Journey to the Center of the Earth | Rotten Tomatoes

Journey to the Center of the Earth

G

1959

2 hr. 12 min.

Sci-Fi

List

84%

32 Reviews

Tomatometer

69%

5,000+ Ratings

Audience Score

A geologist (James Mason) and his assistant (Pat Boone) set off on an expedition to the center of the earth. Following directions found in an inscription hidden in volcanic rock, the explorers travel to a volcano in Iceland to begin their journey. Along the way, a widow of a famous scientist (Arlene Dahl) and an Icelander (Peter Ronson) join their party. However, the treacherous terrain and prehistoric monsters are not their only concern when a rival scientist (Thayer David) is on their trail.

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Critics Consensus

A silly but fun movie with everything you'd want from a sci-fi blockbuster -- heroic characters, menacing villains, monsters, big sets and special effects.

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Taylor L

"Well, you all deserve a rest. Let us have tea, with a double ration of raisins!" A classic Jules Verne fantasy tale with all the Victorian sensibilities (and whimsical scientific standards) you could hope to find, Journey to the Center of the Earth is one of the better of the big-budget midcentury adventure films. It features not only a series of elaborate sets and James Mason in his silver fox years, but an oddly pervasive sense of humor that keeps things lighthearted even as our ragtag group of explorers are facing slow deaths in underground caverns - there's a festive duck sidekick and in the final scenes, Pat Boone has to use a lamb to prevent a series of nuns from seeing him naked, after being blown through a volcanic tube and presumed dead. The structure of this film will feel surprisingly familiar to many, with features that have seldom changed in the action-adventure films of later decades - the discovery of an artifact, the exotic locales, a love interest, a competing villain to clash with, and an ultimate conclusion that keeps the big discovery from being too earth-shattering. Shame that Harryhausen wasn't brought in for the special effects, he probably could have gotten a bit more creative than putting some paint on a few lizards. It's funny that Boone has practically disappeared from the realm of pop culture; he was literally the most successful American singer of the 1950s after Elvis, but tens of millions of records sold doesn't mean you'll live on in the minds of later generations. (3/5)

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

12/31/22

Full Review

derek l

A decent Sci-Fi adventure based upon Jules Vernes' novel and even though the 1959 adaption may have a few aspects that are dated, it is still a fun and thrilling adventure that involves the exploration down towards the center of the earth.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

Full Review

jack s

An entertaining, well made minor sci-fi classic, elevated by very good special effects (for the era) and a sensational Bernard Hermann score. Music star (and non-actor) Boone shares star billing with the great James Mason, but he's able to deliver a satisfactory supporting performance.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

Full Review

Audience Member

This is a fun and action base movie. I really enjoyed watching this movie. I know that there have been many remakes of this classic, but this is the best version. The special effects are good for its time. The story is strong and the acting is pretty good as well.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

02/02/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Absolute classic 60's sci-fi. One of my absolute favorites from when I was a kid. This and the 1960 version of The Time Machine were top 5 childhood movies for me. Classic novels well adapted to the screen. Both had such fantastic visuals and sooooo stoked young imaginations. I still love them to this day.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

01/14/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Gertrude is steal the scene in this movie.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

02/02/23

Full Review

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Henry Levin

Director

Pat Boone

Alexander "Alec" McKuen

James Mason

Sir Oliver S. Lindenbrook

Arlene Dahl

Carla Göteborg

Diane Baker

Jenny Lindenbrook

Thayer David

Count Saknussem

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Ian Nathan

Empire Magazine

Still captivating despite the obviously dated effects.

Rated: 4/5

Jun 6, 2007

Full Review

Geoff Andrew

Time Out

It's one of the very best Hollywood adventure movies, with lots of monsters, underground oceans, sinister villains, and touches which would have delighted Jules Verne himself.

Jun 24, 2006

Full Review

Bosley Crowther

New York Times

It's really not very striking make-believe, when all is said and done.

Rated: 2/5

Mar 25, 2006

Full Review

Austin Faricy

Honolulu Star-Bulletin

There is an adequate amount of romance to conclude the story neatly, but the big thing in this engrossing movie is the sight and the sound and the wondering what's going to happen next. The incredible was never more vivid.

Mar 16, 2023

Full Review

Mike Massie

Gone With The Twins

With this group, there are always opportunities for tea, moments for carrying a tune, terribly annoying sound effects, and unexplainable conveniences for survival.

Rated: 5/10

Aug 23, 2020

Full Review

Isabel Quigly

The Spectator

The best value in nonsense for a very long time.

Jul 19, 2018

Full Review

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Synopsis

A geologist (James Mason) and his assistant (Pat Boone) set off on an expedition to the center of the earth. Following directions found in an inscription hidden in volcanic rock, the explorers travel to a volcano in Iceland to begin their journey. Along the way, a widow of a famous scientist (Arlene Dahl) and an Icelander (Peter Ronson) join their party. However, the treacherous terrain and prehistoric monsters are not their only concern when a rival scientist (Thayer David) is on their trail.

Director: Henry Levin
Screenwriter: Walter Reisch, Charles Brackett
Production Co: Twentieth Century Fox, Joseph M. Schenck Productions
Rating: G
Genre: Sci-Fi
Original Language: English
Release Date (Streaming): Mar 1, 2013

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