Berkeley Square

Peter Standish sails from New York to England to marry his cousin, setting off a journey driven by family duty. On the eve of departure, he learns of a French balloon crossing the English Channel and laments that he may never witness the future's marvels.

In 1933, Peter inherits a house on Berkeley Square in London and becomes obsessed with his ancestor's diary. His fiancée Marjorie Frant grows increasingly worried as he fixates on the past and its imagined future.

During a tea with the American ambassador, Peter confides his startling belief that the diary will transport him back 149 years at 5:30 that day. He clings to the notion that following the diary's sequence will reveal a predetermined path.

At the moment 5:30 arrives, Peter rushes home and finds himself in 1784, occupying the life of the earlier Peter Standish. He arrives at the Pettigrews' house just as the family welcomes its American visitor, a new presence among the household.

Lady Ann Pettigrew and her children greet the American visitor while the family’s finances are strained. Kate, eager for a wealthy match, watches Peter with interest, setting up potential marriage politics for the household.

Peter finds himself drawn to Helen, complicating his resolve to follow a strict timeline. He battles with 18th-century proprieties as emotions begin to overwhelm his caution.

Peter’s unfamiliarity with 18th-century customs leads to blunders that unsettle the household, including misnaming a painting and discussing events as though they have just happened. The missteps highlight the gulf between his modern sensibilities and the era's expectations.

Kate grows convinced that Peter is demonically possessed and breaks their engagement. The accusation fuels tension within the Pettigrews' home and threatens the future plans tied to the American visitor.

Helen remains sympathetic toward Peter and slowly falls in love with him despite the turmoil around them. She becomes a steady source of comfort as he navigates love under the shadow of their dangerous time mismatch.

Helen presses Peter to explain his 'second sight,' and through her perceptions she glimpses visions of his modern world. The revelation deepens their bond and confirms that his origin is real.

Realizing the burden of living 149 years away from his era, Peter agrees with Helen that he must return to his own time. He resolves to leave the past behind, even as his love for Helen makes the choice painful.

Back in 1933, Peter contends with the consequences of his voyage and goes to Helen's grave. There he learns that she died on June 15, 1787, at age 23, deepening his sense of loss and longing.

Marjorie Frant visits him, worried about his sanity as he claims to be from the 18th century. Peter admits that he cannot marry her, revealing the fracture between his present and past loves.

Peter finds solace in Helen's grave epitaph, which speaks of their reunion not in either of their times, but in God. The inscription reinforces his belief that love endures beyond temporal boundaries and offers a final, hopeful closure.