Around the World in Eighty Days (film)
"Around the World in Eighty Days" is a film adaptation of Jules Verne's classic 1873 novel, centered on Phileas Fogg, an Englishman who wagers he can travel around the globe in eighty days. The film features David Niven in the role of Fogg and Cantinflas as his energetic butler, Passepartout, providing a comedic counterbalance to Fogg's character. Robert Newton portrays Mr. Fix, a private investigator who adds dramatic tension to the narrative. Spanning nearly three hours, the film showcases a grand journey through various locations, including Europe, the Suez Canal, India, Thailand, China, Japan, and the United States, before concluding back in London.
Notably, the film is acclaimed for its innovative use of the Todd-AO widescreen process, enhancing the visual experience for audiences. The film also features cameo appearances from numerous notable celebrities of the 1950s, such as Marlene Dietrich and Frank Sinatra. Its success at the box office and recognition by the Academy Awards underline its cultural impact. In 2004, a remake was released by Walt Disney Productions, featuring Jackie Chan in the role of Passepartout, indicating the story's enduring popularity.
Around the World in Eighty Days (film)
Identification Film about an imaginary round-the-world journey during the late nineteenth century
Date Released in 1956
Director Michael Anderson
Producer Michael Todd
Exotic vistas and opulent sets conveyed in wide-screen cinematography won for this big-budget epic five Academy Awards, including the year’s best picture award.
Key Figures
Michael Anderson (1920- ), film directorMichael Todd (1907-1958), film producer
An adaptation of Jules Verne’s 1873 novel of the same title, Around the World in Eighty Days is the story of an Englishman named Phileas Fogg who bets he can circle the world and return to London within eighty days. David Niven portrays Fogg in the film, Mexican comedian Cantinflas took on the lively role of Passepartout the butler, and Robert Newton offered some dramatic tension as private investigator Mr. Fix. The film ran for almost three hours and took audiences on a wide array of different transports through Europe, down the Suez Canal, through India, and into Thailand, China, and Japan before crossing the United States back to London. Shirley MacLaine portrayed an Indian princess (complete with dyed skin), and forty-four celebrities revered by 1950’s audiences—including John Carradine, Marlene Dietrich , José Greco , Peter Lorre , Buster Keaton , George Raft , and Frank Sinatra —made cameo appearances throughout the film.
Impact
Around the World in Eighty Days captivated theater audiences and Academy voters when it debuted. It was noted for its use of the lush, wide-screen process created by Mike Todd, called Todd-AO, which provided the movie a sense of grandeur and made audiences feel more a part of the film’s action. In 2004, Walt Disney Productions released a remake of the film starring martial-arts performer Jackie Chan as Passepartout.
Bibliography
Osborne, Robert A. Seventy-five Years of the Oscar: The Official History of the Academy Awards. 4th ed. New York: Abbeville Press, 2003. This classic overview of American film includes a chapter devoted to cinematic achievements, events, and trends of the 1950’s.
Verne, Jules. Around the World in Eighty Days: The Extraordinary Journeys. Translated by William Batcher. New York: Oxford Press, 1999. This paperback critical edition includes a select bibliography, a chronology of Verne’s life, and additional appendices.