"Journey to the Center of the Earth" (1959) is one of the best and most often copied of sci-fi films. Much of its undeniable power comes from the literate and logical script, and the strong and sympathetic persona radiated by James mason and Arlene Dahl in the primary roles. There is clarity of his value purpose and an equal clarity of why he does what he does about a fantastic scientific opportunity. The film's classic plot can be summed in a single sentence-- "A scientist finds evidence of an underworld discovered by a scientist of a bygone era and mounts an expedition at great risk to discover what can be found." Director Henry Levin does a very fine job of keeping the action moving at every moment. The story improves on the Jules Verne novel by fleshing out characters and staging it as a Scottish expedition complete with locations, bagpipes and passable accents. Producer Charles Brackett and Walter Reisch earn credit for their seamless story and its patient but exciting development. The music composed by Bernard Herrmann is stunning and not overdone; the cinematography by Leo Tover is surprisingly well-matched despite the great variety of scenes ranging from hotel lobbies to university areas to wild and fantastic locales. in the technical disciplines, mention needs to be made of the great Art Direction by Franz Bachelin, Herman A. Blumenthal and Lyle R. Wheeler. The very elaborate set decorations by Joseph Kish and Walter M. Scott are extraordinary; and David Ffolkes costume designs accomplish everything they were supposed to and then some. Assistant Director Hal Herman and Art Department illustrator Harold Michelson as well as the Helen Turpin's hair styling, Ben Nye's makeup and the special effects department's contributions should be noted. In the smallish cast, Edith Evanson, Mollie Glessing and Alan Napier deserve mention. Among the principals, Pat Boone and Diane Baker are acceptable and occasionally touching as the young man whose purchase precipitates the expedition and the Professor's daughter; Thayer David is his usual powerful self as Saknussem, and Peter Ronson is adequate as the very tall Hans Belker. But the film belongs to the charming mature sexual antagonists played with power and ability by Arlene Dahl and the Oscar worthy James Mason. It is their many moods, reactions, thoughtful moments and interactions with others that give this simple adventure film its unusual power to move audiences. From the flood, the boulder, the undersea ocean, the rockfalls and landslides, the breaking bridges and dangerous ascents and descents to the personal antagonisms, realized with humor and skill, this is one of the best and most copied of popular sci-fi adventures, in the genre of "The Time Machine", "Forbidden Planet" and "Battle Beyond the Stars", as well as "Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade", this film without achieving greatness deserves I suggest the accolade of being called a classic.