Around the World in 80 Minutes with Douglas Fairbanks

"Here's reality in the making, from all corners of this cockeyed globe."

1931 1h 20m EN

🤯

10.0

MASTERPIECE

★10.0TMDB · 1

Documentary

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

With the advent of sound, the world's leading screen idol, Douglas Fairbanks, experienced a downturn in his fortunes. His thin, reedy voice was not suited to the talkies, his marriage to Mary Pickford was on the outs, and his son, Douglas Fairbanks, Jr., had replaced him as a major box-office draw. Faced with the Hollywood equivalent of a mid-life crisis, Doug called up three of his best friends - director Victor Fleming, cinematographer Henry Sharp, and production manager Charles Lewis - and took them on a six-month tour of Asia, ostensibly to shoot a travelogue for United Artists (of which Fairbanks was still a major shareholder.) Their first stop is Honolulu, followed in quick succession by Japan, China, Peking, Hong Kong, Indochina, the Philippines, Siam, and India. Fairbanks and company spend time at such noteworthy spots as the Taj Mahal, Angkor Wat, the Summer Palace and the Sun Yat-Sen Mausoleum.

“Here's reality in the making, from all corners of this cockeyed globe.”

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Cast

Douglas Fairbanks
Self
Victor Fleming
Self
Duke Kahanamoku
Self
Sôjin Kamiyama
Self
Emilio Aguinaldo
Self
Sessue Hayakawa
Self
Charles Lewis
Self
Henry Sharp
Self

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Douglas Fairbanks
Languages: English
Countries: United States of America

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 8

RUNTIME

Did you know

80 minutes exactly — the "classic feature" runtime most directors aim for.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

ERA

Did you know

95 years old — a genuine piece of film history.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

RUNTIME

Did you know

Lean credit list — fewer than 30 people officially credited.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Douglas Fairbanks, shot by Henry Sharp. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by Alfred Newman. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

CAST

Did you know

Douglas Fairbanks and Victor Fleming and Duke Kahanamoku carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

FACT

Did you know

Marketing tagline: "Here's reality in the making, from all corners of this cockeyed globe.".

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

WILD

Did you know

IMDB entry: tt0021621 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Douglas Fairbanks directs. Henry Sharp behind the camera. Alfred Newman scores. Runs lean at under 100 minutes. Produced in United States of America. Dialogue in English.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

180 minutes exactly — the "classic feature" runtime most directors aim for.
295 years old — a genuine piece of film history.
3Lean credit list — fewer than 30 people officially credited.
4Directed by Douglas Fairbanks, shot by Henry Sharp. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
5Original score by Alfred Newman. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
6Douglas Fairbanks and Victor Fleming and Duke Kahanamoku carry the top of the cast.
7Marketing tagline: "Here's reality in the making, from all corners of this cockeyed globe.".
8IMDB entry: tt0021621 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
9Only 1 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.