Journey to the Center of the Earth

There was neither a heroine nor a villain in Jules Verne's 1864 novel -Journey to the Center of the Earth, but scenarist Charles Brackett evidently knew what he was doing by adding both to the 1959 film version. The picture proved to be a significant success in an otherwise disappointing year for ...more

Journey to the Center of the Earth is a grand adventure story with charismatic performances, imaginative production design, and a superb Bernard Herrmann score that enhances the film's sense of wonder. The high point in veteran director Henry Levin's career, Journey wisely veers away from the procedural nature of the Jules Verne source novel, adding a central conflict and more diverse character development. The film is held together by James Mason's rousing performance, compensating for the ...more