WHEN Christopher Reeve died a few weeks ago, obituaries lamenting his very sad passing recalled a number of widely acclaimed roles. Forever remembered for the Superman series, less mention was made of the film that has achieved a remarkable cult following.

When Somewhere In Time was first released in 1980, critics were lukewarm in their reviews. When we interviewed the star for our Movie Fan's Travel Guide column, our attitude was more enthusiastic, mainly because his real co-star was a remarkable location.

Even the youngest Bermudian has heard tales of a more idyllic, slower paced life as it existed on the islands before World War Two. Back then transportation was via horse and buggy. Would it surprise you to learn that kind of life still exists in the very unique setting Universal Studios chose for their film? And it, too, is an island location.

The book on which this movie is based was originally set at San Diego's prestigious Hotel del Coronado. But the studio wanted something more isolated.

It probably looked that setting over and came away with the same impression this traveller did on a recent visit . . . it's a very unique, interesting and historic property, but unfortunately now surrounded by overdevelopment encroaching on it from all directions except for its ocean front.

But the studio wanted something more isolated and scouted Michigan's equally famed Grand Hotel in February 1979. The Straits of Mackinac where Lakes Michigan and Huron meet were frozen solid when a team arrived via snowmobile and drove across the so-called "ice bridge" edged by a long line of old Christmas trees.

"At the time it seemed like an encore for Dr. Zhivago, not a light-hearted romance in a period setting," recounted a studio official.

Travellers know some destinations are so unique that visiting them is almost like stepping into a time machine and emerging in another era. That's exactly what Somewhere In Time is all about. Playwright Christopher Reeve travels back 70 years in time while a guest at Mackinac Island's Grand Hotel to meet actress Jane Seymour, a famous star who appeared in a play there in 1910.

"It takes him days to learn how to turn back the clock in an era when there were no cars, only horses, and life moved at a leisurely pace," mused a life-long resident of the island which floats off the top of Michigan's lower half. "We live like that every day. It's a horse-and-buggy world up here and we aim to keep it that way."

Way back in 1902, the town voted to keep the island free of vehicles "forever". Most visitors arrive by ferry from Mackinaw or St. Ignace, climb into a horse-drawn buggy and proceed to "do" the seven-mile Shore Road which circles the island. There is also access via commuter flights from Detroit into Pellston, Michigan connecting to ground transportation or air taxi. Grand Hotel also offers seven passenger charter flights via Cessna 441 Conquest II twin engine turbo prop from Chicago, New York, Washington, DC, Boston among other places to the island's 3,500-foot airstrip.

Doing the three-mile-long, two-mile-wide island usually includes a stroll up the red-carpeted stairs and across the 660-foot-long veranda of the Grand Hotel (the world's longest). Of course, everyone wants a peek inside its quietly elegant lobby.

On just such a one-day trip as youngsters on a family vacation, we settled into plush lounge chairs and gazed out over the manicured lawns and gardens, swimming pool and harbour below. Now, years later, the film shows the stars looking out over exactly the same view and it seems not so much as a blade of grass has changed.

This dramatic slice of Victoriana has been around a long time and treated like the treasure it is. Considered quite a wonder when built back in 1877, owners have made a conscious effort to stop the clock ever since . . . but now with an abundance of modern creature comforts.

"It's that sense of timelessness that attracted our film crew there," said Reeve. "Since they have not allowed cars on Mackinac, pretty much of the island visually and architecturally is untouched."

But that does not necessarily result in complete tranquillity. Ask any traveller who landed there on a balmy August day to describe the scene downtown and it is enough to make solitude-seekers flee into the woods.

Passengers spill off the ferries into fudge shops which line the main street, cyclists weave their way through the horse-drawn traffic and the 500-plus year-round residents quietly long for Labour Day. (There are also an equal number of horses).

"It's like an invasion," reminisced Reeve. "But I loved it. It's like summer camp."

EVERY day he pedalled his bicycle up to the set, threading his way through ever-growing throngs of autograph seekers. With all those horses proving the major form of transportation, I remember writing at the time a quote from him saying, "It's just my luck to be allergic to them" . . . which unfortunately turned out to be a very prophetic statement.

"Working a minimum of 12 hours, six days a week didn't leave much time for sightseeing," said Reeve. Yet cast and crew managed to cover major sights, including Fort Mackinac which looks like something of a movie set itself, with guards in authentic uniforms.

Built by the British, it's a colourful, authentic reminder of the history that transpired in this very strategic location. Once part of New France under Champlain, then captured by the British, seesawing back to France in 1632 by treaty, the area needs a few history books to cover it all.

It again passed to Britain after English victory on Quebec's Plains of Abraham in 1759. Then, 20 years after America's Declaration of Independence, US troops occupied Fort Mackinac, second oldest fort in the US. It was recaptured by the British during the War of 1812 and held by them until 1815.

If this sounds like a game of military musical chairs, it very definitely will not disappoint. The never-ending action is spelled out in lively re-enactments, firing of canons and no end of action.

Meanwhile, some equally colourful local Indian tribes were very involved in area history, as well as John Jacob Astor who arrived to open the first fur trading post. It's all still there . . . military battlefields, cemeteries, vintage mission churches . . . enough to keep visitors very busy. And writing about nearby mainland attractions which help make this region worthy of a detour would take several more articles.

What was totally unexpected when the movie was released in 1980 is the fact that it would evolve into a popular cult film. Each autumn (usually the last weekend in October) a "Somewhere In Time" weekend attracts fans who arrive for what is described as "a romantic weekend celebrating this very special film".

VISITORS tour sites throughout the hotel and around Mackinac Island where the location shots were filmed, then enjoy a traditional reviewing of their favourite film. Don't be surprised to see some of them dressed in appropriate costumes.

There's actually a group called International Network of "Somewhere In Time Enthusiasts" (INSITE for short). Reeve attended the 1994 weekend the year before being paralysed in his horse-riding accident. And costar Jane Seymour was also there a couple of years ago.

It's easy to understand the appeal of both the film and the place. This is one of those rare properties that has a style and personality unlike any other. It's no surprise the National Trust named it "One of America's Dozen Distinctive Destinations".

Grand Hotel, the world's largest summer hotel, is open from early May through October. Its 385 rooms include 97 de luxe guest rooms, some with balcony. A number are multi-bedroom suites named after celebrities such as Teddy Roosevelt, Napoleon and Josephine, Nancy Reagan and Jacqueline Kennedy.

Each is distinctively different, theme decorated by Carlton Varney, president of Dorothy Draper. He appears at the hotel annually, not only for redecorating, but to participate in an antique and design fall festival.

Five Presidents have stayed here . . . Truman, Kennedy, Ford, the first Bush, and Clinton. So it seems appropriately decorated in consultation with the presidential ladies themselves. Varney, incidentally, had been interior decorator for the Carter White House.

It all sounds wonderfully "Old Bermuda", doesn't it? Some actually call it a "northern Bermuda". Small wonder Mark Twain was one of its early guests. Commodore Cornelius Vanderbilt was first president of the company which developed the hotel. Stockholders included the Pennsylvania Railroad, New York Central Railroad and Detroit and Cleveland Navigation Company.

SO, in a sense, it's somewhat like the grand hotels developed by the railroads in American National Parks and by the Canadian Pacific in Canada. Almost immediately, it attracted the kind of clientele that kept returning year after year.

The Swift, Cudahy and Armour families were some of the first, along with Marshall Field, George Pullman and George Eastman (Kodak camera developer). The guest list reads like a who's who. It was . . . and still is . . . a grand dame where many generations of families continue to return.

There's a long list of island events to attract visitors . . . a spring lilac festival, Chicago to Mackinac Island Yacht Race, tennis and golf weekends, jazz festivals, concerts, wine festivals and on and on. Most of these are island-wide events, with a considerable number of places to stay from guest houses to bed and breakfasts.

This fall's "Somewhere In Time" weekend included a special memorial tribute to Christopher Reeve, with the promise that the event will continue.

Travel factfile: For more Grand Hotel information go to www.grandhotel.com. Call 1-800-334-7263 or (906) 847-3331 November through April. Rates are Modified American Plan including full breakfast and five-course dinner. Peak season is mid-June to late August when rooms range from $235 per person for large rooms to $325 per person for named luxury rooms. Shoulder season is from $185 to $300 per person per day. No tipping, but there's an added 19 per cent charge. For more information on Mackinac Island, Michigan, just enter those words on your computer search engine.

Next week: Challenges of choosing a cruise