On December 31st., 2014,
a taxi cab traveled through San Francisco,
from Chinatown to Marin.
The car carried a single passenger,
a woman, her birth name, Adaline Bowman,
current alias, Jennifer Larson.
This is the first and last chapter of her story.
Sorry, you just got to be quiet, my dad, he's still sleeping, he works nights.
Come on in.
I... uh... finished the color SAP and the digital printing last night.
I pulled some line art from the internet,
and printed the imperfections.
See, that's kinda my secret, the dust marks and the discoloration.
No one's gonna question that detail in a million years.
So, why 29? I mean, if I were you, shave a coupla
years off, you could definitely get away with...
You're very kind, Tony.
Nice work.
It's a pleasure doing business with you. If you any of your friends ever need anything...
- Why are you doing this? - Come again?
You're a smart kid, forgery's a felony.
$250,000's fine, 6 years in jail.
Shit, you're... you're a cop?
No, I'm about as far from law enforcement as you can get.
I just hate to see wasted potential, Jeff.
Tony. It's Tony.
The autographed baseballs in your bedroom... made out to Jeff.
Don't get sloppy, it's the little things that trip you up.
Honey, I'm home.
Reese?
Hi!
There we go.
You're gonna love the new farm house.
Clean air, acres and acres of woods, a mountain stream.
You'll feel like a puppy again.
Did you know that your great, great, grandmother was born just a few towns over?
So was mine, not at the same time, of course.
Oh, I gotta go to work.
- Civic Archives, please. - It may take a while, Market's jammed.
Okay, then please take California to Hyde.
There's construction on Hyde.
Why don't you stay on this, take this to Golf, Golf to Bush, Bush to.
Polk, Polk to Grove, and then just leave me on the corner of Market.
- You want my job? - You never know.
- Morning, Jennie. - Morning.
- Hi, Kenneth.
We thought you might not be coming in today, being New Year's Eve, and all.
Well, it's still a Wednesday, the fun doesn't start 'til tonight anyway.
Well, are you up for a little excitement right now?
Sure, what is it?
Your favorite, the newsreel archive, it's finally being digitized.
We need a little help getting it ready to be shipped.
I'd love to.
Adaline Marie Bowman was born at 12:01 a.m., January 1st. 1908,
at Children's Hospital, San Francisco,
the only child of Faye and Milton Bowman,
On June 16th, 1929, just as Adaline Bowman and her mother stopped to admire the expanse,
where three years hence construction would be finished on the Golden Gate Bridge,
a young engineer displayed uncommon gallantry.
87 days later Adaline married Clarence James Prescott,
at Old Saint Mary's Cathedral in San Francisco.
Three years later Adaline gave birth to a baby girl.
They named her Fleming, after Adaline's paternal grandmother.
On February 17th, 1937 eight workers and two engineers lost their lives when a section
of scaffolding fell through a safety net during construction of the Golden Gate Bridge.
Among the deceased was Adaline's husband.
Ten months after her husband's death Adaline was driving north to her
parents beach cottage where 5 year old Fleming was waiting up for her,
when something highly unusual occurred, something almost magical...
snow fell in Sonoma County, California.
The immersion in the frigid water caused Adaline's body to go into an
anoxic reflex, instantly stopping her breathing and slowing her heartbeat.
Within 2 minutes, Adaline Bowman's core temperature
had dropped to 87 degrees... her heart stopped beating.
At 8:55 a bolt of lightning struck the vehicle discharging half a
billion volts of electricity and producing 60,000 amperes of current.
Its effect was threefold.
First, the charge defibrillated Adaline Bowman's heart.
Second, she was jolted out of her anoxic state
causing her to draw her first breath in 2 minutes.
Third, based on Von Lehman's principle of
electron compression in deoxyribonucleic acid,
which will be discovered in the year 2035,
Adaline Bowman will henceforth be immune to the ravages of time...
she will never age another day.
As the years passed, Adaline credited her unchanging
appearance to a combination of a healthy diet,
exercise, heredity, and good luck.
- Adaline? - Miriam, hello.
- My god, you haven't changed a bit. - Oh, that's very kind of you to say.
Fleming, you're all grown up.
That's what I keep telling my mom, but she doesn't believe me.
I'm sorry we really must leave. But you... you look like sisters.
You better stop or it'll go straight to my head.
- How is that possible? - A new face cream... from Paris.
Made from the royal jelly of the queen bee.
Okay, Darling, bye-bye now, great seeing you.
Action was required... just weeks later, when living a quiet suburban existence,
Adaline was pulled over for a minor traffic infraction.
Ma'am it says here you were born January 1st., 1908.
That's right.
- That would make you... 45 years old? - Yes.
Ma'am, I'm gonna hold onto this.
When you come by the station house to pick it up, please bring your birth certificate.
I'd be happy to, Officer, is tomorrow morning all right?
Sure.
Soon after, Adaline moved back to San Francisco and took a clerical job at the School of Medicine.
There, she availed herself of every opportunity to research her condition.
After a year of intense study, Adaline Bowman was forced to confront the
fact that there was absolutely no scientific explanation for her condition.
Are you a member of the communist party or have you ever been a member of the communist party?
Adaline?
I'm sorry, you have the wrong person.
We're from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Miss Bowman.
We'd like to ask you a few questions, if you don't mind.
Why, I've done nothing wrong.
I'm a good American, how dare you bother me at my place of employment.
It couldn't be helped, Ma'am.
We have no record of your residence. This way please.
Nothing to worry about, Miss Bowman, we're just going to run a few tests on you.
If anyone contacts you, tell them that I went to Europe on vacation, that I never came back.
The next time we see each other, I'll have a new identity.
I'll always be your mother, you'll just have to introduce me as your friend.
- Mama, no. - It has to be this way... here.
To insure the freedom and safety of herself and her daughter Adaline vowed to keep moving,
changing her name, residence, and appearance every decade,
and never to speak a word of her fate to another living soul.
In seven weeks, when Jennifer Larson disappears forever,
and Susan Fleisher takes up residence in a remote farmhouse in Ashton, Oregon,
Adaline Bowman, beside one moment of weakness.
Will have kept her vow for the past 60 years.
Hello, Regan.
Amanda, you're not going to stand me up, are you?
You asked me that last year, why don't you trust me?
Oh, I just can't believe you haven't got a better offer.
Impossible.
I'll pick you up eight?
Actually, that's the other reason I called.
The Grand Hotel of Nob Hill is sending a car for me.
- Look at you. - Have you ever been there for New Years?
Only once, ages ago.
I guess it's pretty lavish.
Well, I better get to it then, I'll see you soon.
Bye, Regan.
Are you hungry?
No?
Oh, you just want to come out with me tonight, don't you?
Sorry, buddy, it's a girls night.
Avery, if you do not remove the hand my knee...
My two hands are on the table, Adaline.
Thank you.
- Happy New Year. - Oh! Hey, Amanda.
- That was you clapping, wasn't it? - How did you guess?
- You've got manners. - We're the last two.
Hey, grab a glass.
Tell me, what did I miss?
Oh, not much, just some happy chatter.
It's funny, no matter how old you get,
New Year's Eve still feels like the one night where anything's possible.
What's your resolution?
Same as always, true love. How about you?
To live this year as though it were my last.
Well, you never know, it could be, at our age.
So, Helia, let's live.
Beware, bachelor at three o'clock, we need to stir him up.
What's he like?
Brown hair, icy blues, mid-30's.
How many with you who is kicking out my babies?
He's here.
- Good evening, ladies. - Welcome to Cougartown.
I know, we don't look a day over 28, you're too kind. What's your name?
- Dale... Davenport. - Dale's a painter.
- Really? - Yeah, a starving artist, though.
Because he doesn't accept his affluent family's help.
I... I'm sorry, have we met?
No, no, no, just your Cartier wrist watch, one of the very first.
I'm assuming it was given to you by a well to do grandfather.
A great-grandfather, but how do you know I paint?
You hands are covered in paint. That one was easy.
Well, Picasso, have a seat, we're gonna buy you a drink.
Sure.
- Happy New Year. - Happy New Year.
Thank you.
Six, five, four...
Three, two, one.
Happy New Year!
Hello.
Thank you, Sweetheart.
No, no, you don't have to sing.
Please, please, don't sing, I've already had enough birthdays.
Where are you?
You didn't go out at all?
Well, I don't blame you.
Are we still on for tomorrow?
Great, all right, get some sleep. I love you.
Good night.
Whoever he is, I hope he has one hell of an excuse.
Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you.
It's just... isn't there some sort of tradition.
If you're alone on New Year Eve that you're supposed to kiss a stranger?
Damn it, you've heard it before.
Just once, from a young Bing Crosby... type.
Happy New Year.
- I am too old for this. - Oh, no, don't disappear.
I'll call you tomorrow and you can tell me everything I missed. I love you.
Bye, Beautiful.
That'll teach me not to put my hand where it doesn't belong.
Something tells me it won't.
You know, that was a risky move.
What was?
Not introducing yourself before you leave.
I'm a daredevil.
I'm Ellis, a pleasure to meet you.
- Like the Island? - No man is.
I'm Jenny.
Like the poem?
No? "Say I'm weary, say I'm sad,".
"Say that health and wealth have miss'd me. Say I'm growing old, but add."
"Jenny kissed me."
Who wrote that?
- Oh, one of the romantics, I think. - No, you're not sure.
Actually, I am, but I don't want to come across like a know-it-all.
Too bad, Henri, I adore know-it-alls.
So, where are you off to?
Some place with better food... my apartment.
And yourself?
Back to the party. I just wanted to spend 27 floors with you.
- Well, that was a risky move. - What?
Leaving your date upstairs. I hope it was worth it.
What are you talking about?
Oh, come on, that beautiful woman in blue.
Does her name happen to end in "kova"?
No, her name is Agnes Boggs.
Her uncle's the chef, I'll let him know you liked his food.
And she's not my date.
- Taxi, Ma'am? - Yes, please, thank you.
Good night.
I'll just wait with you.
So you can find out where I live?
It does make it a lot easier to send flowers.
Thank you, but I'll manage.
Goodbye, it's been an adventure meeting you.
Thank you.
Wait!
There you go again, putting your hand in places it doesn't belong.
- How do we get in touch? - Happy New Year, Ellis.
Thank you, Sir.
- Am I late? - No more than usual.
Happy Birthday, Mama.
Thank you, Darling.
I'm so happy to see you.
You know you don't have to still give me cards.
- I love you. - I love you, too.
- So, when you are moving back up? - The third week in February.
- Right on schedule. - Of course.
I see you already forgot our little talk about sodium.
No, I am simply choosing to ignore it.
Actually, I'm thinking of moving, myself.
But you love where you live.
I do, but, you know, there's just too many stairs.
Last week Kay Alfonso fell, and she broke her hip.
The doctor said she might never leave the hospital.
And the very next day, Molly Andrews called me,
and she told me about this wonderful retirement community in Arizona.
She moved in last spring. She said she's never been happier in her whole life.
What's the matter?
We bought in Oregon so that I could be close to you.
You could come up for long visits,
move in with me eventually.
We haven't lived together since I was in high school.
A little bit. You're not getting any younger.
What if you move to Arizona and something happened to you?
What if you get sick?
Then, I would hope that you'd come and take care of me.
What if I'm too late?
No, no, we cannot do this, not on your birthday, it's a holiday.
I nearly fell off my feet.
What are you two clucking about?
Major news! Mr. Jones is donating $50,000
worth of first edition classics to this library.
- What books, do you know? - We're going to find out very soon,
because his office called to say that he'll be here to deliver them himself.
- Hi. - Oh no. - I'm Ellis. - Oh, good.
- Welcome, - Thanks. - Mr. Jones.
On behalf of the San Francisco Heritage Society
I'd like to express our sincere gratitude for your most generous gift.
I left them in Shipping and Receiving, but I'm sure they'll be right up.
If you don't mind, we'd like a photograph of you donating the books.
Yeah, yeah, sure, sure.
Can you give me one second, though?
Hey, it's me, the know-it-all.
- What are you doing here? - I got something for you, too.
Some flowers.
Daisy Miller by Henry James.
Dandelion Wine by Ray Bradbury.
White Oleander, Janet Fitch.
Very clever.
How did you know I work here?
I just joined the Board, I saw you coming out of our meeting.
You could have mentioned that in the elevator.
If we'd met in a taller building, I'd of had time to cover that.
I don't know about you, but... I'm ready for some donating.
Great, I'll be here.
No way, I'd like for you to accept books on behalf of the Library.
- Oh, no, I can't do that. - Yes, you can.
No, I... I don't want my photo taken.
Don't worry, you look stunning.
It's not about vanity, I just don't like people taking my photograph.
Suit yourself, if you won't accept them, I won't donate 'em.
- You wouldn't do that. - I will, I'll even have a book burning.
I just... I don't like having my photos taken, Ellis.
Okay, fine, fine. Here's an alternative.
Let me take you out tomorrow.
Okay... that's impossible.
All right, well, I'll just pack up the books then, that's fine.
Where?
Some place you've never been.
Well, if it's in this city, that's unlikely.
Try me.
You can leave your boots at the front when you're done,
- I'll be right outside. - We will, thank you, Tom.
All right.
All right... I give up.
In the first year of the Gold Rush, about 60,000 people came to San Francisco by ship.
And a lot of them hightailed straight into the hills leaving their boats behind.
Hundreds of boats were left onshore.
Downtown San Francisco was built right on top of them.
I didn't know that.
Now... City Services found this when they were digging when they were digging for a utility line.
- My God. - Isn't it something?
- Is... is that...? - Yeah, that's a boat.
Oh! Wow! This is incredible.
So, we had the digging stopped immediately, of course, because
we want this made available to the public.
"We".
San Francisco Historical Preservation Society.
Oh, let me guess, you're on the board.
Yeah, well, they'll... they'll let anyone on the Board these days.
So, how did you come by your fortune, anyway... inheritance?
Luck. I was a math major in college, and
in my spare time I developed an algorithm for analyzing climate data,
but my roommate figured out that it could also be used to make economic forecasts.
So he started a company in our dorm room,
sold it 3 years later and then with his half he retired to Fiji.
And with my half, I'm... you know, I'm doing this.
Your... your job is giving away money.
Yeah, that's right, but... but if you want to make a real difference in this world, it's a...
it's a lot harder than it seems.
What about you, Jenny?
I own a dog.
Okay.
I should be getting back.
I thought we were having lunch.
It's too late, Ellis, I only have an hour.
Let me at least walk you back.
Thank you for all of this, but.. But you should know I'm moving.
I have an idea. I'll tell you a joke, and if you laugh,
you have to go out with me one more time before you move away.
And if you don't laugh, I'll know we're incompatible and I'll gladly give up.
- That must be one hell of a joke. - It's the funniest in human history.
But it's subtle, sophisticated, so you probably won't even get it.
Yeah, probably not.
Do you like baseball?
- Yeah, I love it. - Good. So...
One day at Fenway Park, Ted Williams... Do you know who he was?
Oh, come on, the Thumper, current batting average .344, right?
What? Yeah, that Ted Williams.
Anyway, so, he's hangin' around Fenway and
this horse walks up and says, "I want to play for the Sox."
- An actual horse? - An actual horse.
Ted's like, "Okay, what can you do?"
And the horse says, "I can hit just like you, only a whole lot better ".
So, he picks up the bat with his teeth and Ted's like, "Okay",
and he throws him a few, and sure enough...
goong, goong, goong!
Into the bleachers.
So, Ted's like, "Whoa! What else can you do?"
And the horse says, "Well, I can play shortstop."
So, Ted hits him a few ground balls and sure enough.
He's a "vacuum cleaner"?
Yeah, so Ted's like, "Whoa! Can you pitch?"
And the horse just looks at him and says,
"Pitch? Who ever heard of a horse pitching?"
Yeah! Yes!
Ladies and gentlemen, the Lady has been conquered.
That's the worst joke I've ever heard in my entire life.
- Thank you. - It wasn't a compliment.
Dinner, Tuesday, my place, 303-18th Street.
Eight o'clock.
Fine.
Good morning, Miss Larson, good to see you again.
- Good morning. - So, what can we do for you today?
I'd like to add another signee to my account.
- May I ask the reason? - I'll be traveling for a while.
Traveling, huh?
Okay, I'll get the paperwork, I'll be right back.
All of these companies rate very highly with us.
What's this, the Haloid Photographic Company?
They've been around 50 years, they make photo paper and equipment.
They're developing something called "electro photography".
Could revolutionize the business, but you won't see any immediate returns.
- Could be a few years away. - That's all right.
I'd hate to see you tie up your money.
I'm patient.
What do you know, they changed their name.
They're now called...
What the heck, it starts with an "X", it's...
It's Greek, it's pronounced "XEROX".
Xerox.
So, we can start with the signature card.
- What is the name of the co-signer? - Susan Fleisher.
- Susan, what, F-l-e... - ...-i-s-h-e-r.
Now, I made you some salmon.
This no eating nonsense just won't do if you are a proper farm dog.
I want you to eat every last bite, do you understand me?
Oh, there we go.
Hello? Ellis?
- Am I interrupting? - Hey!
- I was afraid you got cold feet. - No, no, just trouble getting a cab.
- Hey. - Hi.
Can I take your coat?
Okay.
Uh, your... your place it's, uh...
- Unfinished? - Yes!
Uh, I noticed that part, it's sort of an artistic choice?
No, I have to paint and plaster and do all the wiring stuff,
but I'm doing it all myself, so, it's gonna take a little while.
- I think your food is burning. - Ah!
So, make yourself comfortable.
Sit down, relax.
Okay.
What is it... that you're cooking?
Well, it's a delicacy, which to be honest, is not for everyone.
I hope you like it.
- Are you ready? - Would you like a drum roll?
Voila!
It was between this and stuffed quail.
Please do not tell me you're disappointed.
- I... I'm truly overjoyed! - Yes!
- Dig in. - Okay.
Well?
Well, it's perfect, just the music is painful.
- You don't like jazz? - No, I love jazz, this is something else.
My mom grew up in Maine, she's is a real New Englander.
Sweet, but tough as nails.
My dad, on the other hand... has his head in the stars... literally.
He's an astronomer, just retired from Stanford.
His claim to fame was that he discovered an unusual comet.
Unusual, in what way?
Well, it has a mathematically proven perigee.
So, based on his calculation, it will pass by Earth in the winter of 1981.
- Did it? - No.
No, it did not, but, that didn't stop him from looking for it every year.
It was a kind of ritual we had when I was growing up.
My dad is still looking.
Well, one more glass of wine and may see it.
Oh, no, no, no thank you, please.
Ah, come on, you know, they have a saying in Italy,
Anni, amori e bicchieri di vino, nun se contano mai.
"Years, lovers, wine cups,"
"years, lovers and glasses of wine,"
"these are things that should never be counted."
You have no idea.
- I like your view. - Thank you.
I like the way you read.
What?
The first time I saw you, coming out of a board meeting, you were reading.
Your hair was pulled back and you were wearing a blue dress.
It was a book in Braille. I slowed down to watch.
How long did you watch for?
Long enough to realize you weren't blind.
And I had to meet you.
And I didn't know when or how, but I... I knew I would.
I think I, uh...
I think I remember that day, uh...
Yes, it was a... it was a book in Norwegian,
and because of all the umlauts over the vowels,
it made it nearly impossible to comprehend.
- You're kidding. - Yes.
- Are you kidding? - Yes, yes of course I am.
It was Braille for beginners, or nursery rhymes or something.
You could tell me anything you want and I'll believe it.
I know almost nothing about you.
It's better this way.
No... it's not.
Tell me something I can hold on to forever and never let go.
Let go.
Hi.
Good morning.
Okay, move your arm, some of us work for a living.
Um, okay, I get it, you're holding me hostage.
Will you ever come back?
Are you sure there's no one there who speaks English, or even Spanish?
No, no, no, we... we want it all.
Il curator compare...
- I have to go. - Hold on, hold on.
One moment, por favor.
Give me a second, okay, I'm trying to deal this in Portuguese.
I can't right now.
What are you trying to say?
The Rain Forest Trust Fund's to buy 5,000 acres.
Huh, well, you're not even close.
- Here. - Thank you.
We're confirming the purchase of 5,000 acres, we good?
The check is in the mail.
Thank you very much, Sir.
I'm late for work.
- Wait. That's it? - Let go.
It's a $1.50, Ma'am.
Ma'am?
I just changed my mind, just keep driving please.
You got it.
Reese.
Reese?
Baby, are you okay?
Are you okay, Baby?
His urean creatine levels are way too high, which means his kidneys are failing.
The toxins are building up and his body can't handle it.
- Is he in pain? - It's difficult to say.
If you were me, what would you do?
I'd be thinking about... what a wonderful life he's had,
how lucky you are to have found each other.
May I have a moment alone with him, please?
Of course.
Hey Jenny! This is Ellis. I tried you a couple of times.
Hope you got my messages. Call me back.
Jenny!
What are you doing here?
- Well, I tried to call, but... - How did you get my address?
The library.
Come on, don't be upset, I didn't know what else to do.
My dog, I had to...
- I had to put him down. - Oh, no, I'm so sorry to hear that.
You should have waited for me to contact you.
Uh, Jenny, there's...
There's a reason I don't give out my address.
- I'm... I'm sorry, honestly. - This isn't going to work, I'm moving.
Are you serious?
Hi... for you.
Barbara Ireland before she moved to Florida,
she got rid of all her books.
I could no sooner get rid of this book than I could...
Well, it looks like I'm not the only one getting nostalgic.
You've had such a wonderful life.
I like to think so.
I just wish you... you know, that she could have been there for more of it.
So do I.
Remember that?
Nineteen fifty-four I was junior in college.
That's the last photo I have of you.
Well, when you've seen one, you've seen 'em all.
This is true.
What is it?
What's wrong?
I'm just tired of running,
- of lying to good people. - Then stop.
Nobody's chasing you anymore.
Anyone who was ever been suspicious is long dead.
You don't have to be alone forever.
Don't you miss having someone to love?
It's been such a long time.
It's not the same when there's no future.
What are you talkin' about, you got nothin' but future!
I mean a future together, growing old together.
Without that, love is, uh...
- it's just heartbreak. - It's the same for everybody.
How many times has my heart been broken?
Too many.
If I had your looks and your energy, I'd fall in love tomorrow, I really would.
- I did meet someone. - What?
Oh, on New Year's Eve, he... he jumped on my elevator.
Why didn't you tell me?
Because I knew you'd look at me like that.
Don't get too excited, I, uh... I told him to leave me alone.
I was horrible... cruel.
Tell him you're sorry, tell him you made a mistake.
I can't, I'm leaving.
You're moving to Oregon, not Timbuktu.
Come on, if you won't do it for yourself, do it for me.
Please?
- Hello. - Can I help you?
Uh, I'm here to see Ellis Jones, he's not expecting me.
Well, let's see what we can do about that.
And you are?
Incredibly sorry.
Mr. Jones, you got a guest down here.
- I bet you got a name. - Jennifer Larson.
Please, tell him I understand if he doesn't want to see me.
I'm here just to say I'm sorry,
and that my... my life has been unbelievable,
since longer than he can imagine,
and I just... I was emotional the other day, and...
Now that I realize how incredibly kind to me he's been,
and I... I... I've just been too stupid to accept it, and...
I know better now, and... and
that's why I want to tell him how sincerely sorry I am.
Okay.
And ask that... if he could come downstairs maybe, and...
let me make it up to him by taking him out tonight?
Please.
Uh, Jennifer Larson, she says she understands if you don't...
Oh, you heard that? Okay, good.
He wants to know where you're taking him?
Some place he's never been before.
- Hello. - Hey, Jenny.
Come on.
All right, you don't actually think this is my first chop shop do you?
Oh, be quiet, there's more here that meets the eye.
This used to be one of the most popular picture houses in the City.
- Movie theater? - Yes.
In the 1930s, a woman named Mary Elizabeth Woods,
read about a chemical magnate who had created the drive-in theater in Camden, New Jersey.
And, so naturally she made one of her own here in San Francisco.
Everyone thought she was crazy as a loon, which she was.
She would sleep with anyone who wasn't her husband,
and she used to put on these airs like she was better than anyone else. In fact...
anyway.
Because of local ordinances she couldn't have an open-air theater,
so she brought all the car in here.
That's the screen, right there!
It was spectacular... I imagine.
- Are you ready for the best part? - Sure.
Okay, look up.
She had photo luminescent filaments installed.
They took the time to create the constellations.
Isn't it beautiful?
Yeah.
What are you doing?
Come on.
Cheers.
The great paradox of all this is that...
the better our instruments get, that farther we can see.
But not into the future, into the past.
The events who's light hasn't even reached us yet.
I don't think I'll ever understand why so few people care about history?
The future has its charm, too.
We could talk about our ours.
- Ellis... - Not the distant future.
- Talk about this weekend. - What did you have in mind?
My parents are having a party to celebrate their 40th wedding anniversary.
It's just a couple of hours from here.
Come with me.
Okay.
Can I drive?
Oh, my God, you know you rarely see a Saab in the Daytona 500.
There's a reason for that.
Then... you know, you might wanna consider an occasional tap on that square pedal by your foot.
I don't know what you're talking about.
Oh, my God! Oh, sorry! What's wrong with you?
Do me a favor, stop and pick her up.
- Ooh, I'd rather not get stabbed. - That's my sister.
Sorry.
- What's up pussycat? - Need a ride?
What's it look like?
- How are you? - Good, hi!
Get out! Still driving the Saab, huh?
- Yeah, it's good to see you, too. - Hey!
Kikki, this is Jenny. Jenny, this is my sister.
- Nice to meet you. - Nice to meet you.
You should have told me you were taking the bus.
We'd of picked you up at the station.
I stopped using telephones 2 months ago.
Any particular reason?
To protest the involvement of telecom firms in the development of hi-tech weapon systems.
Kikki graduated from Berkeley.
So this is the new one, huh?
Have you done him yet?
Yes, 10 minutes ago, right where you're sitting.
So what's the story with this girl, she... she works there?
I told everything Ellis told me.
Thank you.
Beautiful girl,
works in a public library.
Maybe she likes books... and silence.
Or maybe she Google'd him,
and found out about his generous contributions and then...
worked her way in there so she could get her hooks into him.
Yeah, I'll bet that's it.
- Shouldn't they be here by now? - You clear the table.
They're here!
Yeah, yeah.
How do I look?
Very pretty.
Oh! There you are!
Hey, Mom.
- Aaw, Honey! You look great. - Look who we picked up on the way.
Hi, Baby.
- So, this is Jenny. - Hello.
- So nice to meet you. - Nice to meet you.
You must be exhausted after your trip.
Oh, no, it was nothing. We made it in like 18 minutes.
No I'm not amused. He knows I hate it when he speeds.
It wasn't me, it was Jenny, I swear, she thinks she has nine lives.
Let me take your coat.
- Oh, okay. - Where have you been?
- What, you forget where we live? - No.
Uh, this is my dad, William.
- Dad, this is... - Adaline.
Jenny, actually.
Dad, you okay?
I'm sorry, it's just...
you look exactly like this old friend of mine that I...
Adaline Bowman.
That's my mother.
You joking? Really?
- Yeah. - Oh, my gosh!
- Did you know her? - Yeah! Yeah!
We were very close, I... I knew her in London.
Yeah, yes she lived there in the 60s.
Right before she, ah...
moved to Paris and met my father.
Incredible, what are the odds?
Wow, wow.
The resemblance is absolutely amazing. You must hear it all the time.
For as long as I can remember.
Wow! We were very close.
You've just said that already. I don't believe you never mentioned her.
Oh, yeah, I must've...
No, no... no, I remember your close, close friends.
How she doin'?
She passed away... 6 years ago.
No, really?
Oh, wow, I'm so sorry.
An extraordinary woman.
Yeah, well, it runs in the family.
- Come on, want something to eat? - Yeah.
Yeah, I made cheesecake.
We're kinda tired actually.
I think we'll head up, if that's okay with you?
- Me too. - Really?
All right, I have you in the back bedrooms.
Ha! You're in the back.
- Hey. - Hey.
It's so nice to meet you.
- Dad... - Oh, hey.. hey, Baby.
Miss.
You know, you keep doing that, you gonna flood your engine.
Thank you, thank you for the useful tip.
Well, you gonna get one hell of a tan at least.
I'm sorry, I've done everything I could to get this thing started.
It won't work.
All right, all it needs is a push-start.
Just loose the brake, I'll give you a push,
Pop your clutch and you'll take off.
Okay.
Thank you.
- Ready? - Ready, you ready?
- Okay. - Okay.
Okay! Now pop your clutch.
Thank you!
You're welcome.
They would spend the next five weeks together.
And Adaline did something that she promised herself she would never do.
You know, you... you still haven't told me your name.
Adaline Bowman.
- But my friends call me Della. - That's beautiful.
Thank you.
Three weeks later, his semester completed, William flew home to the United States.
Adaline, came with him.
Hey.
How'd you sleep?
- Fine. - Good.
Sorry about last night, I didn't mean to embarrass you, it's just...
I must be losing it.
It's okay.
- Hey! - When did you come up?
- Not too late, I read for a while. - Hmm...
- Hi, Baby. - Mwah!
- Where's Jenny? - She'll be down in a sec.
She was up all night, tossing and turning.
You know, you've never told us how you guys met.
We met in an elevator on New Year's Eve.
- You want some coffee? - No, thank you.
But, I'd seen her once before that.
Hey.
It was at the library, she was reading a book on Braille and I just
I knew she was an original.
Here you go, Baby. So was her mom.
How did you meet her mother?
It was outside London. Her car broke down, I helped her fix it.
So, she was English? Oh, no, no she was just there studying French.
- Spoke like what, four languages? - I think so.
- Wow. - Yeah.
- Jenny's brilliant with languages, too. - Really?
So, how old were you when you met her?
Oh, I was about, uh...
Let's see, that was the second year of med school, so I was like...
Twenty-six.
I was thinkin' about quitting medicine... bored.
But I was...
I was afraid I was too old to start over.
I told...
I told Adaline about it and she laughed in my face.
"She said," go for it, don't be silly, life's too short.
Wasn't for her I'd probably wouldn't've found astronomy, physics.
She was only couple of years older than I was but she was so wise.
She was so...
I don't know... sophisticated.
She, uh...
- What? Honey? - That's enough, William.
What? What's... what's cooking?
What, you think this is funny?
What do you mean? I'm do... What did I do?
You were very close, you were very close, you said that to me twice now.
And you should see your face when you talk about her.
Are you going to wax nostalgic this whole god damn weekend?
Look, it's just that...
she looks so much like her mother that...
that I'm remembering things that I didn't even know I remembered.
Well, I'd hate feeling like second choice.
- What do you mean? - Especially this weekend.
- Second choice? - Yes.
Forty years, Baby, come on...
Second choice? Uh-uh.
Honey, you're blowing this all out of proportion.
Am I?
Are you jealous?
Yeah, as a matter of fact.
Look, look, it was fleeting,
inconsequential.
Sounded like you were more than that.
I love you.
- I love you, too. - Come on.
I'm coming!
It's not the most romantic weekend.
Thanks for being such a good sport.
- Of course! - I promise I'll make it up to you.
Sorry about my dad, it's really embarrassing.
He's lovely.
Yeah, your mom must've really been something.
Yeah, she was.
Kikki!
So, guys, Dad is running a 47 game winning streak.
All the money I spent on your education, I was hoping for stronger competition.
- Have you played this before? - No never.
- Kikki, come on! - Do I have to?
- Yeah! - Yes!
The idea is to get enough of these little wedges.
- Pie. - They're cheese.
They're wedges, you get enough of 'em to fill-up your circle then you win, okay?
Most of the questions are about this stupid stuff.
Hence the word "Trivial".
Yeah, like here's an example for you, umm...
"On June 22, 1938, this American boxer retained his heavyweight championship"
"when he beat Max Schmeling in the first round."
- Well, that is a tough one. - I know, what do you think?
Sony Liston?
- Joe Louis. - Good guess though, really.
Women and boxing, it's cute.
Excuse me, do you know what then?
You know what, finally ladies we're on the team.
- Here, roll the die. - Here we go. - All right.
Here we go.
Women are pink.
Women are pink?
"Who was the first United States President to be born in a hospital."
Jimmy Carter.
That's fast.
- Beginners luck. - I don't think so, try again.
"At what event did the 'Hula Hoop' make its debut?"
In 1956, at the World's Fair in Schenectady, New York.
1956 World's Fair, Schenectady, New York.
Oh, my God.
- Nice one! - Wow.
- Cheese. - Pie.
Wedge.
All right, come on, do this.
Oh, it's a lot of pressure.
Smell somethin', like your winning streak going up in smoke?
We've got this family joke, what would happen first,
Dad loses in Trivial Pursuit, or Della finally appears?
Della?
Yeah, you remember the comet I told you about, the one that my dad discovered?
He named it Della C 1981,
after my great Aunt Adele.
- Okay, let's go. - Yeah?
- Dad, come on. - Here we go.
Jenny.
For the win...
"Of what country was Albert Einstein offered the presidency in 1952?"
Israel.
It's okay, I still love you.
How does it feel dad? Are you sad?
I'm all right.
Let's look at page 2, okay? That's section 3, paragraph H.
- I'm sorry. - It's okay, I'm going for a walk.
Okay.
Yes, let's look at 10... 10.
How many stars do you think there are in our galaxy?
I don't know, five hundred million.
Coupla hundred billion.
Plato believed that every soul has a companion star it that returns to after death...
if you lived a moral life.
You believe that?
No, no, I'm a...
I'm a scientist, Plato was a philosopher... poet.
Why did you name your Comet after my mother?
If my calculations were correct, that turned out to be wrong,
it would've been the closest approach to Earth of any comet in 200 years.
In other words, like your mother, a near miss.
What does that mean?
I was gonna propose her.
I had... I had an engagement ring in my pocket.
She stood me up.
Near miss.
Good night.
William.
She loved you, too.
Wow.
We just met, right? I know that.
Yeah, I should probably shut up right now.
I'll just shut up.
Come on, what?
What is it?
I... I... I... I just gotta tell you the truth, I...
I can't imagine my life without you.
I know it's probably the last thing you want to hear right now, but,
I'm falling in love with you, Jenny.
I can't help it.
I don't know what to say.
I deal with all of this with respect.
Please, don't say anything, all right? I just wanted you to know how I feel.
- Oh, hello. - Jenny.
Do you know where everyone went?
Yeah, Kathy and Kikki went to the market and Ellis went for a... for a run.
- Well, okay. - You have a bug in your hair.
- It's all right, it's a... - What it is?
It's a ladybug.
They say they're good luck.
Did you get it?
- Got it. - Thank you.
Please tell Ellis that I went for a walk.
- Della, you okay? - Oh, my God!
- This is gonna sting. - Okay, okay.
Don't worry, we'll fix you up.
Oh! Oh!
Excuse me... hi.
- Do you mind taking our photo? - Sure.
Okay, I don't, I don't.
- It's going to be great. - I don't want it.
- What do you mean, you don't want it? - No, we're wasting film.
I'm just really shy.
Three, two, one...
I know.
I know who you are, Adaline.
What?
The scar... the same scar, I stitched it myself.
Please.
The truth.
William.
I thought I was losing my mind.
How? How is this possible?
I don't... I don't know.
I...I, I was normal.
And then one day... I just stopped.
I wanted to tell you so badly, but I couldn't.
You know what they'd do to me, I...
- I would have been a... - Curiosity.
- A specimen. - Yes.
That's why you left? That's why you... disappeared?
You can't imagine how much it hurt.
I think, I... I think I can.
- You've never told anyone? - No.
If I had, it would have been Ellis.
Don't, don't run away.
Don't disappear again, please... for Ellis.
- Adaline... - Please.
All these years, you've lived but you've never had a life.
Please, for yourself, for Ellis, stay, Adaline.
I don't know how.
Don't run away, Adaline. Adaline!
Adaline!
Adaline don't, don't. Adaline, please.
Please don't do this.
Adaline, don't. Think about Ellis, please!
Adaline, please! Adaline!
Ellis, I'm so sorry. I can't do this. I can't explain. Jenny.
Dad! Dad!
Dad, where're your keys?
She's gone.
She's not coming back, Son.
What just happened? What, what... what is this?
- Dad, what the hell did you say to her? - Nothing.
She can't explain.
Please tell me what she said.
- She's not capable. - Of what?
Of change.
Do you love her?
Son?
Listen to me. Do you love her?
Yes.
How do you know?
- Dad, I don't... - It's a simple question.
How do you know?
Because nothing makes sense without her.
- Hello. - Oh.
Darling, I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to wake you.
- Everything okay? - No, no... I just wanted to tell you...
What is it?
You're right, no more running.
- Mom? - I'll call you tomorrow, okay?
- I am so happy to hear that. - I love you.
- I love you too. - Bye.
Bye, Mama.
The moon is responsible for much of what takes place on the surface of the Earth.
A stray meteor hit the Moon in 1178.
The resulting concussion would cause extreme tides
on every lunar phase in Tierra del Fuego, Argentina.
A 23% rise in the mean tide on this night
produced a storm 2000 miles off the Pacific coast,
causing an increase in amount of molecular ionization in the atmosphere.
And for the first time in 78 years,
snow fell in this part of Sonoma County.
In the first stages of hypothermia,
the body will try to generate heat through shivering.
When this fails, it would decrease the flow of blood to the extremities.
Metabolism slows to a crawl.
You're dying, but you don't know it.
In the final stages...
the victim only breathes once or twice a minute.
A state of suspended animation.
Jenny!
At 10:07 p.m., Adaline Bowman's core temperature had dropped to 87 degrees.
Her heart stopped beating.
At last, at the age of one hundred and seven,
Adaline Bowman was, by any definition, dead.
At precisely 10:09 p.m., paramedics placed
two defibrillator paddles on Adaline Bowman's chest.
They counted the prescribed 5 seconds before administering 750 volts of electricity.
How is she?
We've just run a series of tests and don't see any long term damage.
It's quite remarkable, in fact.
Is she awake? Can I go see her?
She's exhausted but you might be able to get in a few words.
Okay, thank you.
Hi.
Jenny.
- Hi. - Hey!
I know why you ran away.
You do?
It's because of what I said to you last night, isn't it?
I told you I loved you.
- And you got scared, I shouldn't... - Come here, I love you.
Come here, come here, I love you.
I love you, too.
There's something else.
What? What is it?
Well, first, my name isn't Jenny.
My God, what happened?
Nothing, nothing, an accident, I'm fine. Okay?
- But... - Hey...
I'm better than fine. Okay?
- This is Ellis. - Hello.
Hello.
He's the man I've been telling you about.
Nice to meet you.
I'm Jenny's grandmother.
What? What is it?
He knows.
Hey, everybody, I don't wanna ruin the party, but I wanna say something.
First of all, thanks for being here.
Kathy and I are really grateful that you could all be here.
It means a lot to us that you would be here and to help
us celebrate the first... first 40 years of our marriage.
When I first met this lovely lady,
back in the olden days,
I had a... I had a pretty good idea what I wanted to do in my job,
but I didn't really...
know what I wanted to...
be as a man when I grew up, if I ever grew up.
But the commitment that she made...
to our marriage and to our family, to me...
the... quality of her love...
led me to understand that I could have no greater ambition...
in life, than to be the best possible husband I could be for her.
And I'm still working on it.
So here's to Kathy, love of my life,
mate of my soul, mother of my lovely children.
To Kathy.
One year later.
We are back, live in Times Square.
And now, only a few minutes from the moment we've all been waiting for,
- ... drop ball... to 2016. - There you are, Honey, good girl. Yeah.
Hey, you guys, you better hurry up, you're gonna be late for the event.
- Yeah, I've been ready for 10 minutes. - Oh, so handsome.
- Thank you. - I'm ready, too.
- Wow. - I just need this zipped.
Are you sure you don't wanna come with us?
I'm positive.
I've got my date, right here. Come here, Baby.
- I love you. - Love you.
I have to grab my clutch. Oh, and my camera.
- He's getting so big. - Yeah.
Adaline, you okay?
Yes.
Perfect.
The instant Adaline's heart was struck by the defibrillator paddles,
the telomere structures in her genes regained their pliability,
Causing her to resume the natural course of aging.
William was right after all,
the comet, Della C 1981, finally did return.
A half century late. But as bright and magnificent as he had predicted.