‘Oscar’ Adaptation of Jules Verne’s Around the World in Eighty Days

1957 was a momentous year for the global film industry. The most prestigious film award given to celebrate the excellence in the celluloid world, the Oscars introduced the Best Foreign Language Film category. In the same year, Michael Todd’s globe-trotting cinematic masterpiece Around the World in 80 days bagged nominations in eight different categories out of which it managed to win the honor in five categories. These were – Academy Award for Best Picture, Best Cinematography, Best Film Editing, Best Music and Best Adapted Screenplay.

Around the World in Eighty Days authored by Jules Verne, was American theater and film producer Mike Todd’s first Hollywood production. This movie was developed in 70 mm widescreen film format, also called Todd-AO format. The classical cinematic experience had an ensemble of around 70,000 extras. It also holds the credit of establishing an idea of inviting other Hollywood and international film personalities for cameo performances in a movie. In spite of these facts, novelist Jules Verne’s ‘Aroundthe world in eighty days’ is remembered as one of the few Best Picture Academy award winners, which had no nominations for acting.

Good Screenplay

S. J. Perelman received the Academy award in screen writing for this movie. Best known for his humorist pieces, Perelman authored several short stories, books as well as screenplays. He brilliantly scripted a rib-tickling travel adventure screenplay (taken from ‘Around the world in eighty days’).  The only problem which cinema critic emphasized was longer film duration. The film held audiences on tenterhooks during the movie, so as they were confused that they might miss a travel thread.

The film was a true cinematic experience in every sense. Mike Todd’s production embellished some big international names of the film industry. Perelman’s humorous punches makes this film an exciting and humorous globe-trotter of all time. Apart from this 1956 movie, numerous stage plays, television shows, cartoons, and of course movies were based on this imaginative masterpiece crafted by Jules Verse.