This is the motion picture which made every critic throw away all
reservations. Superlatives like "fantastic," "colossal," and
"spectacular" seemed too tame.
The magazine "Good Housekeeping" awarded it not four but fifty stars —
one for each star performer. Statistics alone proved that "Around the
World in Eighty Days" was not only a "first" but the "most." The
following were some of them:
The most stars ever to appear in a motion picture — fifty — each playing
a genuine role in the story and none appearing as himself or herself....
The most people ever photographed in separate worldwide locations —
68,894 persons in thirteen different countries. . . . The most miles
travelled to make a film — 4 million air passenger miles. . . The most
sets ever used; 140 actual locations in addition to the stages of six
major Hollywood studios, to say nothing of the studios in England, Hong
Kong and Japan. . . . The most camera set-ups ever used — 2,000. . . .
The most costumes ever designed, made and/or rented — 74,685. . . . The
most assistant directors ever employed on a single picture — 33. . . .
More means of transportation were used than in any other film — not
merely the conventional trains, liners, schooners and air planes, but a
balloon, a barge, a Chinese junk a hansom cab, a sailmobile, a rickshaw,
an elephant and even an ost:ich! . . . Every record was shattered with
Toddian profligacy in Michael Todd's precedent-making film.
The old Jules Verne novel was rejuvenated by S. J. Perelman's lively
script and enriched with tL ividly modern music by Victor Young. It was
brilliantly cast with David Niven as the adventurous Phineas Fogg; the
world-famous Mexican actor, Cantinflas as Passe-partout, Fogg's servant;
Robert Newton as Mr. Fix, who tracks Fogg around the world; and Shirley
MacLaine as Aouda, the lovely Indian Maharanee.
The smaller parts furnished some of the greater surprises when, in minor
roles, the audience recognised the characters Todd calls them "cameo
players" — Charles Boyer as head of the Thomas Cook agency in Paris;
Noel Coward as manager of an employment bureau in London; Sir John
Gielgud as an ex-valet; Sir Cedric Hardwicke as a Brigadier-General;
Beatrice Lillie as a Salvation Army girl; Ronald Coleman as an Indian
railroad official; Charles Coburn as a clerk in a Hong Kong steamship
office; Robert Morley as a governor of the Bank of England; Frank
Sinatra; a piano player; Marlene Dietrich, the proprietress of a Barbary
Coast saloon; Fernandel, a coachman, Jose Greco, a Spanish dancer; and
dozens of other stars of stage and screen.
As practically everyone knows, the story centres about a wager made by
Phineas Fogg, who bets 20,000 pounds that he can circle the globe in
eighty days.
This is incredibly fast time — for the year is 1872. Accompanied by his
new valet, Passepartout, Fogg begins the journey in high spirits — at
least as high as a cool Britisher will allow himsel.
Everything conspires against h:m. An avalanche blocks the railroad. . .
. Wind blows his balloon off course. . . . A Scotland Yard detective,
who believes that Fogg is the man who robbed the Bank of England,
creates fresh obstacles in every port. . . . An angry mob delays his
passage in India, while the travellers save the young Princess Aouda,
from being burned alive. . . . The detective separates Fogg from his
valet with the tickets, but the resourceful Englishman hires a Chinese
junk, which gets him to Yokohama, where he finds Passepartout in time. .
. . A political rally holds them up in San Francisco and, crossing the
plains, they are attacked by Indians. . . . Arriving in New York too
late for the steamer for Liverpool, they board a trading schooner bound
for South
America, and the captain is bribed to change course for England. . . .
When the ship runs out of fuel, Fogg buys the boat and burns all the
fittings to keep up
steam. . . . Arriving in Liverpool, they are about to board the train
for London when Fogg is arrested by the detective.
The real culprit is found and Fogg is released; but it seems too late.
Aouda ano Fogg realise that they love each other anc they forget about
the lost wager.
When the valet is sent out to make arrangements for the wedding, he
discovers that there is still time to win the b;et, for by going from
East to West the travellers have c. 3ssed the dateline — and have gained
an entire day! Fogg rushes to his club at the very last moment and wins
the 20,000 pounds.
Here is the kind of picture that is hailed by everybody because it has
everything. It is a wonderful adventure story which is also a great
documentary, a romantic legend which is a breath-taking travel picture
with a world-wide expanse of beautiful scenery. More than that, the
action is pointed and the shifting moods intensified by the music of the
late Victor Young. Young wrote dozens of important works for outstanding
films. But he never created a score more appropriate, more varied and
more glowingly exciting than this one.
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Manufactured in Australia by FESTIVAL RECORDS PTY. LTD.
Originally Recorded in America by DECCA RECORDS INC., New York, U.S.A.
FESTIVAL FR12-1491 |
