I happened across a DVD of this film by chance because it was one a friend passed to me and which was a 'freebie' apparently given away in a national newspaper. Prior to watching this, I was really only interested in the Crime and Western genres. Once I saw this film which is truly delightful in every way I have treasured the DVD and this film is in my Top 10. Why? The casting is perfect. The acting is superb and there are so MANY wonderful performances that it would be very difficult to list them all.Pierce Brosnan is brilliant as Phileas Fogg, Julia Nickson captivating as the Princess and Eric Idle is both funny and serious in his role as Foggs' man-servant. The filming is stunning and the screenplay is again perfect. There is little more I CAN or indeed NEED to say. It is a film to settle-down with on a Winters evening and enjoy.

I have always tried to figure out why people pan a film simply because it was "not like the book".I agree this mini-series is not as true to Verne's vision as other movies BUT it is an excellent introduction to Vernes & the late 19th century for students.I have used this movie in my 9th grade World History classes & my students absolutely LOVE it. Over 3 weeks we watch the film track their progress on a map & keep track of the various modes of transportation that the main characters use.We also discuss the role of Britian as an imperialist power & the growing importance of the US in the world.I suggest this film for teachers & for families with middle school aged children. A great film!!

After all this years - since the very first time I've watched this version in 1989. - yesterday the test of time confirmed and secured my original impression : This is by far the best version ever !There is always the problem when you hire a good looking actor with tension of maintaining the ego-trip of his own, besides the character he portrays. Pierce Brosnan is one of those actors. In hands of poor director, Brosnan will always extend this virtue without exception. Well, not this time, this is Pierce's best role ever. This is the school example when in good and precise hands under control of fine director - one man's faults are completely used to his advantage. Fulfilling his complete talent.Pierce is completely available, accessible and truly enjoyable.Not only does he makes splendid Phileas Fogg but essentially greatly communicates to the splendor of entire ensemble and therefore none but the excellent realization itself.Quality of production is first rate, casting even more superb. There is one, almost traditional problem with traveling productions like these : You can always observe "production stitches" among countries and collaboration among locations and collaborators. Not in this version you don't !From beginning to the end, production follows from location to location with flawless synergy, only complimenting the ones before. Truly a wonderful , relaxing experience, indisputably with superb execution. I thought in 1989. It would be a bold statement to compare this with original. Now I know it is nothing of the sort. This version is indisputably, the finest visual representation of this book. Not completely on the track with all characters from the book - for they received somewhat different treatment. But I forgive this looking at the complete results. Looking somewhat with envy to the magic of 80's, one can be certain that such a classy ensemble and relaxed pace is almost impossible to create these days. Golden days to be sure.

First to say, I like it, but.... ...there are some details I can't quite forgive. Though there are many liberties taken with the original book (the whole Siam and China Episodes,the Vanderbilt yacht etc.), I'm mostly concerned with the figures of Passepartout and Fix. The first seems to me to be too much comic relief and less substance. The Passepartout in Verne's book isn't as fixated on women as Idle's character. Additionally, Idle's acrobatics don't look like the moves of a circus artist, which Passepartout is. The second character striking me as odd is Ustinov as Fix. From Verne's book you get the image of a dedicated, well-trained and resourceful detective who is only hindered by the necessity of an arrest warrant.He certainly isn't the whining, moping, overweight fellow as he appears in the movie. Don't get me wrong. I like both actors' work, especially Ustinov's, but I think of it as inappropriate and not in conformity with the book. Aside from this, you can do nothing wrong in watching this movie, especially with children.