Journey to the Center of the Earth

Journey to the Center of the Earth follows Sir Oliver Lindenbrook, an Edinburgh professor who comes across a message left by an earlier explorer, the Icelander Arne Saknussemm, pointing the way into the interior of the planet by way of an extinct volcano in Iceland. Convinced the account is genuine, Lindenbrook assembles an expedition and sets off down the crater, joined by a student, a widowed colleague, and an Icelandic guide. Their descent brings them into a hidden world of underground seas, caverns and prehistoric life, while a rival party pursues the same goal and the journey itself keeps threatening the group's survival. The story is drawn from Jules Verne's novel.

Henry Levin directed the film, which came before Genghis Khan (1965) among the features credited to him. Charles Brackett and Walter Reisch wrote the screenplay, and Brackett produced. James Mason plays Lindenbrook, with Arlene Dahl, Pat Boone, Peter Ronson, Thayer David and Diane Baker in the main roles. Made for about 3 million dollars by 20th Century Fox with Cooga Mooga and Joseph M. Schenck Enterprises, it took roughly 10 million dollars worldwide, a strong return on its cost. On IMDb it holds 7/10 from around 21,000 votes, while on TMDB it stands at 6.9/10 from 529 votes, placing the two audiences closely together.