I THOUGHT IT SUCKED SO MUCH THAT IF IT HAD A MOM SHE WOULD LOOK BAD!!!

One of the 1950's best films ever this classic books in at a solid 3 hours in length .. Not bad when today's films barely hit 90 minutes and then they do it begrudgingly ...


I don't know if you have to be over 50 to enjoy this film since it certainly does have a lot of the hottest stars of the time like Frank Sinatra, Marlene Dietrich, Jose Greco and so on .. The main start, David Niven and Cantinflas are incredible and of course the number of Oscars won by this film still put's it up there as the best ....


The DVD is excellent both the Dolby tacks and the colour video ....


Wonderfull .....

I recall the first time I saw this movie in the 60s. The scope of the picture, the exotic locations, and the continued cleverness of Phileas Fogg (David Niven) amazed me. Of course, time and technique have dulled the glamour of the special effects, but I still watch this movie with much of the awe of a child of the 60s and I can forgive a lot for a classic movie.

This movie is based on the classic story by Jules Verne. Phileas Fogg is playing cards with his cronies in London when the conversation turns to travel about the world. Phileas Fogg makes a statement that a person can travel around the world in 80 days. After a couple of rounds of "my dog is bigger than your dog" the gentlemen bet Phileas Fogg 20,000 pounds that he will not be able to travel around the world in 80 days.

Phileas Fogg had just employed a new manservant, Passepartout, played by well-known Mexican actor Cantinflas, born Mario Moreno Reyes. The character of Passepartout changes this movie from a big budget snooze fest to a humorous and entertaining fantasy. Niven's Fogg is as you might expect, very proper and serious. Passepartout is a little silly, a huge womanizer, and far less organized than Niven. However, Passepartout is adaptable and a survivor, which makes him perfect for traveling through numerous countries in 80 days.

The pair set out immediately for a journey around the world. Once in France they encounter their first transportation setback of many, and recover by taking a balloon over the mountains to Spain. In Spain we see a vignette, the first of many, starring Passepartout in the role of bull fighter. They trek by boat and eventually manage to make their way to India, where they encounter yet another transportation setback. This time they save Princess Aouda, a relatively minor role for Shirley MacLaine.

A running subplot becomes more intrusive as the journey continues. About the time that Phileas Fogg was departing for his journey the Bank of England was robbed of 50,000 pounds. Mr. Fix, played by Robert Newton, believes based on tenuous evidence that Phileas Fogg was the robber, and tries to stop him at every opportunity. Unfortunately, the Mr. Fix subplot begins to grate as the movie goes on, and I started to wish that Phileas Fogg or Passepartout would throw him overboard on one of the boat journeys.

The threesome, sometimes foursome when Mr. Fix is included, journeys to Hong Kong, where Fix tries to prevent Passepartout from getting ship tickets to Yokohoma to Phileas Fogg. The threesome are temporarily separated but reunite in Yokohoma, where Passepartout has joined a circus as an acrobat, one of his numerous talents.

They set off across the ocean in a clipper ship, of which a number of excellent views are provided if you are a clipper ship fan. The ship arrives in San Francisco, and Phileas Fogg catches a train cross the United States. There are beautiful scenes in the mountains, along with a rare scene of hundreds of bison crossing the railroad tracks. After a run-in with Native Americans, filmed in stereotypical 50s fashion, Phileas, Passepartout and Princess Aouda have missed the train. With a bit of imagination they overcome that obstacle and soon pass the train by.

Onward to New York and a ship passage back to England. Once again there is a transportation problem as they have missed the boat. They take a coastal freighter across the Atlantic, barely making the crossing. Unfortunately, Mr. Fix arrests Phileas Fogg on his return to England, apparently causing a loss of the 20,000 pound bet. However, the movie is not over, and I leave it to the viewer to follow through to the end.

Cinematic expectations have changed with time. In the era of the 50s and 60s extended views of scenery were considered fashionable because they were shown in wide screen, and most people hard rarely encountered such imagery in a movie theater. However, current audiences have lost their patience and demand a faster paced movie, when they are willing to sit through a movie focused more on plot than on action. Thus, the movie has not aged well for many audiences. The movie could probably be edited to remove some of the scenery and the extended shots that advance the plot little, but to do so also removes much of the cinematic beauty of the film.

This movie is interesting in that there are numerous actors who received either cameos or bit parts in this movie. Red Skelton, Ronald Colman, Buster Keaton, Frank Sinatra, Charles Boyer, José Greco, Peter Lorre, and Marlene Dietrich appear. Though many of these names will mean little to younger audiences, most of these actors were quite famous in their era. Deep in the credits are other famous names, such as Keye Luke, who was a regular on the 70s series "Kung Fu," and Richard Loo, who appeared in a number of movies, including "The Sand Pebbles" and "The Man with the Golden Gun." This short list is far from inclusive, as there are many more famous names in the list of credits.

There have been a couple of attempts to remake this movie, and both have succeeded only in proving that the original endures as the best of the bunch. Even with its flaws, this movie is a classic, and for those with a mind to the era in which it was made, and have the patience to watch the movie even when the focus is on panoramas, you will find there are rewards in this film.

This review is for the new two disc DVD release of Around the World in 80 Days.
The picture was a huge gamble for producer Mike Todd both financially and personally but it is one that paid off handsomely in spades.It won many,many accolades including the best picture OSCAR for 1956(five total).
It is a veritable who's who of film actors from its lead characters of David Niven and Cantinflas to Noel Coward,Ralph Richardson,Ronald Coleman,Evelyn Keyes,John Carradine,Reginald Denny,Marlene Dietrich,George Raft,Victor McLaughlin,Peter Lorre,Buster Keaton(who looks very much at home as a conductor on a train in the old west being pulled by a locomotive of similar style as the 'General'),and many,many more.
David Niven is a very Victorian,very stalwart and stiff-upper-lip Englishman who, immediately after taking on a new "man" played by famous Mexican/Latin American film star Cantinflas,decides to take a bet on that he can 'round the world in less than 80 days and the film takes us on that trip with him.
Along the way we see some very spectacular locations and scenery as the cinemetography is top rate throughout.
The film opens interestingly enough by Edward R.Murrows who introduces us to a replay of George Melies' 1902 film "A Trip to the Moon"(almost complete) then we get to see earth from the camera of a rocket which was sent up especially by Todd for use in this picture.This then all segues into the beginning of the "actual" picture.
The picture I feel has lost a little of the punch it had back in 1956.It is a bit uneven throughout as it has its' weak moments(The Spanish dancing sequence)and strong moments(the rescue of the princess in India).
Also as uneven as the film plays so is the film transfer which could/should have been done MUCH better than it was.The print itself is quite good and clear but there are many places throughout that need "cleaning" of the light streaks and blotches that appear much too often.There are also some scenes with light non-moving dots in them but whether this is a camera lens problem that is permamently on the film or a print/negative problem(which in either scenario could easily be removed digiatlly)is unknown.
In conclusion this is the best transfer of this movie to date onto DVD.The set is filled with many wonderful features including a great bio of the producer and many behind the scenes look at the making of the film.
Although an uneven picture clocking in at about 180 minutes it still manages to satisfy.The cinemtography never fails to impress and it is well supported throughout by a cornocopia of fine actors.

First off, let me explain why I purchased the AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 DAYS DVD in the first place, sight unseen. One, I was trying to collect as many notable films of the 1950's as I could on DVD, to add to my personal library. Two, it was the winner of the 1956 Best Picture Oscar (how bad could it be, right?). And third, it was on sale at my local wholesaler. So I figured, what the hey, I'll take a chance.

Talk about a COLOSSAL disappointment. I'm a huge movie buff. I'm only 32 years old, but I love all sorts of films and genres from different periods and countries. I love old black & white and silent films, and I don't shy away from foreign films either. I'm also a huge fan of Warner Brothers' 2-Disc Special Edition DVDs. I try to keep an open mind about all the films I see, but I just can't come up with any convincing arguments to either buy or watch this film/DVD.

To start, there is NO GOOD REASON why this film should be 3 hours long. It could have very easily been edited down to 2, if not 90 minutes. There is almost no script to speak of, and what little there is consists of trite exchanges and banter with barely 2 memorable lines of dialogue. There are endless shots of open seas or country, followed by about 30 seconds of dialogue, followed by EVEN MORE endless footage of different locales. There is no real drama or comedy going on to drive the film, and the pacing is absolutely DREADFUL... I found myself hitting the "fast-foward" button on my remote on more than a few occasions, simply because I knew I wasn't missing any dialogue and the establishing shots would go on for 1 or 2 minutes STRAIGHT!

Secondly, the entire cast is virtually wasted. David Niven is always a delight to watch, but is never given a chance to make Fogg truly shine. He has one demeanor that he holds throughout: stiff and mannered, with little or no variation. Cantinflas, who supposedly was one of the highest paid comedians in the world at the time 80 DAYS was produced, gives us little reason to believe how or why he was such a sensation (other than doing his own stunt work). He's mildly amusing at best, and his accent is so thick and mumbled that I had to rewind and replay some scenes with the "subtitle" button on. As for the "noted" cameos... again, the actors/comedians are given little to do and barely play to their strengths and familiarity. The only cameo actor who stuck out as having any real performance or impact was the great John Carradine (can't miss that voice!).

It's hard to believe it took THREE different writers to come up with such a frustratingly bland, lifeless and unfunny script (not to mention headscratchingly illogical... when Cantinflas rescues the Shirley MacLaine Princess character, wouldn't she fall in love with HIM, her actual rescuer, rather than the cool and distant Fogg, who only ordered the rescue? Talk about a missed opportunity for some genuine comedy!).

Although this film obviously has some fans, I wonder if it's only because of some overriding nostalgia factor, whether it was seeing it for the first time back in 1956 or on TV as a child. Other than that, I can't understand how anyone could seriously recommend this film. Yes, it's beautifully photographed, and the costumes are great, but THAT'S IT. I can't believe that 80 DAYS won the Best Picture Oscar of 1956, a year that also gave us GIANT, THE TEN COMMANDMENTS, THE KING AND I, THE SEARCHERS... hell, even FORBIDDEN PLANET or INVASION OF THE BODY SNATCHERS should have won before this overblown moving postcard.

I'm sorry to say that I probably won't bother watching this film again and will most likely end up reselling my DVD copy (if anyone will take it!). Certainly my most disappointing DVD purchase EVER. Don't say you weren't warned!