Around the World in 80 Days

1956
Around the World in 80 Days
Around the World in 80 Days (sometimes spelled as Around the World in Eighty Days) is a 1956 adventure film produced by the Michael Todd Company and released by United Artists. It was directed by Michael Anderson. It was produced by Michael Todd, with Kevin McClory and William Cameron Menzies as associate producers. The screenplay was written 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 composed by Victor Young, and the Todd-AO 70 mm cinematography was by Lionel Lindon. The film won multiple Academy Awards, including Best Picture.

The film's seven-minute-long animated title sequence, shown at the end of the film, was created by award-winning designer Saul Bass.
The film begins with a special onscreen prologue introduced by broadcast journalist Edward R. Murrow, and featuring footage of an early science fiction/fantasy film by Georges Méliès, A Trip to the Moon (1902), which is based loosely on From the Earth to the Moon by Jules Verne.[3] Included also is the launching of an unmanned rocket and footage of the earth receding.

Around 1872, an English gentleman Phileas Fogg (David Niven) claims he can circumnavigate the world in eighty days. He makes a £20,000 wager (equal to £1,324,289 today) with several skeptical fellow members of the Reform Club, that he can arrive back within 80 days before exactly 8:45 pm.

Together with his resourceful valet, Passepartout (Cantinflas), Fogg sets out on his journey from Paris via a hot air balloon. Meanwhile, suspicion grows that Fogg has stolen £55,000 (equal to £3,641,794 today) from the Bank of England so Police Inspector Fix (Robert Newton) is sent out by Scotland Yard 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 with 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 humiliated 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. Aouda and Passepartout then arrive. Noticing Fogg's whole travel party has arrived, and noting the fact that a woman and a Frenchman have entered the hallowed British gentlemen's precinct, the Reform Club announces the completion of the journey and The End of the British Empire.
Cast

The movie boasts a huge cast, with David Niven and Cantinflas 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, in his last role.

The role of Passepartout was greatly expanded from the novel to accommodate Cantinflas, the most famous Latin-American comedian at the time, 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. In the Spanish version the name of his character was changed from the French Passepartout to the Spanish "Juan Picatoste".[4] There is also a comic bullfighting sequence especially created for Cantinflas that is not in the novel.[4] Indeed, when the film was released in non-English speaking nations, Cantinflas was billed as the lead.[4] 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. The film was significant as the first of the so-called Hollywood "make work" films, employing dozens of faded film personalities.[citation needed] John Wayne turned down Todd's offer for the role of the Colonel leading the Cavalry charge,[citation needed] a role filled in by Tim McCoy. Promotional material released at the time quoted a Screen Actors Guild representative looking at the shooting call sheet and crying: "Good heavens Todd, you've made extras out of all the stars in Hollywood!"[5] As of Evelyn Keyes death in 2008, Shirley Maclaine and Glynis Johns are the last surviving members of the entire cast.
Complete credited cast
(excluded are numerous extras)

David Niven - Phileas Fogg
Cantinflas - Passepartout
Shirley MacLaine - Princess Aouda
Robert Newton - Mr. Fix

Other 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
Robert Cabal - Elephant Driver-Guide
Noël Coward - Hesketh-Baggott
Finlay Currie - Stuart, 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
John Gielgud - Foster, Fogg's former butler
Hermione Gingold - Sportin' Lady
José Greco - Flamenco 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
A.E. Matthews - Club Member
Mike Mazurki - Character (in Hong Kong bar)
Col. Tim McCoy - Colonel, U.S. Cavalry
Victor McLaglen - Helmsman, S.S. Henrietta
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 - Barbary Coast Saloon Pianist
Red Skelton - Drunk, Barbary Coast saloon
Ronald Squire - Club Member
Basil Sydney - Club Member
Richard Wattis - Insp. Hunter
Harcourt Williams - Hinshaw

Directed by Michael Anderson
Produced by Kevin McClory
William Cameron Menzies
Michael Todd
Written by James Poe
John Farrow
S. J. Perelman
Based on Around the World in Eighty Days by
Jules Verne
Starring David Niven
Cantinflas
Robert Newton
Shirley MacLaine
Music by Victor Young
Cinematography Lionel Lindon
Editing by Howard Epstein
Gene Ruggiero
Paul Weatherwax
Distributed by United Artists
Release date(s)

October 17, 1956

Running time 183 minutes
Country United States
Language English
Budget $6 million
Box office $33 million