Product Description

A Victorian gentleman and his valet wager that they can go around the world in only 80 days.
Genre: Feature Film-Comedy
Rating: NR
Release Date: 18-MAY-2004
Media Type: DVD

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #4775 in DVD
• Brand: NIVEN,DAVID
• Released on: 2004-05-18
• Rating: NR (Not Rated)
• Aspect ratio: 2.20:1
• Formats: AC-3, Anamorphic, Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, Dubbed, DVD-Video, Special Edition, Subtitled, Widescreen, NTSC
• Original language: English
• Subtitled in: English, French, Spanish
• Dubbed in: French
• Number of discs: 2
• Running time: 182 minutes

Amazon.com
This Mike Todd production was a star-studded, multi-million dollar extravaganza when first released in 1956. It remains enjoyable family fare, but time has somewhat dulled its shine. Still, it compares favorably to the overly long, TV mini-series starring Pierce Brosnan and Eric Idle.

Elegant David Niven plays the neurotically punctual Phileas Fogg, a British gent who is spurned on by a wager to prove he can travel around the world in 80 days. He is accompanied by his valet, played with persnickety humor by Cantinflas.

Nominated for several Academy Awards, this was written by John Farrow (Mia's dad) and S.J. Perelman, based on Jules Verne's 1873 classic. The fun part is the razzle-dazzle. Todd knew what he was doing with all those exotic locales and over 40 cameo appearances, including Charles Boyer, Ronald Colman, Marlene Dietrich, José Greco, Peter Lorre, Buster Keaton, Frank Sinatra, and Red Skelton. A very young Shirley MacLaine was painted and dyed to play a lively Indian Princess. --Rochelle O'Gorman

DVD features
Around the World in 80 Days on DVD sports an attractive transfer and an inside look at 1950s Hollywood. BBC Radio's Brian Sibley offers a trivia-laden commentary track, while Turner Film Classics host Robert Osborne provides some nice historical perspective in his introductions to most of the extra features. Most interesting is "Around the World with Mike Todd," a 50-minute 1968 documentary about the film's producer, covering his Broadway hits, his films, and his life with Elizabeth Taylor. There's also 47 minutes of Playhouse 90's coverage of the lavish party Todd threw at Madison Square Garden to celebrate Around the World's one-year anniversary. Shorter segments show Todd at the L.A. premiere and the 1957 Oscars. Also included is the first Jules Verne film adaptation, Georges Melies's 1902 classic "A Trip to the Moon." Finally, there's a list of the 35 people who made cameos, but it seems like a missed opportunity not to have offered easily accessible film clips from there. --David Horiuchi

Customer Reviews

Around the world in 80 days
A long but very entertaining movie which would appeal to older viewers remembering so many actors in unexpected bit parts - e.g. Bustor Keaton, Frank Sinatra. David Niven and Cantinflas are excellent and the cost of making this film in so many countries would have been enormous.

Around the World in 80 Days
I remember when this movie originally came out. Always a fan of David Niven's, the movie was good...however, the Mexican comedian, Cantinflas, stole the scene...he was terrific. I enjoyed the movie and will watch it frequently.

Love this movie!
I teach the book and show this movie along with the Pierce Brosnan miniseries of the same name. This DVD version was not available when we began teaching the book. Our VHS copy was wearing out! I 1-clicked this on Monday during class when it was clear the tape was dying and had it in hand on Thursday to continue using the film on Friday! An absolute life-saver.