"Around the World in 80 Days" with Michael Todd |
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| Edited by: Thomas Hauerslev, with help about original presentation formats by John Carver and many more | Date: 11.05.2017 |
 Front
page of the Danish souvenir program. Click to see enlargement"Around the World in 80 Days" was filmed simultaneously in two different film speeds: Todd-AO standard of 30 frames pr. second, and Todd-AO sub-standard 24 frames pr. second, for the 35mm reduction prints. Both negatives are 65mm wide. • Presented in TODD-AO Negative: 65mm 30 fps. Aspect ratio: 2,21:1 Prints: 70mm. Aspect ratio: 2,21:1. 30 frames pr. second, magnetic 6-track stereo • Go to You are in the Show with Todd-AO • Presented in CINESTAGE Negative: 65mm 24 fps. Aspect ratio: 2,21:1 Prints: 35mm. Aspect ratio: 2,21:1. 24 frames pr second, magnetic 4-track stereo. Separate 35mm full coat 6-track magnetic prints also available. Special 1,567:1 anamorphic compression. Some 4-track magnetic prints were Perspecta encoded. • Go to Cinestage 34mm in London • Presented in CINEMASCOPE Negative: 65mm 24 fps. Aspect ratio: 2,21:1 Prints: 35mm. Aspect ratio: 2,35:1. 24 frames pr second, magnetic 4-track stereo, and optical mono prints (MagOptical). Standard 2:1 anamorphic compression. |
More in 70mm reading: Mike Todd: Showmen’s Trade Review, October 15, 1955 Mike Todd's "Around the World in 80 Days" in Todd-AO Gallery: "Around the World in 80 Days" "Around the World in 80 Days" 70mm & Cinestage Seasons Cinestage 34mm in London Working for Mike Todd Internet link: |
Behind the Cameras |
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 Directed by Michael
Anderson. Produced
by Michael Todd.
Screenplay by James
Poe, John Farrow &
S. J. Perelman.
Based on "Around the
World in Eighty
Days" by Jules Verne.
Music by Victor
Young.
Cinematography by
Lionel Lindon.
Edited by Gene
Ruggiero & Howard
Epstein. Art
director (US) James
Sullivan. Art
director (UK) Ken
Adam. Sound Joseph
I. Kane & Fred Hynes
Jr. (Sound Director,
Todd-AO
Corporation). A
Michael Todd Co.,
Inc. productionDistributed by The Michael Todd Corporation (Roadshow US) & by United Artists Corporation (Worldwide). Release date New York, The Rivoli Theatre, Wednesday, October 17, 1956 (World Premiere). Los Angeles premiere: 22 Dec 1956. Running time 182 minutes. 70mm Todd-AO, with 6-track magnetic sound by Westrex Recording System. • Go to Re-released in cinemas in 1968 and 1983: "Around the World in 80 Days" 70mm & Cinestage Seasons Starring: David Niven (Phileas Fogg), Cantinflas (Passepartout), Shirley MacLaine (Princess Aouda) & Robert Newton (Inspector Fix). Cameos by: Finlay Currie, Robert Morley, Ronald Squire, Basil Sydney, Noël Coward, Sir John Gielgud, Trevor Howard, Harcourt Williams, Martine Carol, Fernandel, Charles Boyer, Evelyn Keyes, José Greco, Luis Miguel, Gilbert Roland, Cesar Romero, Alan Mowbray, Sir Cedric Hardwicke, Melville Cooper, Reginald Denny, Ronald Colman, Robert Cabal, Charles Coburn, Peter Lorre, George Raft, Red Skelton, Marlene Dietrich, John Carradine, Frank Sinatra, Buster Keaton, Col. Tim McCoy, Joe E. Brown, Andy Devine, Edmund Lowe, Victor McLaglen, Jack Oakie, Beatrice Lillie, John Mills, Glynis Johns, Hermione Gingold, A. E. Matthews, Ronald Adam, Walter Fitzgerald, Frank Royde, Mike Mazurki. Edward R. Murrow (prologue narrator) The Academy Awards: • Best Picture: Michael Todd, producer • Best Cinematography Color: Lionel Lindon • Best Film Editing: Gene Ruggiero and Paul Weatherwax • Best Music, Scoring of a Dramatic or Comedy Picture: Victor Young • Best Writing, Best Screenplay, Adapted: John Farrow, S. J. Perelman, and James Poe Academy Awards Nominee: • Best Art Direction-Set Decoration, Color: Ken Adam, Ross Dowd, and James W. Sullivan • Best Costume Design, Color: Miles White • Best Director: Michael Anderson |
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Story |
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 Mike
Todd and Brian O'Brien Jr discussing Todd-AO camera film technique in Chinchon (Spain).
Picture from Brian O'Brien Jr.'s collectionThe punctilious Phileas Fogg (David Niven) is once again without a "gentleman's gentleman" for it seems the exacting duties he requires from his menials are not conducive to long service. The proprietor of an employment agency (Noel Coward) despairs of ever being able to satisfy the rich and enigmatic Mr Fogg as he listens to the most recently discharged valet (John Gielgud) violently denouncing his former master as "a tyrant, a cold-blooded fiend, as cold and implac-able as the two watches he carries about with him", when a small Latin by the name of Passe-partout (Cantinflas) volunteers his services and is eventually hired. That same evening in the card-room of the exclusive Reform Club when playing whist with his usual partners, who are discussing a £50,000 robbery from the Bank of England, Fogg expresses the opinion that the thief is obviously a resourceful character, one whom it will be most difficult to capture. The pompous Governor of the Bank of England (Robert Morley) is convinced that the culprit will soon be laid by the heels; detectives all the world over have been alerted with a full description. This prompts another player to observe that the world is a large place to hide in, but the Governor claims that it is not so in this year of 1872 for it can be encircled in three months. Fogg quietly remarks that 80 days is sufficient to girdle the globe. Thus the fabulous bet for £20,000 is laid and Fogg and his valet are off on the adventure of adventures. The first stop is Paris where they are informed by the dapper manager of Thomas Cook & Sons, that an avalanche has blocked the railroad to Marseilles and it will take a week before anything can get through. Unperturbed, Fogg buys a balloon and with the faithful Passepartout drifts across the mountains to Spain. A fast boat is necessary to get to Marseilles where the R.M.S. "Mongolia" will take them further on their journey. But the "Mongolia" is scheduled to leave in ten hours. The local potentate, entranced by Passepartout's exhibition at a bull fight puts a yacht at their disposal. All goes well until Suez is reached when they encounter on board one Inspector Fix (Robert Newton), who believes Fogg is the Bank of England robber Fix tries to get proof that Fogg is the thief but without success. During the journey from Bombay to Calcutta, Fogg and Passepartout manage to find time to rescue a beautiful Indian princess (Shirley MacLaine), who joins them in the bid to win the wager Meanwhile, Fix has been busy and learns that Fogg and Co. have made reservations to sail aboard the S.S. "Carnatic" to Yokohama the morning after they arrive in Hong Kong and foils the trio from reaching the "Carnatic" in time. However, the resourceful Fogg charters a Chinese junk and reaches Yokohama in time to catch another ship for San Francisco where they become involved in local electioneering. An exciting train journey across the American continent during which time they are attacked by Indians and rescued by U.S. Cavalry ends with the wanderers finally getting to New York. Fogg hires a trading ship, the "Henrietta", to get them to Liverpool. Time is now pressing and the wager is all but lost when the ship runs out of fuel within sight of England. By burning every piece of superstructure and furniture aboard, the ship manages to make the shore. The exultant Fogg is about to entrain for London when Fix arrests him for the Bank of England robbery All is lost, they can now never get to London in time. Some hours later Fogg is released from gaol when the police realise a mistake has been made. The saddened trio arrive in London but dejec-tion is turned to joy when it is discovered that during their world journey they crossed the international date line thereby gaining an entire day. The rush to the Reform Club is hectic and Fogg walks in on the astonished gathering with one second to spare and claims the wager |
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80 Days Production Diary |
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 Filming
a bullfight in Chinchon (Spain). Picture from Robert Weisgerbers's
collection19.11.1954 Mike Todd plans to start shooting "80 days" in London end of January 24.11.1954 "Around the World in 80 days" is heading for the screen says Phil Reisman, president of the Todd-AO Corporation 09.01.1955 Mike Todd made a deal with United Artists' Arthur B. Krim to distribute the print-down version of "80 Days". 18.04.1955 Cantinflas has been signed to star in "80 Days" 02.05.1955 David Niven announce he has been cast as the male romantic lead in "80 Days" 06.06.1955 John Farrow is now Producer as well Director of "80 Days" 29.06.1955 Press is introduced to David Niven and Cantinflas in Tijuana with chartered DC7 airplane, so he could smoke his cigars. Press is served caviar and champagne 07.07.1955 Mike Todd is moving headquarters from Culver City to RKO in the Gower St. lot 15.07.1955 S J Perelman is signed to write "80 Days" script 20.07.1955 Mike Todd flies back to Europe next week 09.08.1955 Mike Todd equipped with 6 cameras in Spain. Mike Todd buys Alexander Korda's interest in "80 Days" for 100.000 USD 17.08.1955 A bull smashes a Todd-AO Bug-Eye lens, and production suspended 48 hours until a new Bug-Eye lens arrives from Southbridge. Director John Farrow resigns, and Mike Todd signs Michael Anderson to direct the film 19.08.1955 Mike Todd arrives Los Angeles to view rushes of footage made in Chinchon (Spain) 30.08.1955 Filming begins with Cantinflas in Chelsea, London and at MGM's studios at Elstree 31.08.1955 David Niven goes to London to start filming "80 days" 06.09.1955 "80 Days" production moves to England after finished shooting in Spain. Labour trouble at Elstree Studios, UK on overtime pay. Mike Todd considering relocating to continent 14.09.1955 Mike Todd returns to Los Angeles from "80 Days" filming in Europe 20.09.1955 Filming in Durango, Colorado, first scenes for Shirley MacLaine 28.09.1955 Todd and O'Brien invited to go to London to talk about Todd-AO 5. December 1955 03.10.1955 "80 Days" starts shooting at the RKO Gower street lot 06.10.1955 Mike Todd goes to Lawton, Okla. to direct 2nd unit scenes with the train, involving 400 Indians and 1600 buffalos 13.10.1955 Mike Todd signs Hugo Winterhalter to compose "80 Days" score 14.10.1955 Ballon ascension scenes filmed at U-I back lot 01.11.1955 Mike Todd sells his shares in Todd-AO and Magna, to finance "80 days" with another 2 million dollars 03.11.1955 Todd-AO Made 5-year deal with Kling Studios' stage 3 for Todd-AO process 08.11.1955 Kevin McClory return with footage from Far east, and returns to Pakistan to get more footage. Mike Todd keeps him away from Liz Talyor 08.11.1955 Mike Todd re-start work on "War and Peace" in Todd-AO, and he promises "They'll have to invent new adjectives" |
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 Picture
of 70mm print leader by John Carver23.11.1955 Mike Todd sign 10-picture deal with Todd-AO November 1955 Model of S.S. Henrietta - footage scrapped and refilmed February 1956 off the coast of Balboa 05.12.1955 Mike Todd wraps "80 Days" in 75 days, 5 days under schedule - some pick up shots still to be made 09.12.1955 Todd-AO and Kling Studios negotiations 03.02.1956 Paddle wheeler boat sailed to Catalina 07.02.1956 Mike Todd films guided missile sequence in White Sands, N.M. for prolouge 15.02.1956 S.S. Henrietta scenes filmed 16.02.1956 David Niven sails back to the UK on board Queen Elizabeth 22.02.1956 Mike Todd called 16 players to the international airport to film scenes for the prolouge, including David Niven, Cantinflas, Robert Newton and Shirley Maclaine 24.02.1956 "Around the World in 80 Days" sound effects work at Kling Lot underway 29.02.1956 Mike Todd settles three theatres to showcase "80 Days"; Pantages (Hollywood), Golden Gate (San Francisco) and Hippodrome (Baltimore) 04.03.1956 Salley Newton in talks to dub the voice of Shirley Maclaine 19.03.1956 Todd-AO Scoring Stage officially opens at the former Kling Lot, Los Angeles 26.03.1056 Maria Lanza sees 3½ hour version of "80 days" 29.03.1956 Mike Todd arrived back from Paris and announced a 7. September world premiere opening of "80 Days" in New York, followed by London a month later and Paris in November. Mexico and Los Angeles in December 02.04.1956 Mike Todd names Joe Tritsch (Technical Supervisor for the Michael Todd Corporation) as Master Projectionist for all "80 Days" road showings 24.04.1956 George P. Skouras says "MAGNA now have 16 new 65mm cameras ready to film" 07.05.1956 Technicolor ready to process 65mm and 70mm film 13.05.1956 Mike Todd returned from Russia with a 5-picture deal in Todd-AO 29.06.1956 "80 Days" premiere 15.11.1956 in Moscow announced 11.07.1956 Edward R. Murrow completes a 5-day prologue shooting schedule in one day 08.08.1956 Mike Todd announces "80 Days" World premiere at the Rivoli 17. October 1956. Mike Todd rented the Rivoli on a four-wall basis. 10 shows weekly scheduled, on reserved seat basis. Mike Todd Jr. named general manager of the NYC presentation. 10.08.1956 "80 Days" premiere 21.10.1956 in Moscow announced 23.08.1956 Mike Todd finalizing deal for producing "The Great Concert" in Russia in Todd-AO 29.08.1956 Mike Todd admitted to Screen Producers Guild 12.09.1956 Eddie Fisher records "Around the World in 80 Days" song for RCA Victor 19.09.1956 Mike Todd leases the Carthay Circle (Los Angeles) 17.10.1956 World Premiere at the The Rivoli Theatre, New York 18.10.1956 New York Herald Tribune, New York Times, New York Post reviews of "80 Days" premiere 02.02.1957 Mike Todd marries Elizabeth taylor 21.03.1958 Mike Todd killed in plane crash • Go to "Around the World in 80 Days" 70mm & Cinestage Seasons |
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