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"Five Weeks in a Balloon" is a lightweight, romantic adventure epic from 1962. It's based on a novel by Jules Verne, and tells the story of a race across the uncharted wilds of Africa in the 19th century. But the movie is just as much a product of Hollywood, since its cast included box office draws like comedian Red Buttons and even teen idol Fabian. It's a lively and unpretentious romp, with a script that's aiming for fun.

The novel was Jules Verne's first success, combining exciting travel, inventions, and excitement. But the script-writers added a new element, arguing that the expedition would determine whether slave traders would control the unclaimed territory. The story follows Professor Fergusson (played by Cedric Hardwicke) who undertakes the journey to prove the value of his new form of balloon. But inevitably there's many unexpected situations awaiting his crew - and some exciting plot twists

During the course of the movie the explorers are mistaken for moon gods, and even thrown into prison. A sword punctures the side of their balloon during a daring escape, causing a dangerous deflation. And a young Barbara Eden also appears in the movie, as a native girl who joins their traveling party.

But the most enjoyable performance comes from Peter Lorre, who plays a thief who unexpectedly joins the ballooning expedition. Lorre was 62, filming this part just two years before his death. But he delivers the same charm he'd exhibited throughout his career, with a part perfectly matched to his conniving persona. In a pivotal scene, the Englishmen argue that they can't win their race to the unclaimed territories by performing an act of violence on their rivals. But fortunately, Lorre's thief character has no such compunction.

The movie was directed by Irwin Allen, who later became famous for big-budget "disaster" movies like "The Towering Inferno" and "Earthquake." But in the early 60s he was just beginning to build his reputation with a series of light, adventure spectacles. The previous year he'd filmed "Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea," which was partly inspired by Verne's "20,000 Leagues Under the Sea," and he'd also done an adaptation of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's "The Lost World." Allen would naturally be attracted to Verne's lively and humorous romance.

1962 was also an era of sprawling adventures, as movies tried to offer an experience that couldn't be matched by television. Even today, they offer a reminder of a time when movies aspired to be grand. It's ironic that "Five Weeks in a Balloon" was based on a story from over a century before. With its oversized plot, "Five Weeks in a Balloon" is just as much a classic epic from the early 60s!

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