Quest for Love is a science fiction romance set in an alternate world. Physicist Colin Trafford (Tom Bell) during an experiment is sent across an alternate Britain in the 1970s which has not gone through World War 2, there is no war in Vietnam, man has not gone to space or even conquered Everest.Here Trafford is a noted but philandering playwright with a troubled marriage to former ballerina Ottilie (Joan Collins.) The new Trafford at first dazed and confused becomes immediately smitten with his wife and aims to woo her again but something is not right with her health. Trafford finds himself going back to his own world and tries to track down the same woman.Tom Bell was known for playing intense even bitter characters, so it is nice to see him play tender and romantic, although we do get angry and perplexed in the early scenes. Bell is matched by Collins who plays the alluring wife married to a fickle man in a nicely understated but charming way.The film loses a bit of impetus at the latter part of the film and also ends abruptly as if the budget ran out.

Firstly, I applaud jekyll-booty1's review. Secondly this film, when watched as I did, mesmerised, from the first rather expositional minutes of set-up, is beautifully engaging to behold. The premise is so easy to go with, that the actual acting performances shine far beyond the mere scripting of character and circumstance would seem to allow. We want the alternative universe's possibility to live beyond the, somewhat jaded, actuality that provokes the sewer as the impossible, alternative, romance unfolds. Tom Bell does his profession justice. Joan Collins gets a bit of careful soft-focus allure but still runs well with the rather restrictive role the script provides her with (air hostess ?). A cracking TV film for an otherwise dreary mid-week slot, but so above the other too pedestrian fodder offered. Remarkable both for it's evergreen poignancy and it's disdainful yet life-affirming regard for one's world-weary, all-too-knowing, regrets and schadenfreude.

After an explosion during an experiment, Colin Trafford, a young physicist, finds himself transported into a parallel world where he is a successful playwrite with an unhappy marriage. In this world, Kennedy wasn't assassinated, Leslie Howerd is still alive and making movies and the Vietnam war never happened. Trafford discovers that he is a philanderer and he is unable to convince his 'wife' Ottelie of the validity of his strange behaviour and amnesic tendencies. Eventually she believes him after Sir Henry Lanstein explains the whole experiment to her. There happiness is short lived however, for Ottelie then dies. The shock of her death returns Trafford to his own world, where he searches for and finds her equivalent (working as an air hostess) and saves her life. QUEST FOR LOVE is a love story masquerading as Sci-Fi soap, Joan Collins has never looked more ravishing or given a better performance. The most powerful scene in the movie is Tom Bell's explosive outburst when giving a speech at the First Night party to all the luvvies. They all think he's drunk ... but we share in his bewilderment. QUEST FOR LOVE is highly recommended viewing, any British film that has the great Sam Kydd as a cab driver cannot be missed.

I saw this film many years ago on a rainy Saturday afternoon. JOAN COLLINS is wonderful if you liked the "CITY ON THE EDGE OF FOREVER" episode of the original STAR TREK and don't need special effects to enjoy a great story you will like this film. Unfortunately I have not been able to find it on T.V. since. It is not available on video. If anyone out there has a copy they made from broadcast on T.V. or knows when it will be on again please e-mail me. I am also interested in any similar time travel/fantasy type movies and have a small collection I am willing to share. Thank you.