The screenplay, written by John Gay, is based on the novel The Film of Memory (La Volupté d'être) by Maurice Druon.

The fictional story is based loosely on the real life exploits of the infamous Italian eccentric, the Marchesa Casati, whom Druon knew during her declining years in London while he was stationed there during World War II.

An American-Italian co-production, A Matter of Time had a troubled production, which led an aging Vincente Minnelli to be removed from creative control during post-production.

[3][4] The film marked the first screen appearance for Isabella Rossellini, the last for Charles Boyer and Amedeo Nazzari, and it proved to be Minnelli's final project.

[5] At a mid-1950s press conference, scenes are shown for an upcoming film starring Nina, a popular screen celebrity.

This triggers a series of fantasy sequences, all taking place in elaborate settings such as casinos and Venetian palazzos.

On a rare day off from work, Nina explores Rome and begins to sense the bright future that may lie in store for her.

Vincente Minnelli later disowned it, and fellow director Martin Scorsese took out ads in the trade papers chastizing AIP for its treatment of the screen legend.

"Do It Again" by George Gershwin and Buddy G. DeSylva also was heard in the film, performed by Nina (Liza Minnelli) in the ballroom of a Venetian palazzo.

In his review in The New York Times, Vincent Canby wrote "It is full of glittery costumes and spectacular props.

It is performed by talented, sophisticated people who adopt the faux-naif gestures of an earlier show-biz tradition, and though it is expensive, it sounds peculiarly tacky...the film has the air of an operetta from which the music has been removed.

It's even acted that way...Because A Matter of Time has moments of real visual beauty, and because what the characters say to each other is mostly dumb, it may be a film to attend while wearing your earplugs.

"[7] Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times called it "a fairly large disappointment as a movie, but as an occasion for reverie, it does very nicely.