Anna to the Infinite Power (1983 TV Movie) User Reviews

Anna to the Infinite Power - An undiscovered gem

[jonathanruano · 6/10 · 2 May 2010]

"Anna to the Infinite Power" is a straightforward film about Anna Hart (Martha Byrne) going through puberty. Yet what makes this film more original than many other films dealing with the same subject matter is the creative science fiction plot supplied by writer-director Robert Weimar. Anna Hart is a child prodigy when it comes to science and mathematics, but she is also anti-social and a kleptomaniac. Anna's behaviour mystifies her teachers, her brother, and her parents. Then one day, Anna sees another girl who looks exactly like her on the television set and she embarks upon a series of adventures that culminate in her entering a psychiatric facility. While all this is happening, Michaela Dupont (Donna Mitchell) takes a strange and even a somewhat disturbing interest in Anna Hart. We have no idea whether Michaela's intentions are good or evil, which makes her into an enigmatic character for most of this movie and adds to the suspense.

Most of the plot is fine. The movie falls significantly short of greatness, however, because the cast is not particularly strong. Most of the acting is amateurish, particularly from Anna Byrne, Mark Patton, and the actors playing the parents. Their performances come across as staged and even annoying. Donna Mitchell, on the other hand, has some good scenes, but falters in other scenes. The only actor doing anything fresh is Jack Gilford (Dr. Jelliff) right at the end, who masks his malevolence with a benign paternalism. There is also a 20-minute sequence with Anna sneaking around the psychiatric facility which kids may like, but which seem pretty unconvincing to teens and adults. As a result, I decided to downgrade by review because this movie's effectiveness as an entertainment suffers from a poor cast and some problems with the plot line. Yet I did admire Weimar's attempt to do something original and fresh with his subject matter.

Fascinating but...

[Snootz · 6/10 · 17 April 2019]

The story is well-written, but the overall movie suffers from poor directing, acting and cliche characters.

The acting comes to first note. Through the entire film it's as if the actors are reading their lines from boards across the stage. Early Anna comes across as someone trying to portray an annoying brat rather than just an annoying brat. That said, it is interesting to see the actress show some chops as she progresses to her later stages, where she seems more relaxed and normal. I can only guess that comes from either growing experience in front of the camera-- or a personality more suited to her normal person.

But down to the last scene the acting of all seems forced, word-by-word without any improvisation. As I find it hard to believe they'd manage to have that many bad actors by coincidence, I have to believe it's the directing that causes such an amazing phenomena.

The plus side is a story with a reasonable plot, sensible progression, and lack of jump-the-shark stupid moments (common to this type of movie these days). The story held right to the end, without any sudden or unexpected letdowns (even if it did leave things slightly in the air, the possible outcomes were plausible and it was a decent conclusion).

One lack of logic was the climax near the end. Since cloning is not against the law (in the United States; it is banned in some other countries), there was really no reason for what was portrayed in the movie (spoilers withheld). That issue didn't ruin the movie, but it did make astute viewers question the motivation and extreme actions (or intended actions) of some characters. Since all this was done under full disclosure with willing participants, there was no reason for well, the entire last 10 or 15 minutes of plot. That was the one place I noticed where the ball was dropped a little. Nevertheless the story continued of its own right and worked out reasonably well.

Side note: I found it interesting that they used Apple II as their primary computer-on-set, since by 1983 the IBM PC had taken the market by storm. However the Apple was still going strong and had solidly immersed itself in the educational and publishing community (it took IBM some 15 years to break Apple's strangle-hold in those areas), so historically, use of that computer system that was a fairly accurate portrayal and pegs the time during which the movie was made.

Being 12 is hard enough...

[mark.waltz · 6/10 · 29 October 2020]

Imagine just being any ordinary teenager and finding out that you were adopted or not the biological child of whom you thought were your parents. An identity issue for any person. But imagine being an extraordinarily gifted 12 year old who discovers that you're actually a clone of a deceased genius, used by the woman you thought was your mother simply to fulfill an experiment. That's the story for Martha Byrne in this early cable movie, told in the most matter-of-fact ways by mother Dina Merrill, yet realizing that your whole identity is a lie and that every trait of your personality comes from someone long deceased. Byrne is a walking experiment, sent to special teachers and a scientific hospital where are more tests make her question her identity, and finding another clone of the same person.

The future Lily Walsh of "As the World Turns" had a very difficult upbringing on the daytime serial, but in this movie, her situation is far beyond what Lily went through. Then there's Anna's parents, Dina Merrill and Jack Ryland, as different as night and day. Ryland, a musician, believes in love and tenderness and genuine affection while scientists Merrill doesn't seem to have the capability of love if it doesn't fulfill her desire for scientific achievement. Merrill isn't completely unfeeling, but it's obvious that a woman of her scientific genius should have just chosen her career and not motherhood. Mark Patton may have his differences with his sister, but he's instantly disgusted by the revelation of what his mother did, and his goal to wake their mother up to her follies shows that he is definitely his father's son with his ability to love unconditionally.

in a major supporting role, Donna Mitchell is commanding as a musician friend of the parents who takes Byrne under her wing and becomes a tough taskmaster. At times, it seems that she has some sort of agenda, and throughout the film, that remains a mystery. The terrific Loretta Devine has a nice cameo as Byrne's teacher who discovers that she is a kleptomaniac and must put up with her insults while confronting her for her trespasses. Jack Gilford has a memorable cameo and a type of role that was completely different for anything he had played in the past. Virginia Stevens is very funny as an aging nurse who is not prepared to take crap from any teenager, yet finds that she has met her match.

But it is Martha Byrne herself who becomes the most memorable presence in this film, going from a confused and often nasty teenager to a young lady finding herself after realizing that her identity has been stolen from her. couldn't find she starts off as unlikable and seemingly someone that the audience could not root for, but quickly turn that around as she researches original Anna and finds out shocking things about her past, hoping to create her own identity while keeping the best traits that the late Anna has given her.

While there are more than just a few elements of "The Boys from Brazil" in this film, the theme of cloning get some unique insights as does the psychology of what happens when a child finds out that they are not who they have always thought they are. The film does take a dark turn in the last half hour and that gives it a very adult point of view that moves it from light science fiction to very subtle horror. This really is the type of film to make you sit and think and ask questions and research and discuss with the other people you watch it with.

A feast of educational elements here

[sharkey197 · 3 March 2006]

The first time I saw this film I was impressed with the issues it raised, and I'm not referring to cloning. It delved into the whole concept of identity and how we all have the ability to make choices for ourselves. Years later, I showed it to my sophomore English class and got a whole unit from it. Not only was cloning in the news then and provided them with a research topic, but it allowed us to discuss identity, family and the nature of good and evil. I see from the various comments here that many people are knocking this film. Well, maybe it wasn't the greatest classic in the world, but it certainly provided my students with a great educational experience and frankly, I think it was a very fine film. It is also something that can be used to discuss the holocaust, which is very much to the fore in education today. And I love the ending! Boy, did that provide my students with discussion material!

An interesting movie

[susanj50 · 7/10 · 2 October 2000]

If you like "As The World Turns" you will like this movie which stars the actress who plays Lilly Walsh. In this movie she is still a child actress but demonstrates that she is a fine actress. The movie is about an experiment dealing with the cloning of a girl. There are a large number of her.

A movie that should be remade

[jstavene-34574 · 6/10 · 19 May 2019]

I think directing was poor, acting severely lacking. But the story premise was 20 years ahead of it's time. A clone movie dealing with a girl as the heroine, the contextual elements of parentage and coming of age. The bones are there to be a good movie, and scifi that when it was released nothing near it for at least a decade though some argue about the ethics and scientific merit of much of this, it's still about as topical today? I really would like this re-made and I think it would do well.

Cult Film

[parkerbcn · 7/10 · 29 July 2021]

Officially a film, even though it was never released in cinemas and went directly to cable, and everything, from the performances, the direction and the budget, screams XXth century TV-Movie. The acting is wooden (but no fan of "A Nightmare on Elm Street 2" should miss it), the direction serviceable... but it's the plot, the weirdness below the surface and the final third, that justify its status as a Cult Film.

Interesting story but what a terrible acting!

[vocklabruck · 5/10 · 26 September 2007]

The story involving the holocaust and the cloning experiments was exceptionally good. I admit it was very but VERY well written. Ethic about cloning was already the subject in the 70's movie called The Clonus Horror, but in the case of Anna to the Infinite Power the subject was even more interesting because of the connection with the WWII. It was also chilling the fact that Anna had those dreams and could feel the other girls. I think the story was quite original for its time. It was great.

Sadly, the acting was not on the same level. With the exception of Donna Mitchell and the woman playing the schoolteacher, the cast was just TERRIBLE. Horrible acting and also horrible editing! Also some flimsy and incoherent characters, for example, daddy.

There is no climax, the ending was quite bad, and there were several moments throughout the movie where they could have exploit a lot of suspense and horror, but those moments were wasted.

All in all, despite of the bad, this movie deserves a try.

A movie before it's time

[niki87 · 10/10 · 18 September 2000]

From the first time I saw this movie I was haunted by the content & the extraordinary performance of Martha Byrne who was only 12 at the time. Martha didn't have to say much, all you had to do was watch her expressions to know what the child was going through. The writing was excellent & the actors were awesome (especially Ms Byrne). Although I saw this movie at least 15 yrs ago, I never forgot it & have often wondered why it isn't being shown on TV now with all the DNA & cloning in the news. It's taken me 15 yrs to get a copy of the movie & when I watched it again tonight, it was even better than I remembered. This movie would be a classic if enough people were able to see it. Mark Patton plays the older brother who doesn't quite know what to make of his genius but precocious sister. Watching Anna discover herself & gain the respect & help of her brother was a beautiful example of what siblings (even squabbling siblings) can be when love is present. This is a movie that I've never been able to get out of my mind & now that I've seen it again, I never want to forget a moment of it.

Writing and acting exactly like a soap opera

[billsoccer · 5/10 · 29 December 2020]

The story had promise - a girl begins to have some dreams/visions of events she couldn't possibly have experience with. She finds she is a clone. Granted it's set in 1983 so cloning was new and an explosive topic. However, the acting and the lines they deliver is just atrocious, almost unwatchable/sophomoric.

The Brilliance of this movie is timeless

[TD-11 · 10/10 · 15 July 2007]

I first saw this movie over 20 years ago. My memory was of the basic plot, but I had forgotten all the subtleties as well as the film's brilliance. I honestly can't think of a film that is as haunting and captivating as this wonderfully told tale. Martha Bryne puts in an all time great child actor performance and Donna Mitchell plays a great mentoring taskmaster. I can only imagine that the premise of this story while probably completely fiction would be well within the realm of possibility in the modern world. As scary as the film is, it gives great hope for the human spirit to overcome pre-disposition and also shows the importance of heart and feeling over mechanical perfection. I recommend this movie to anyone who enjoys thought provoking and well written movies.

An Infinite Dud

[shiori-tsumi · 1/10 · 21 November 2010]

This movie fails on so many levels, I have trouble believing anyone would like this movie at all. What you guys fail to see is that you're viewing the movie through your nostalgia lenses, and behind those is a TERRIBLE movie. The acting is awful, with most characters resorting to yelling indiscriminately when they've run out of logic. Anna runs out of logic quickly.

Not to mention, no matter how much you stretch it, SCIENCE WILL NEVER WORK LIKE THAT. If they toned it down a bit, I could believe it a bit more....but Anna having traits Anna Zimmerman gained from her stint in a concentration camp WITHOUT having been in a concentration camp simply because she's a clone? Anna fears and hates fire simply because Anna Zimmerman died in a fire? It doesn't make sense by any stretch of the imagination. The script is awful, the acting worse, and the logic of it all non-existent. A time skip of a week occurred in one scene change and I couldn't tell! The only good thing that came out of this movie was the original piano score for 'Reverie'.

Deeper than it might seem

[kallabos-1 · 15 September 2004]

This movie (and its book counterpart) almost seems prophetic in this day and age. A story that came out in the early eighties, set in the late nineties; dealing human cloning and the moral, ethical, and philosophical consequences. The film itself is a bit poorly constructed (probably due to its shoe string budget) and the acting is thin and amateurish. However, its unusual story was quite unique for its day. Also I find it very fascinating that the world would be contemplating the same issues and at the time period as in this little movie. I say it worth seeing once. Even just to wonder about the possibilities and consequences of cloning.

Woof! Looks like my 7th grade project!

[pluto-11 · 1/10 · 27 January 2003]

I got a Super-8 camera and two teen pals of mine to make a movie for my 7th grade English class, but I didn't get to put it on HBO! I just caught this on Showtime this morning on my way to work and was amazed that this sort of amateur bubblegum could make it onto a major pay channel.

Come to think of it, if Showtime put this rubbish on, perhaps they would take a look at my 7th grade project!

Thought provoking movie

[kgrinde · 8/10 · 20 September 2006]

*POST MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS* I was flipping through channels when I caught this film that I had never heard of. After it was over, I thought about what I liked most about the movie. Granted, the idea of cloning people is astounding, not to mention scary on some level, but what stayed with me the most was how Anna's personality changes, as does her relationship with her brother Rowan. At the beginning of the movie, Anna Hart is arrogant, spoiled & has a tendency to steal. She also doesn't seem to get along with anyone in her family, with the exception of her mother. After she learns the truth about herself, she confides in Rowan that she wants to be her own person, a better person, & he encourages her. We then see Anna at a store trying on makeup. Instead of taking it, like she would have before, she tells the salesperson she'd like to buy it. There are also scenes of Anna & Rowan spending time together & having fun, which would never have happened at the beginning of the movie. We also see them have a serious talk, at the end of which he kisses her on the cheek. (Ahhh!) Anna's doctor then calls to tell the family that she is very ill, & you can see the tears in Rowan's eyes at the news. I also love how after Rowan sneaks a phone call in to Anna at the "hospital" she's been taken to, & she tells him how scared she is, he swims there (you read that right) to make sure she's okay. This is significant because Rowan blows off an important music competition (he's been playing the violin for years) to rescue her. Later, when Anna realizes what day it is & she asks him about it, he tells her he got a postponement. She simply says "Oh", but we see her smile afterward because she knows that's not true. Rowan has proved how much he loves his sister, & Anna has shown that she has matured into a kind, thoughtful young woman. Great character development for both of them. Anyways, those are my reasons for enjoying Anna to the Infinite Power.

Not Just for Children

[Mark-129 · 10/10 · 9 April 2002]

Despite being filmed on a small budget, "Anna to the Infinite Power" is a wonder. Produced, written and performed by a talented cast of newcomers and veteran actors attracted to the story of a young girl, a genius, who has to face the truth of her origins and forge her own identity and place in the world. A terrific and timely film, made with both love and insight.

I would love to see this movie remade

[tedwards25 · 10/10 · 25 April 2006]

I saw this movie when I was about 12 years old and it has stayed with me.. I thought it was a movie that should have or could have been more.. we rented it from the movie store and had never heard of it before. I think that it should be remade, with all the advances in this area of study, it is the perfect time to make its way back to the screen. I am trying to find it in the video stores for my husband to see it. Its just one of those movies you want to have everyone experience. If it was remade, I think I would choose Angelina Jolie to be makayla. I also would like to see how they would change it to make it more of a mainstream movie, with out doing away with is cult classic status.

Believe it or not, this film was plagiarized to make an X-Files episode

[clyons · 12 May 2004]

I caught it last night, and was struck immediately by the very direct similarities between it and "Eve", a first-season X-Files episode, about (you guessed it) little girl clones who have many of the same problems as Anna, only they also kill people, and don't seem to have human emotions. And an older clone shows up to monitor the progress of her "sisters". And the evil scientist (played by Jack Gilford!) has a greenhouse almost identical to an evil Nazi scientist who appeared in a later X-Files episode. The plot points in common are too numerous to be coincidence, and I kind of gasped at the end when Anna says she's going to change her name to "Eve".

Obviously Chris Carter saw this movie, and passed the ideas on to the writers who did "Eve". It's an old pattern for him.

Pre xfiles style narrative about the then new cloning.

[kingcasey_iii · 10/10 · 1 November 2020]

A young prodigy discovers that she is a product of a science experiment of cloning, and that she and her dopplegangers were intended to be vessles of a briliant scientist in a bid to change the dystopian trajectory of a high urban crime social ill America much unlike the real 90's that the story is set in.

However the runners of the project are apprehensive of her discovery.

Could have been better and worse

[sploiter · 22 April 2015]

The concept is interesting but the movie is let down in several ways. 1st the tension dissipates way early when the secret is revealed a long time before the mid point even. After that it's more TV family sitcom than anything. Some of the logic doesn't stand up to much of a look - the father seems to be talking about some other kid and not his own when the subject of Anna's strange ways is ever raised. The tension finally ratchets up in the last act but just when you think it's going to finish well it just kind of stops dead. Like that.

The cast is an interesting mix of faces from the period and before with a lot of them from daytime dramas. It was nice to see the beautiful Dina Merrill again as well as Jack Gilford - the 1st time for me to see him since the movie Cocoon. He was great as the Doc in Catch-22 and he was good as the doctor here too.

A small side note - this movie looks like it 'inspired' an episode of the brilliant and massive hit TV series the X Files. The XF ep is called 'Eve' and it looks like the writers Kenneth Biller & Chris Brancato 'loosely based' their story and script on Anna to the Infinite Power! To their credit they did a very good job and in many ways the X Files ep is actually better than this movie. It certainly has a _much_ more satisfying ending for 1 thing and the logic of the plot is solid. Ace show creator Chris Carter certainly knows how to get the best from his talented people.

1983

[okemes · 9/10 · 4 March 2021]

Surprised by quality, subject, crew. Asimov, Heinlein, 1983.

A great conspiracy movie

[Bernie4444 · 10/10 · 8 October 2023]

11-year-old Anna Hart (Martha Byrne) seems to have some problems dealing with people, she also has a few problems like kleptomania and being amoral. Her neighbor and piano teacher Michaela Dupont/Anna Parkhurst (Donna Mitchell) is not helping; if anything, she seems to be aggravating the situation (or is she supposed to be guiding the child to some end. Her mother Sarah (Dina Merrill) tends to look the other way as she seems to know something that anna does not.

One night Anna sees her doppelganger on TV and decides to investigate; this will lead her to a secret about herself and a person once known as Anna Zimmerman. Often overlooked is the help and support she receives from her older brother Rowann (Mark Patton.)

There is a lot of danger and mystery to the story. As it unfolds there are some twists and turns. You will find yourself kibitzing during potential escape scenes. In the end, you decide who the good guys are and who the bad are.

The movie was based on a novel 1983 "Anna to the Infinite Power" by Mildred Ames. The Novel and movie are closely aligned.

What is missing from the book is the haunting sound of "Anna's Reverie" written by composer Paul Baillargeon Sung by Christine Andreas German Lyrics by Charles & Marion Linton.

If you find this film intriguing then you may want to read the Replica book series by Marilyn Kaye, starting with "Amy Number Seven."

What the...

[MikeisBored · 1 August 2003]

I just caught this on Showtime this morning as well. This movie redefines hiding from senior citizen nurses, as in it's never been less thrilling. Also, whats up with the rotary phone that looks exactly like a normal handheld touch-tone wall phone? This movie is so lousy i wouldn't even see the point in writing about it. But Showtime felt it was good enough yo air at least twice so i'm just balancing out the universe here.