Around the World in 80 Days

The plot centres around Phileas Fogg making a £20,000 wager with three members of the Reform Club that he can circumnavigate the world in 80 days. He takes with him his newly employed French valet Passepartout, and is pursued by Detective Wilbur Fix who mistakenly thinks Fogg robbed the Bank of England and is using the wager as a cover to escape capture.

Around the World in Eighty Days (1989) is a Yugoslavian, German, Italian and American co-produced miniseries created by John Gay, Jules Verne and Buzz Kulik for NBC. Pierce Brosnan plays Phileas Fogg, a rigidly punctual English gentleman who wagers twenty thousand pounds with members of the Reform Club that he can circle the globe in eighty days. Eric Idle plays his newly hired French valet Passepartout, who accompanies him on the journey, while Peter Ustinov plays Detective Wilbur Fix, who mistakenly believes Fogg has robbed the Bank of England and follows him from port to port as a suspected fugitive. The three-episode miniseries, each roughly ninety minutes long, is built around the wager and the chase, with every episode carrying the travellers through new cities, ships and trains across the nineteenth century world. The tone is mannered and affectionate, sustained by Brosnan's dignified restraint and Idle's comic warmth, with a sense of adventure that fans of the 1956 film Around the World in Eighty Days, The Adventures of Tintin and Verne's own novels will recognize. Its appeal is the gentle pleasure of a classic globe-trotting romp, with lush period locations and an easy comedic rhythm that suits family viewing.

Reviewers treat this 1989 miniseries as a lavish, watchable period travel romp that is lighter on depth than on spectacle and charm.

• Around the World in Eighty Days (1956)shared globe-trotting adventure, period travel spectacle and a pursuit structure
• Journey to the Center of the Earthshared 19th century adventure tone, wagered journey and Verne-style exploration
• The Adventures of Tintinshared pursuit by a determined detective across varied international locales

Created by

John Gay, Jules Verne, Buzz Kulik

Release Date

1989-04-16

Episode runtime

89 min

Rating

7.1 / 10 (91)

What is Around the World in 80 Days about?

A stiff-upper-lip gentleman bets he can circle the globe in eighty days while a detective dogs his every step.

What is Around the World in 80 Days like to watch?

Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Around the World in 80 Days as brisk, its intensity as mild and its storytelling as easy to follow.

Is Around the World in 80 Days violent?

Only mildly. Ember rates the violence in Around the World in 80 Days as mild.

What did critics think of Around the World in 80 Days?

Reviewers treat this 1989 miniseries as a lavish, watchable period travel romp that is lighter on depth than on spectacle and charm.

Which shows are like Around the World in 80 Days?

Shows with a similar feel include Around the World in Eighty Days (1956), Journey to the Center of the Earth, and The Adventures of Tintin.

How long is Around the World in 80 Days?

Around the World in 80 Days: 1 season, 3 episodes.

Is Around the World in 80 Days still running?

No, Around the World in 80 Days has ended.

Where can I watch Around the World in 80 Days?

In United States, Around the World in 80 Days is available to rent or buy from Amazon Video.