Around the World in 80 Days

A large-scale adventure film adapted from Jules Verne's novel. Phileas Fogg makes a wager at a London club: he will travel around the world in eighty days. He sets off with his servant Passepartout. The route runs through France, Spain, Suez, India, Hong Kong, Japan and America. An inspector follows them, believing Fogg to be a bank robber. The production's idea is as ambitious as the journey: the scenes really were shot in different countries and the film was extremely expensive for its time. What it is most cited for is its use of guest actors. Close to forty known names make brief appearances; the method gave the language of film a term and was repeated in later pictures. David Niven plays Fogg and the Mexican comedian Cantinflas plays Passepartout; Cantinflas was enormously famous at home and in some countries his part was billed ahead of Niven's. The film won five Oscars in 1957, including Best Picture. A showy example of its period for anyone who likes classic adventure and large-scale production. It runs close to three hours and gives long room to the journey; the plot itself is quite simple.