It’s time to go around the world! Phileas Fogg is a very rich man living in London in the late 19th century. Having lots of time on his hands, he decides to challenge his friends in his gentlemen’s club to a wager. He bets that he can travel around the world via any transport form in 80 days. At the time of Jules Verne’s book, written in 1872, the record was set by US sailors who took 394 days to circumnavigate the globe. Phileas bets £20,000 – equivalent £1.9 million today that he will complete the epic journey in 80 days. The pressure is on!
Lacking commercial planes or a personal yacht, Phileas takes his companion Passepartout and opts instead for trains, hot air balloons, boats and walking for short periods. The initial sense of adventure is very exciting. You almost feel like you are with Phileas on this most ambitious and amazing trip.
Ultimately though, that becomes the problem. You endure the long train rides with him and sit through long periods of travel where nothing really happens. Despite his best efforts, Phileas’ company starts to become tiresome and you find yourself surviving rather than enjoying the tedium of his long journeys and colonialist attitudes.
The final 90 minutes become a real struggle and one can’t wait for the end credits. These themselves were long too. The desire to turn off the TV was almost overwhelming by the end.
It does manage to maintain a certain charm and you can have fun playing “spot the celebrity” thanks to the impressive cameo reel that includes John Gielgud, Noel Coward, Buster Keaton and Frank Sinatra. Nonetheless, it lands 3rd from bottom.
Rating: 4/10
Reflections:
1. Travel is a way to expand consciousness.
Oscar Best Picture Rankings:
1. Casablanca (1943)
2. Rebecca (1940)
3. Lost Weekend (1945)
4. All About Eve (1950)
5. Hamlet (1948)
6. How Green Was My Valley (1941)
7. Gone With the Wind (1939)
8. Mrs. Miniver (1942)
9. All Quiet on the Western Front (1930)
10. Wings (1928)
11. Mutiny on the Bounty (1935)
12. You can’t take it with you (1938)
13. The Best Years of Our Lives (1946)
14. On the Waterfront (1954)
15. Marty (1955)
16. Cimarron (1931)
17. Grand Hotel (1932)
18. An American in Paris (1951)
19. From Here to Eternity (1953)
20. It Happened One Night (1934)
21. Gentleman’s Agreement (1947)
22. Cavalcade (1933)
23. The Life of Emile Zola (1937)
24. Going My Way (1944)
25. The Great Ziegfeld (1936)
26. All the King’s Men (1949)
27. Around the World in 80 Days (1956)
28. The Greatest Show on Earth (1952)
29. The Broadway Melody (1929)
Previous or current ranking leaders are in bold.
With credit and thanks to the patrons of the Best Picture Film Club:
Dr Sophie Bloomfield
Dr Caspar Briault
Dr Fionnuala Durrant
Dr Meera Radia
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