Anna to the Infinite Power (1983) Characters, Setting & Themes Explained

The movie is set in Flemington, New Jersey, a quiet suburban town where Anna lives with her family and attends a school for gifted children. The story also takes place at Albacore Island, a remote research facility where the secret cloning experiments are conducted. The contrast between the welcoming small-town environment and the hidden laboratory creates tension around the moral implications of the project.

Foreshadowing: Earlier scenes of Anna's suburban life establish a false sense of normalcy before the hidden world is revealed.

• flemington new jersey
• albacore island
• setting
• locations
• cloning facility

Albacore Island is a remote, hidden facility where Dr. Jelliff conducts his cloning experiments. It serves as the secret laboratory where the original Anna Zimmerman was created and where subsequent clones are produced. The isolated location represents the hidden, morally ambiguous world of scientific experimentation that exists apart from normal society.

Foreshadowing: Anna's prophetic dreams hint at a place she has never been, foreshadowing the island's existence.

• albacore island
• secret laboratory
• cloning facility
• research center

The story takes place in contemporary times, primarily in the present day. However, it includes flashbacks to World War II-era Germany that reveal the origins of the cloning program. A key 1970 photograph also connects to Anna's hidden origins, bridging the past with the present narrative.

Foreshadowing: The 1970 photograph that Anna discovers is a critical link to the historical events that shaped her existence.

• time period
• present day
• world war ii
• flashbacks
• 1970s

The Duplicated Self theme explores what makes a person unique when identical copies exist. The film examines how multiple Annas, Anna Hart, Anna Smithson, and the original Anna Zimmerman, each struggle with identity when confronted by their own replicas. The theme addresses whether consciousness, memories, or genetics define who we are, especially when scientific manipulation blurs the lines between original and copy.

Foreshadowing: Anna's prophetic dreams suggest a blurring of identity across different versions of herself.

• duplicated self
• identity
• clones
• copy
• selfhood
• individuality

The Bioethics theme examines the moral questions surrounding cloning and human experimentation. Dr. Jelliff's relentless pursuit of control over the Annas illustrates the dangers of unchecked scientific ambition. The film challenges whether scientific progress justifies unethical methods, particularly when consent is absent and lives are treated as experiments to be manipulated or eliminated.

Foreshadowing: Dr. Jelliff's secretive nature and willingness to manipulate others hints at his disregard for ethical boundaries.

• bioethics
• cloning
• human experimentation
• consent
• scientific ethics
• morality

The Family Secrets theme deals with hidden pasts that resurface to reshape relationships and identities. The Hart family's involvement in the cloning program exposes buried loyalties, guilt, and the consequences of keeping dangerous truths hidden. The revelation that Sarah Hart volunteered for the cloning program and that Michaela is actually Anna Parkhurst fundamentally changes how characters relate to one another.

Foreshadowing: Anna's headaches when exposed to flickering lights and fires may connect to traumatic memories from the program's origins.

• family secrets
• hidden past
• cloning program
• secrets
• family history
• revelation

Anna Hart is a gifted twelve-year-old student with temperamental tendencies who experiences prophetic dreams and suffers headaches when exposed to fires and flickering lights. She is the central character who discovers she is a clone created from the original Anna Zimmerman. Her journey revolves around uncovering her true origins and defining her identity despite being one of multiple copies.

Foreshadowing: Anna's prophetic dreams provide clues about her hidden past and the existence of other Annas.

• anna hart
• main character
• clone
• protagonist
• gifted student

Dr. Jelliff is the morally flexible scientist overseeing the cloning experiments at Albacore Island. He is relentless, secretive, and willing to manipulate or eliminate clones to protect his research. His actions drive much of the conflict in the story, as he schemes to maintain control over the Anna clones despite the ethical violations involved.

Foreshadowing: Dr. Jelliff's early secrecy and controlling demeanor foreshadow his willingness to harm those who threaten his work.

• dr jelliff
• scientist
• antagonist
• cloning
• researcher
• villain

Michaela Dupont is a piano teacher who moves in next door to the Harts and becomes crucial to uncovering the truth about the Annas. She has observed Anna and kept photos of a near-identical girl from 1970, making her a key witness to the cloning program's history. She ultimately reveals herself as Anna Parkhurst, the original product of the cloning program, fundamentally shifting the power dynamics of the story.

Foreshadowing: Her possession of old photographs and interest in Anna suggest she knows more than she initially reveals.

• michaela dupont
• piano teacher
• anna parkhurst
• witness
• ally

Rowan Hart is Anna's older brother, depicted as brave and loyal throughout the film. He serves as an ally to Anna, helping her navigate the dangerous world behind the cloning project. Rowan takes significant risks by reaching out to Dr. Jelliff and supporting his sister in the face of peril, emphasizing the theme of family bonds and protective courage.

Foreshadowing: Rowan's willingness to protect Anna from the beginning suggests he will play a crucial role in her journey.

• rowan hart
• brother
• family
• ally
• supporting character

Sarah Hart is Anna's mother, who voluntarily participated in the cloning program and possesses critical knowledge about the genetic experiments. Her decisions set up the central conflict and moral questions driving the plot. As someone who knowingly contributed to the creation of clones, she becomes a key figure in addressing the ethical implications of the program and in deciding what is permissible for her daughter and for science.

Foreshadowing: Sarah's protective instincts toward Anna hint at deeper knowledge she has been concealing.

• sarah hart
• mother
• cloning program
• volunteer
• parent