In Edinburgh, Scotland, in 1880, Professor Sir Oliver Lindenbrook (James Mason), a geologist at the University of Edinburgh, is given a piece of volcanic rock by his admiring student, Alec McEwan (Pat Boone). Deciding that the rock is unusually heavy, Lindenbrook, mostly thanks to the carelessness of his lab assistant, Mr. Paisley (Ben Wright), discovers a plumb bob inside bearing a cryptic inscription. Lindenbrook and Alec discover that it was left by a scientist named Arne Saknussemm, who had, almost 300 years earlier, found a passage to the centre of the Earth by descending into Snæfellsjökull, a volcano in western Iceland. After translating the message, Lindenbrook immediately sets off with Alec to follow in the Icelandic pioneer's footsteps. Professor Göteborg (Ivan Triesault), upon receiving correspondence from Lindenbrook regarding the nature of the message, opts to try to reach the Earth's centre first. Lindenbrook and McEwan chase him to Iceland. There, Göteborg and his assistant kidnap and imprison them in a cellar. They are freed by a local Icelander, Hans Bjelke (Pétur Ronson), and his pet duck Gertrud. They find Göteborg dead in his room. Lindenbrook finds some potassium cyanide crystals in Göteborg's goatee and concludes that he has been murdered. Göteborg's widow, Carla (Arlene Dahl), who initially believed Lindenbrook was trying to capitalize on the work of her deceased husband, learns the truth from her husband's diary. She provides the equipment and supplies Göteborg had gathered, including much sought after Ruhmkorff lamps, but only on condition that she go along. Lindenbrook grudgingly agrees, and the four explorers and the pet duck are soon journeying into the Earth. They follow marks left by Arne Saknussemm. However, they are not alone. Göteborg's murderer, Count Saknussemm (Thayer David), thinks that, as Arne Saknussemm's descendant, only he has the right to be there. He and his servant trail the group secretly. When Alec becomes separated from the others, he almost trips over Saknussemm's dead servant. When Alec refuses to be his replacement, Saknussemm shoots Alec in the arm. Lindenbrook locates Saknussemm from the reverberations of the sound of the shot, and sentences him to death. However, no one is willing to execute him, so they reluctantly take him along. The explorers eventually come upon a subterranean ocean. They construct a raft from the stems of giant mushrooms to cross it, but not before narrowly escaping a family of dimetrodons. Their raft begins circling in a mid-ocean whirlpool. The professor deduces that this must be the centre of the Earth because the magnetic forces from north and south meeting there are strong enough to snatch away even gold in the form of wedding rings and tooth fillings. Completely exhausted, they reach the opposite shore. While the others are asleep, a hungry Saknussemm catches and eats Gertrud. When Hans finds out, he rushes at the count, but is pulled off by Lindenbrook and McEwan. Reeling back, Saknussemm loosens a column of stones and is buried beneath them. Right behind the collapse, the group comes upon the sunken city of Atlantis. They also find the remains of Arne Saknussemm. The right hand of his skeleton points toward a volcanic chimney; a strong updraft suggests it leads to the surface, but a giant rock blocks the way. Lindenbrook decides to blow up the obstacle with gunpowder left by Saknussemm; they take shelter in a large sacrificial altar bowl. A giant megalosaurus attacks them, but it is killed by lava released by the explosion. The bowl floats on the lava to the passage and is driven upward at great speed by the lava, reaching the surface. Lindenbrook, Carla and Hans are thrown into the sea, while Alec lands naked in a tree in the orchard of a convent. When they return to Edinburgh, they are hailed as national heroes. Lindenbrook, however, declines the accolades showered upon him, stating that he has no proof of his experiences, but he encourages others to follow in their footsteps. Alec marries Lindenbrook's niece Jenny (Diane Baker), and Lindenbrook and Carla kiss. Directed by Henry Levin Produced by Charles Brackett Written by Charles Brackett Walter Reisch Based on Journey to the Center of the Earth by Jules Verne Starring James Mason Pat Boone Arlene Dahl Music by Bernard Herrmann Cinematography Leo Tover, ASC Edited by Stuart Gilmore Jack W. Holmes