Around the World in Eighty Days (1956 film)

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Around the World in Eighty Days

Around the World in Eighty Days movie poster
Directed by Michael Anderson
John Farrow
Produced by Kevin McClory
William Cameron Menzies
Michael Todd
Written by Novel:
Jules Verne
Screenplay:
James Poe
John Farrow
S.J. Perelman
Starring David Niven
Mario "Cantinflas" Moreno
Robert Newton
Shirley MacLaine
Music by Victor Young
Cinematography Lionel Lindon
Editing by Howard Epstein
Gene Ruggiero
Paul Weatherwax
Distributed by 1956 - 1976:
United Artists
1983 - present:
Warner Bros.
Release date(s) Flag of the United States October 17, 1956
Running time 183 min
Country Flag of the United States United States
Language English
Budget $6,000,000
All Movie Guide profile
IMDb profile

Around the World in Eighty Days is a 1956 adventure film made by the Michael Todd Company and released by United Artists. It was directed by Michael Anderson and John Farrow (uncredited) and produced by Michael Todd with Kevin McClory and William Cameron Menzies as associate producers. The screenplay was by James Poe, John Farrow and S. J. Perelman based on the classic novel of the same name by Jules Verne. The music score was by Victor Young and the cinematography by Lionel Lindon.

Contents

It was a big budget Hollywood movie, shot in producer Michael Todd's pioneering 70mm Todd-AO system to provide the highest-available picture resolution and sweeping widescreen vistas.

Around 1872, an English gentleman Phileas Fogg (David Niven) claims he can circumnavigate the world in eighty days. He makes a £20,000 wager with several skeptical fellow members of his London gentlemen's club, the Reform Club, that he can arrive back within 80 days before exactly 8:45 pm.

Together with his resourceful valet, Passepartout (Mario "Cantinflas" Moreno), Fogg sets out on his journey from Paris via a hot-air balloon. Meanwhile, suspicion grows that Fogg has stolen his £20,000 from the Bank of England. Police Inspector Fix (Robert Newton) is sent out by Ralph the bank president (Robert Morley) to trail and arrest Fogg. Hopscotching around the globe, Fogg pauses in Spain, where Passepartout engages in a comic bullfight. In India, Fogg and Passepartout rescue young widow Princess Aouda (Shirley MacLaine) from being forced into a funeral pyre so that she may join her late husband. The threesome visit Hong Kong, Japan, San Francisco, and the Wild West. Only hours short of winning his wager, Fogg is arrested upon returning to London by the diligent, yet misguided Inspector Fix.

At the jail, the humilated Fix informs Fogg that the real culprit was caught in Brighton. Though eventually exonerated of the charges, he has lost everything — except the love of the winsome Aouda. But salvation is at hand when Passepartout realizes the next morning that, by crossing the International Date Line, they have gained a day. There is still time to reach the Reform Club and win the bet. To the surprise of all waiting at the club, Fogg arrives just before the clock's chime at 8:45 pm, even Aouda and Passpartout arive. Noticing Fogg's whole travel party is here, Ralph announces the end of the journey.

The movie boasts a huge cast, with David Niven and Mario "Cantinflas" Moreno in the lead roles of Fogg and Passepartout. Fogg is the classic Victorian gentleman, well-dressed, well-spoken, and extremely punctual, whereas his servant Passepartout (who has an eye for the ladies) provides much of the comic relief as a "jack of all trades" for the film in contrast to his master's strict formality. Joining them are Shirley MacLaine as Princess Aouda and Robert Newton as the detective Fix, which would turn out to be his last role.

Spanish film poster, with Cantinflas above the title and the list of all cameo appearances.
Spanish film poster, with Cantinflas above the title and the list of all cameo appearances.

The role of Passepartout was greatly expanded from the novel to accommodate the well-known Mario "Cantinflas" Moreno, and winds up the focus of the film. While Passepartout describes himself as a Parisian in the novel, this is unclear in the film -- he has a French name, but speaks Spanish when he and his master arrive in Spain by balloon (an episode, together with the bullfighting scene, which does not occur in the novel). Indeed, when the film was released in non-English speaking nations, Cantinflas was billed as the lead. (According to the guidebook describing the movie, this was done because of an obstacle Todd faced in casting Cantinflas, who had never before appeared in an American movie and had turned down countless offers to do so. Todd allowed Cantinflas to appear in the film as a Latin, "so", the actor said himself, "to my audience in Latin America, I'll still be Cantinflas").

Over 40 famous performers make cameo appearances, including Marlene Dietrich, George Raft, and Frank Sinatra to name a few. (A complete list of cameo appearances is listed below.) Indeed, this film is credited with popularizing the term cameo appearance.

The movie holds the record for the highest number of animals ever employed.[citation needed]

(excluded are numerous extras)

David Niven - Phileas Fogg

Mario "Cantinflas" Moreno - Passepartout

Shirley MacLaine - Princess Aouda

Robert Newton - Mr. Fix

Cameo appearances

Charles Boyer - Monsieur Gasse, balloonist

Joe E. Brown - Station Master, rural Nebraska

Martine Carol - Tourist, Paris

John Carradine - Col. Proctor Stamp, San Francisco

Charles Coburn - Clerk, Hong Kong

Ronald Colman - Railway Official, India

Melville Cooper - Steward

Noël Coward - Hesketh-Baggott

Finlay Currie - Whist Partner

Reginald Denny - Police Chief, Bombay

Andy Devine - First Mate, S.S. Henrietta

Marlene Dietrich - Hostess, Barbary Coast Saloon

Luis Miguel Dominguín - Bullfighter

Fernandel - Coachman, Paris

Walter Fitzgerald - Club Member

Ava Gardner - Spectator

John Gielgud - Mr Foster, the Butler

Hermione Gingold - Sportin' Lady

José Greco - Dancer

Sir Cedric Hardwicke - General Sir Francis Gromarty, India

Trevor Howard - Falletin

Glynis Johns - Companion

Buster Keaton - Conductor






Evelyn Keyes - Flirt

Beatrice Lillie - Revivalist, London

Peter Lorre - Steward, S.S. Carnatic

Edmund Lowe - Engineer, S.S. Henrietta

Col. Tim McCoy - Colonel, U.S. Cavalry

Victor McLaglen - Helmsman, S.S. Henrietta

A.E. Matthews - Club Member

Mike Mazurki - Character (in Hong Kong bar)

John Mills - Cabby in London

Robert Morley - Ralph (Reform club)

Alan Mowbray - Consul

Edward R. Murrow - Narrator, prologue

Jack Oakie - Captain of S.S. Henrietta

George Raft - Bouncer at Barbary Coast Saloon

Gilbert Roland - Achmed Abdullah

Cesar Romero - Henchman

Frank Sinatra - Saloon Pianist

Red Skelton - Drunk, Barbary Coast saloon

Ronald Squire - Club Member

Basil Sydney - Club Member

Richard Wattis - Insp. Hunter

Harcourt Williams - Hinshaw


The movie was nominated for eight Oscars, of which it was awarded five:

Although not nominated for best original song, the film's theme song "Around the World" (music by Victor Young, words by Harold Adamson), became very popular. It was a hit for Bing Crosby in 1957, and was a staple of the easy-listening genre for many years: "Around the world I searched for you / I traveled on when hope was gone to keep a rendezvous ... No more will I go all around the world / For I have found my world in you".

The movie was also nominated for three Golden Globes, of which it was awarded two:

The film was originally released by United Artists in two Todd-AO 70mm versions, one for Todd-AO 70mm release at 30 frames per second, and an alternate 70mm version at 24 frames per second reduced to 35mm for general release.

Around 1976, after its last network television broadcast on CBS, UA lost control of the film to Elizabeth Taylor (widow of producer Michael Todd and who had inherited some portion of Todd's estate). In 1983, Warner Bros. acquired the rights to the film from Taylor, and reissued the film theatrically in a re-edited 143-minute version. In the years that followed, a pan-and-scan transfer of the 35mm version (presented at its full 183-minute length) was shown on cable television.

In 2004, WB issued a digitally restored version of the 35mm incarnation on DVD, also at its full 183-minute length, but also including the original intermission, Entr'acte, and exit music segments that were a part of the original 1956 theatrical release, and for the first time on home video at its original 2.2:1 aspect widescreen ratio.

This restored version was reconstructed from the best available elements of the 35mm version WB could find, and was subsequently shown on Turner Classic Movies. The original elements from the 70mm Todd-AO version (as well as the original prints derived from these elements) still exist, albeit in faded condition due to the passage of time, but remains to be formally restored by WB.

Best available prints of the 70mm version have recently been exhibited in revival movie houses worldwide. As of 2007, WB remains the film's rights holder.

Awards
Preceded by
Marty
Academy Award for Best Picture
1956
Succeeded by
The Bridge on the River Kwai
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