Review of Journey to the Centre of the Earth (1977) by Everett J — 20 Jul 2008

Journey to the Center of the Earth.

Directed by Henry Levin.

Written by Walter Reisch, Charles Brackett.

Based on the novel by Jules Verne.

Starring James Mason, Pat Boone, Arlene Dahl, Diane Baker, Peter Ronson, Thayer David, Gertrude the Duck.

This adventure film capitalizes on exquisite set designs, legitimate moments of danger, and sexual tension to create an epic journey to a most exotic locale.

The story involves a Professor Oliver Lindenbrook (Mason). He?s been knighted as the film opens and one of his students named Alec McKuen (Boone) gives him a volcanic rock as a present. The rock turns out to be a gateway to the center of the earth and the two men embark on an expedition to follow the trail laid out by an explorer named Arne Saknussem who went to the center of the earth and left a message carved into the side of a plumb bob which was discovered when the rock was blasted apart. Before leaving, Lindenbrook sends an urgent message to Professor Göteborg who promptly uses the information to try and find the passage on his own.

The crew are joined by a Icelander named Hans (Ronson) and his duck Gertrude (Gertrude the Duck) who help them escape after Göteborg has them kidnapped and transported into a cellar.

After Prof. Lindenbrook and Alec break into his room at the inn they find him dead. His wife proves to be useful as she allows the expedition to employ all her husbands tools provided she be allowed to go along. This initiates several instances of sexism on the part of Lindenbrook who nevertheless is clearly hot Carla Göteborg. The tension between them gives the film a sordid edge. They play a petty animosity game that eases up only at the end. The crew established, they begin the struggle to find the passageway.

The film creates a claustrophobic feeling throughout that comes through the stellar set designs by Joseph Kish and Walter M. Scott and the cinematography by Leo Tover. Everything possesses a natural reality to it and all of the harrowing seems seem believable. It?s not a particularly dark film as one doesn?t have to spend too much time worrying if any of the stars are going to die before they can make it out. No, this is purely light entertainment that manages to serve its purpose with grand style.

There are dinosaurs, giant lizards, giant mushrooms, and numerous other strange wonders that are apprehended by the crew as they attempt to sort out the great mystery of the secret passage. The special effects work well and the energy of the film is maintained throughout. Essentially the entire film is merely about the adventure so there?s nothing to be said about an external aspects of the story. Alec did leave his sweetheart Jenny (Diane Baker) behind when he left and she is shown to be frightfully worried as its been many months since the beginning of the expedition. Other than that the journey continues and they find things, they lose things, they fall down, they get up, and the world continues to turn.

The performances in this film are all adequate for the various roles. There is nothing that stands out particularly but they all manage to create well-rounded characters who seem to possess some impetus for behaving as they do. James Mason is sort of dashing in his way as the grand Professor Lindenbrook. He possesses a gentility that Lindenbrook maneuvers within. Mason enables his character with a gentlemanly directive which carries him through to the end of the film. Pat Boone plays his role with enough enthusiasm for the whole cast. He?s buoyant and consumed with a politeness that eventually grates on the nerves. One just wants him to snap and unload a truck full of invective at anyone who stands in his way. Boone even sings a sickly sweet melancholy tune that serves absolutely no purpose in the film. Arlene Dahl brings a menacing sexuality to her role as Carla. Every gesture Carla makes is defined by a quiet aching. She?s clearly repressed to a certain extent and this factor works well in the context of the film. Her husband is physically dead but it?s quite possible that he?s been emotionally dead much longer than that. Subsequently Carla has been without an outlet for a considerable length of time and so she exudes raw, unbridled sexuality that must find an outlet somewhere. Pete Ronson speaks barely a sentence of English in the entire film but his tremendous physicality is well used throughout the film. Gertrude the Duck is the true star of the film although I wonder if it is actually true that she turned into a prima donna for this performance.

Overall, there are impressive special effects scattered throughout this film. It works as an adventure story, as a tortured love story (unknown to both parties) and as a vehicle for great cinematography and lighting. Ultimately, this film is designed to thrill the audience and occasionally scare it to death. Although the terror aspect has lessened over time, it nonetheless does provide several moments of harrowing excitement where bad things very well may happen to one of our four heroes.