A bourgeois trick. So sorry.
Professor Sir Oliver Lindenbrook (James Mason), a geologist at the University of Edinburgh. One of his students, Alec McEwan (Pat Boone), gives him an unusual rock. Oliver finds a plumb bob inside the rock. Oliver discovers that the plumb bob use to belong to a scientist named Arne Saknussemm, who is reported to have found a passage to the center of the Earth by way of an Icelandic volcano. Oliver decides to follow in Arne's footsteps and, with Alec in tow, find the center of the Earth himself.
At the same time Professor Goteborg (Ivan Triesault) decides to get a jump on Oliver and find the center himself. When Goteborg is murdered Oliver finds out that someone else is also in the game. When Goteborg was alive he bought up all the climbing gear available in the area. Goteborg's widow Carla (Arlene Dahl) gives the equipment to Oliver on the condition that she go with them into the Earth to represent her husband. Along with a local man, Hans Bjelke (Petur Ronson) and Gertrude the duck, the party of four and a half descend into the Icelandic volcano Snæfellsjökull following the trail left by Arne Saknussemm. Unfortunately they are not alone. Goteborg's murderer is right behind them and, believing he is the descendent of Saknussemm, will stop at nothing to beat them.
"Journey To The Center Of The Earth" was released in 1959 and was directed by Henry Levin. Jules Verne’s “Journey to the Center of the Earth” was published in 1871. Since then it has been made into movies many times, as well as sequels and even cartoons. The first movie was in 1959 with James Mason. From Spain in 1977 as “Where Time Began” with Kenneth More. In 1989 with Emo Phillips as a sequel of “Alien from LA”. In 1993 as a TV movie with David Dundara. After that there were three different versions in 2008 one staring Rickie Schroder (TV movie), one with Greg Evigan (direct to video) and the third with Brendan Fraser. All with varying degrees of separation from Mr. Verne’s original novel.
No offense to Brendan Fraser or any of the other actors, but my favorite has always been the 1959 version with James Mason and Pat Boone. Gertrude the duck won a PATSY award for her performance or rather they won. Gertrude was played by four ducks.
For a time when there was no CGI the sets are astounding. Waterfalls, sparkling crystals, giant mushrooms, huge lizards, an underground ocean, luminescent algae and more. A hidden fantasy land under your feet. Unseen by anyone. Amazing yet deadly. Both wondrous and frightening. How could you not love it?