AlanSKaufman
An unexpected pleasure of the 1959 movie adaption of Jules Verne's Journey to the Center of the Earth was the charming character of Gertrude, the pet duck of Hans, an Icelandic gentleman who joins the adventure. When the group conducts a roll call, he proudly announces Hans and Gertrude Belker as though they are a couple.The film has many moments of humor including the singing voice of Pat Boone which deflects the dangerous descent into our planet. When the group need choose which way to proceed, Gertrude always senses the correct one. When members find themselves being flooded with water, the duck easily floats on top locating a means to escape.One feels certain that the good guys will eventually prevail over the bad guys who are trying to unfairly claim credit for the scientific discoveries. Unlike real life where evil can prevail, we expect this work of fiction to be upbeat. And yes, this is what happens, except for one shocking deviation as the movie approaches its grand finale.Gertrude wanders off again perhaps in search of an escape. The bad guy follows. Soon we see the sickening sight of bloody feathers. The poor creature has been eaten by the villain! How frightening for young viewers as well as any humane adult.The group learns about this crime and Hans attempts to strangle the murderer, but is stopped by everyone. The wretch tries to flee but is buried by an avalanche of boulders. At least mother nature takes proper revenge.At the movie's conclusion where the survivors are being honored, Boone's character is wedded, and another couple are engaged, but Hans remains alone. How tragic.What obviously should have been done is depicting Gertrude easily evading the villain. Killing her off is like killing Lassie! An otherwise fine movie was ruined. I watch the film now only to enjoy Gertrude's early scenes.
gavin6942
An Edinburgh professor and assorted colleagues follow an explorer's trail down an extinct Icelandic volcano to the earth's center.Bosley Crowther said that the film is "really not very striking make-believe, when all is said and done. The earth's interior is somewhat on the order of an elaborate amusement-park tunnel of love. And the attitudes of the people, toward each other and toward another curious man who happens to be exploring down there at the same time, are conventional and just a bit dull." Crowther is a stick in the mud. Other reviews are generally positive, as they should be. Yes, some of the effects are cheesy. And yes, given what we know about the inside of the earth, this is a lot of nonsense. But isn't it okay to just have fun sometimes?
sddavis63
I would have no hesitation in saying that this version of Jules Verne's story is better than the big budget 2008 version. The cast in this one (featuring James Mason as Professor Lindenbrook, Pat Boone as as McKuen, Arlene Dahl as Carla Goteborg and Peter Ronson as Hans were, I thought, better than the '08 cast, and the story was tighter than that one. And yet, while better than than the '08 version, I still found watching this to be a rather ho-hum type of experience. Setting science aside, and acknowledging this to be a piece of sheer entertainment, some of the adventures that take place under the earth are pretty good and the effects aren't bad. The "dinosaur" scenes might just feature normal lizards with some fins attached and made to look huge worked reasonably well, and there was even a pretty fine piece of acting from Ronson (who played the Icelandic guide) when Hans discovered his beloved pet duck Gertrude slaughtered and confronted the man who had done the deed. I actually found that scene tense. At the same time I sensed no real chemistry between Mason and Dahl, which made the end of the movie feel a bit forced and unnecessary.The introduction to the story (as Lindenbrook begins to put together the expedition) for me went on too long and could have been quite shortened. Frankly, the musical numbers from Pat Boone also seemed out of place and added little. Yes, it's better than the '08 version of the story - which isn't exactly a ringing endorsement. But, for me at least, it still doesn't pack enough of a punch to be considered in any way a classic. (5/10)
utgard14
Professor Oliver Lindenbrook (James Mason) finds clues to suggest a famous explorer made his way to center of the Earth and decides to follow in his footsteps. Lindenbrook and one of his students (Pat Boone) mount an expedition down a volcano in Iceland. They are joined by a burly farmer named Hans, a duck named Gertrude (!), and the widow of a scientist who tried to steal Lindenbrook's discovery. Along the way they must contend with various dangers including Count Saknussemm (Thayer David), the descendant of the original explorer. Entertaining adventure story. No it's not extremely faithful to Verne but it's fun nonetheless.
AD
