Motion Picture Herald (Oct-Dec 1956)

Around the World in 80 Days United Artists-Michael Todd — Mammoth Extravaganza ( Eastman Color — Print by Technicolor ) For close to three hours, Michael Todd, Showman Par Excellence, takes his audience on a jumbo extravaganza-expedition around the world, and the myriad of sights, sensations, lavish settings, thousands of people and breathtaking locations, photographed in most instances in authentic locales, make the sum total a pretty awesome — but richly entertaining — experience. Technically superb, with all the clarity and beauty of Todd-AO and Technicolor, replete with a trenchantly humorous screenplay by S. J. Perelman based on the Jules Verne novel, music by Victor Young, direction by Michael Anderson, and associate producer’s chores handled by William Cameron Menzies, the sum total shapes up as a mightily ambitious tour de force. Words of commendation are due Lionel Lindon, director of photography, and Kevin McClory, foreign location director; also Miles White for his handsome costuming and Paul Godkin for some sharp choreography. Despite its 178 minutes running time, the plot moves rapidly, with a succession of breathtaking, interest-holding incidents bursting on the viewer like firecrackers, one by one. And to cap this rich entertainment confection with some really super icing, Todd engaged half a hundred internationally-famed personalities to appear in what he styles “cameo” roles, in sequences laid in some 25 locales around the world. Four leading personalities seen throughout are David Niven, Cantinflas, famed Mexican comedian, the late Robert Newton and Shirley MacLaine. All are execellent. As for the “cameo” folk, all of whom are seen in brief flashes, they .get into the spirit of the merry doings with appropriate gusto, and all are effective. The plot, on which the series of incidents is strung, deals with a bet made by an English gentlemen, Niven. He sets out round the world with his man servant, Cantinflas, after wagering members of his London club that he can circle the globe in 80 days flat. As this is 1872, that represents quite a feat. The stake is £20,000. Niven and Cantinflas win their bet, but not before they have undergone some exhausting trials by water, fire, assorted international villains, a beautiful Indian Princess, Miss MacLaine, and a suspicious detective, Newton, who thinks Niven has robbed the Bank of England. Delayed by an avalanche that seals a railroad tunnel in France, the pair buy a balloon and fly south. Blown off course to Spain, they persuade a rich sheik to lend them his yacht in return for Cantinflas’ appearance as matador in a bull ring. At Marseilles, they board a steamer for India, encountering at Suez the suspicious detective, who henceforth becomes their nemesis. Their adventures in India consist of such hairbrained incidents as rescuing an Indian princess from a funeral pyre where she is to be sacrificed with her husband, and her inclusion in the party for the remainder of the journey. The rest of the itinerary includes political rallies in San Francisco, Indian fighting on the train ride across the western plains, a slow steamer across the Atlantic which runs out of fuel and which Niven has to buy outright and stoke with the furnishings and other appurtenances, the arrival in England, and, after some final twists and turns that make the winning of the wager temporarily doubtful, a successful conclusion. On hand for recognition every few minutes by the delighted audience are such as Frank Sinatra (a piano player); Marlene Dietrich ( mistress of a Barbary Coast dive), Ronald Colman (an Indian railroad official), and Charles Boyer, Noel Coward, Joe E. Brown, Victor McLaglen and Ed mund Lowe, Charles Coburn, John Carradine, Sir John Gielgud, etc., etc. All are showcased against exciting locales, some of them richly enhanced by James Sullivan’s fine art direction, and all fit their “cameo” bits like gloves. Especially fine are Miss Dietrich, Beatrice Lillie (riotous as a revivalist leader in London) Boyer, Hardwicke, Noel Coward and Peter Lorre. Niven is on hand for almost all of the action, and his flavorful portrait of an 1872-vintage Englishman, stuffy and punctilious but full of a zest for life, is the welding agent for the entire proceedings and one of Niven’s best performances. Mike Todd has himself a piece of solid showmanship of the first order. Special praise is due Cantinflas, whose soft, unassertive comedy style rises to a crescendo of rich humor. Seen at a press preview at the Rivoli theatre, New York, with an audience that applauded frequently and seemed highly pleased with the goings-on. Reviewer’s Rating: Superior. — Lawrence J. Quirk. Release date, not set. Running time. 178 minutes. General audience classification. Phileas Fogg David Niven Passepartout .. Cantinflas Robert Newton, Shirley MacLaine, Charles Boyer, Joe E. Brown, Martin Carol, John Carradine, Charles Coburn, Ronald Colman, Melville Cooper, Noel Coward, Finlay Currie, Reginald Denny, Andy Devine, Marlene Dietrich, Luis Miguel Dominguin, Fernandel, Sir John Gielgud, Hermione Gingold, Jose Greco, Sir Cedric Hardwicke, Trevor Howard, Glynis Johns, Buster Keaton, Evelyn Keyes, Beatrice Lillie, Peter Lorre, Edmund Lowe, Victor McLaglen, Col. Tim McCoy. A. E. Matthews, Mike Mazurki, John Mills, Alan Mowbray, Robert Morley, Edward R. Murrow, Jack Oakie, George Raft, Gilbert Roland, Cesar Romero, Frank Sinatra, Red Skelton, Ronald Squires, Basil Sydney, Harcourt Williams "80 Days' in Big Opening Amid premiere hoopla in the grand tradition, Michael Todd’s ambitious film venture, “Around the World in 80 Days” made its debut at New York’s Rivoli theatre Wednesday night before an audience of celebrities. All the customary appurtenances were on hand. A special showing of the film was held Thursday night at the Rivoli for the benefit of the Will Rogers Memorial Hospital Fund. Attendance at the special showing was by invitation only. The picture will run at the Rivoli on a two-a-day, reserved seat basis, with national release planned for 1957. Mr. Todd plans to follow the New York premiere with showings in Moscow, London, Paris, Rome and Mexico City. The film, created in the Todd-AO process and color by Technicolor, represents the initial presentation by Michael Todd Productions. Mr. Todd shot his production in locations all over the world and utilized the resources of several Hollywood studios for interiors and other work. The Rivoli theatre was especially redecorated for the spectacular show, which has a brief intermission between the two “acts.” Shirley MacLaine, David Niven and Cantinflas debate on the itinerary of their fabu' lous 80-day world tour in Michael Todd's new cinematic adventure. 24 MOTION PICTURE HERALD. OCTOBER 20, I95&