Journey To The Center Of The Earth (1959)

A scientist (James Mason), one of his students (Pat Boone), a comely widow (Arlene Dahl) and an Icelandic lad (Peter Ronson) descend through a tunnel in an extinct volcano in Iceland to the earth's core. A myriad of adventures, dangers and wonders awaits them. Loosely based on the novel by Jules Verne and directed by Henry Levin (WHERE THE BOYS ARE). One of the most enjoyable fantasy adventure films ever made. I don't know anyone who saw this film as an adolescent who's forgotten it. The film benefits from the incredible art and and set direction (justifiably Oscar nominated), all the more amazing because it was built rather than done with CGI computers as it would be today. There's a literacy to the screenplay by Charles Brackett and Walter Reisch, it doesn't condescend to its audience. There's a brilliant score by Bernard Herrmann. With Diane Baker, Thayer David, Alan Napier, Edith Evanson and the scene stealing duck, Gertrude.