against the spectacle of stardom.

💰 Wealth & Power

Money acts as both a lifeline and a driver of illusion, from the Contessa's finances to the bank certificate that funds the hotel. The pursuit of wealth enables transformation but also deepens dependency and moral compromise. The plot shows wealth reshaping social dynamics and personal choices.

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 18:00

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A Matter of Time Summary

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A Matter of Time Summary

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A Matter of Time Timeline

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A Matter of Time (1976) Plot Summary & Movie Recap

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