Journey to the Center of the Earth (1959) - Movie Review

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"Journey to the Center of the Earth" is an adventure movie released in 1959. The screenplay was adapted by Charles Brackett from the novel of the same name by Jules Verne. Box office receipts were $10 million against a budget of $3.44 million. CAST James Mason - Sir Oliver Lindenbrook Pat Boone - Alec McEwan Diane Baker - Jenny Lindenbrook Arlene Dahl - Carla Goteborg Peter Ronson - Hans Bjelke Thayer David - Count Saknussemm Robert Adler - Groom Alan Napier - Dean Ivan Triesault - Professor Goteborg Alex Finlayson - Professor Boyle Scotland 1880 - Professor Oliver Lindenbrook at the University of Edinburgh has been granted knighthood for service to the Crown in the field of geology. In the lecture hall in the presence of many students and staff he is presented with an inkwell. One student, Alec McEwan remains behind after the presentation is over. He gives Lindenbrook a rock that he acquired at a curiosity shop in Glasgow. It's a piece of lava, but unusually heavy. Lindenbrook invites Alec to dinner. Alec arrives at the Lindenbrook's only to find out that he hasn't been home. His niece, Jenny, is worried and angry. They go to his lab at the University. Lindenbrook and his assistant, Paisley, are hard at work with the piece of lava. Part of the lava has been chipped away to reveal a man-made object with three grooves in it. The plan is to put it in the stove to melt off the rest of the lava; but Paisley puts in too much fuel; and the stove explodes. It was enough to expose the item inside the lava...a plumb bob. Below some Nordic writing is the signature of Arne Saknussemm, the Icelandic scientist who disappeared many years earlier while exploring the volcanoes of his country. Some time later, Lindenbrook has a translation from the plumb bob: "I am dying but my life's work must not be lost. Whoever descends into the crater of Sneffels Yokul can reach the center of the earth. At sunrise on the last day of May, the Mountain Scartaris will point the path." This all fit on a plumb bob? Scartaris is a nearby mountain peak; and Sneffels Yokul is an extinct volcano in Iceland. Lindenbrook has written a paper and sent it to Professor Goteborg of Sweden for review. He wants to mount an expedition to Iceland as soon as Goteborg can confirm its feasibility. He then receives a letter from the University of Sweden...Goteborg has vanished. Lindenbrook immediately suspects that Goteborg has plans to start his own expedition and claim credit for the discovery. Lindenbrook decides to leave for Iceland immediately; and Alec decides to join him. If you want to know what happens next, you will have to watch the movie. This movie is a classic and such a great film. Even though it's older, I think that the special effects are good for its time. There's a lot of adventure and a lot of suspense; and I've seen this movie several times, which is a good indicator of how I feel about it. I give it my full recommendation. This movie is rated G.