How a Broadway showman gambled his way to a Best Picture-winning cinematic spectacle
In short: Produced by a first-time filmmaker, the 1956 epic Around the World in 80 Days was a logistical marvel. It required 112 locations, nearly 69,000 extras, and thousands of animals. Yet, behind the scenes, it was a desperate race against creditors, filmed while the producer was in deep debt.
Michael Todd, a Broadway producer with no prior film experience, brought Jules Verne’s 1873 novel to the screen in 1956. The production was defined by its sheer scale and technical ambition, utilizing the Todd-AO 70mm format. Because the format originally ran at 30 frames per second—incompatible with the 35mm standard—the entire film was shot twice to ensure a 24 frames per second version existed for general release. This massive undertaking involved 140 sets and a wardrobe department that provided over 74,000 costumes, reportedly the most ever required for a Hollywood production.
The film’s production was as dramatic as its plot. Todd worked under constant financial pressure, with footage often held in a secure vault by creditors each night. Despite the chaos, the film was a massive success, grossing $33 million by the time of Todd’s death in a plane crash 18 months after its release. It won five Academy Awards, including Best Picture, though it remains notable for being one of the few winners to receive zero acting nominations. Critics at the time, including Bosley Crowther, praised its sprawling, spectacular nature, while Time magazine famously dubbed it the Polyphemus of productions.
The legacy of the film has been complicated by decades of re-edits and varying versions. Original theatrical prints ran 179 minutes, but subsequent re-releases in 1968 and 1983 saw significant cuts, with some versions dropping to 143 minutes. It was not until 2004 that Warner Bros. issued a digitally restored version, finally presenting the film at its full length and original widescreen aspect ratio. Today, the film is remembered not just for its star-studded cast and technical innovation, but as a testament to the high-stakes, extravagant era of mid-century roadshow cinema.
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