Cast overview, first billed only: | |||
David Niven | ... | ||
Cantinflas | ... | ||
Finlay Currie | ... |
Andrew Stuart
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Robert Morley | ... |
Ralph - Bank of England Governor
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Ronald Squire | ... |
Reform Club Member
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Basil Sydney | ... |
Reform Club Member
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Noël Coward | ... |
Roland Hesketh-Baggott - London Employment Agency Manager
(as Noel Coward)
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John Gielgud | ... |
Foster - Fogg's Ex-Valet
(as Sir John Gielgud)
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Trevor Howard | ... |
Denis Fallentin - Reform Club Member
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Harcourt Williams | ... |
Hinshaw - Reform Club Aged Steward
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Martine Carol | ... |
Girl in Paris Railroad Station
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Fernandel | ... |
French Coachman
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Charles Boyer | ... |
Monsieur Gasse - Thomas Cook Paris Clerk
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Evelyn Keyes | ... |
Tart - Paris
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José Greco | ... |
Flamenco Dancer
(as Jose Greco and Troupe)
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When this movie is made in 1956, one can circumnavigate the globe in a little less than two days. When Jules Verne wrote the story "Around the World in Eighty Days" in 1872, he predicted that one day man could accomplish the task in eighty hours, but which most considered folly to do in eighty days in current times... that is except for people like Englishman Phileas Fogg, a regimented man who believed all it would take is exacting work, the skills he possesses. He just has to make sure a train's schedule meets the required sailing schedule which meets the required coach schedule and so on. As such, he takes up what ends up being the highly publicized £20,000 wager from his fellow members at the London Reform Club to do so, losing the bet which would ruin him financially. Along for the ride is Fogg's new, loyal and devoted valet, the recently arrived Latin immigrant, Passepartout, who possesses unusual skills which could be major assets, but whose all consuming thoughts on the ... Written by Huggo
I really enjoyed this film, and was shocked to see all the negative comments about it on IMDB. Yes it's long, yes it's a fantasy rather than true-to-life, yes it's spectacular rather than deep drama. But what the hell, it's also (like the book) a hilarious send-up of Englishness as seen by a Frenchman. The millions of cameo roles (actually I'm HOPELESS at recognising faces, so identified none of them) camp it all up splendidly. This film is one of those, like the Ealing comedies or the Carry-On films, that define the British Myth.
OK, so it won't work on TV, unless you have a widescreen TV and can shut yourself away from all distractions for several hours. But I just dare anyone to be bored by the film in a cinema. They don't make them like that any more, because these days films are "made for TV" . . .