Around the World in 80 Days

As Welles mentions in his introduction, Howard Hughes's record-breaking round-the-world flight had taken place just months before and was no doubt still in the public mind. Hughes had not, however broken Phileas Fogg's record of 80. Welles makes an interesting, impatient Fogg, rushing to win his bet accompanied by his long-suffering manservant, whose name he resolutely refuses to pronounce correctly. Hermmann's music is electric, swirling around the performances as they swirl around the world. Welles himself made a TV series in the 1950s entitled Around the World, although he ventured no further than Spain, Italy and a bar in Paris. Days, completing the journey in 91 days. Jules Verne's initially unlovable hero uses all manner of methods to win his bet, and once again Welles gets swept up in the adventure of the whole thing.