Running Against Time (1991) Characters, Setting & Themes Explained

Most of the action takes place in Dallas, Texas, centered around two key locations: the Dallas School Book Depository where the JFK assassination occurs, and Parkland Memorial Hospital where the aftermath unfolds. These historical landmarks serve as the backdrop for the protagonist's attempts to alter history.

• dallas texas
• book depository
• jfk assassination location
• setting

The primary events unfold during 1963, the year of President John F. Kennedy's assassination in Dallas. The film also references 1966, the year David's brother Chris dies in Vietnam, which motivates the protagonist's desperate attempt to change history.

• 1963
• jfk assassination
• 1960s
• time period
• historical setting

The movie explores three core themes: Time Paradox, showing how attempts to alter history create unpredictable ripple effects; Grief and Obsession, focusing on David's determination to save his brother from Vietnam; and History's Drift, examining how even well-intentioned interference with the past leads to unintended consequences.

• themes
• time paradox
• grief
• obsession
• history manipulation

The time paradox theme illustrates how knowledge of the future destabilizes events. David's attempt to prevent the JFK assassination and save his brother creates paradoxes that shift outcomes in unpredictable ways. The film emphasizes that history resists easy manipulation, and even well-intentioned changes can backfire unexpectedly.

• time paradox
• time travel
• changing history
• paradoxes
• causality

David Rhodes is a college history professor portrayed by Robert Hays. He is driven by profound grief over his older brother Chris's death in Vietnam in 1966. This loss motivates him to use time travel to save Chris and prevent the JFK assassination, becoming increasingly determined and resourceful despite the escalating dangers.

• david rhodes
• robert hays
• protagonist
• grief
• vietnam death

Doctor Koopman is an eccentric physics professor played by Sam Wanamaker who developed the theoretical framework for time travel. He serves as both a mentor and moral counterpoint, warning David against interfering with history. His character represents the ethical dangers of tampering with the past and ultimately helps guide the travelers to abandon their plan.

• doctor koopman
• sam wanamaker
• physics professor
• mentor
• time travel creator

Chris Rhodes is David's older brother, a Vietnam veteran whose death in 1966 haunts the protagonist throughout the film. His death becomes the central motivation for David's time-travel mission. In the altered timeline created by David's interventions, Chris returns as a living presence, offering protection and support, representing the hope and consequences of changing history.

• chris rhodes
• brother
• vietnam veteran
• death
• grief motivation

Lee Harvey Oswald appears as the assassin who carries out the JFK assassination in 1963. In the film, he frames David Rhodes for murder, intensifying the danger and suspense. His presence drives the tension around the original historical moment, and his actions shape the timeline through his predatory role in the assassination.

• lee harvey oswald
• assassin
• jfk assassin
• frame for murder
• 1963

The grief and obsession theme drives David's entire character arc. After losing his brother Chris in Vietnam in 1966, he becomes consumed with using time travel to save him. This desperation leads him to attempt altering both the JFK assassination and his brother's fate, ultimately resulting in being framed for murder and facing deadly confrontations. His obsession blinds him to the broader consequences of his actions.

• grief
• obsession
• brother
• desperation
• motivation
• loss

The history's drift theme examines the tension between fixed moments and flexible timelines. While history appears to have a direction, the characters discover that interfering with the past shifts outcomes in unpredictable ways. The film shows how warning LBJ about the Vietnam war can redirect political decisions, sometimes with unintended harm, suggesting history moves in mysterious directions regardless of intervention.

• history
• manipulation
• timeline
• lbj
• vietnam war
• consequences

Laura Whittaker, played by Catherine Hicks, is David's girlfriend. She is a determined and resourceful ally who seeks answers about Doctor Koopman's time-travel work. Laura becomes entangled in the mission, navigating danger and personal loss. Her character provides emotional support and ultimately accepts a future with David, representing the human element amid the sci-fi thriller narrative.

• laura whittaker
• catherine hicks
• girlfriend
• ally
• supportive role

FBI Agent Landry, played by Wayne Tippit, pursues the time travelers throughout the narrative. He represents governmental oversight and the constant risk of arrest. Skeptical of the travelers' stories about time travel, he pushes for containment, adding tension and representing the institutional forces that threaten to stop David's mission.

• fbi agent landry
• law enforcement
• pursuit
• government
• arrest threat