Five Weeks in a Balloon
Brief Synopsis
Cast & Crew
Irwin Allen
Red Buttons
Fabian
Barbara Eden
Cedric Hardwicke
Peter Lorre
Film Details
Technical Specs
Synopsis
In 1862, Fergusson, an engineer, is commissioned by the British government to fly his latest invention, a giant balloon carrying a gondola, 4,000 miles from Zanzibar into uncharted West Africa to claim the land around the Volta River for England. Time is of the essence, since a band of international slave traders is already pushing overland to claim the territory. Fergusson is accompanied by his young assistant, Jacques. In Zanzibar they are joined by Donald O'Shay, an American playboy reporter who will write an eyewitness account of the journey, and by a runaway female slave, Makia. Sir Henry Vining, president of the Royal Geographic Institute and debunker of the invention, is sent as the Queen's envoy to accompany them. Several days later, they rescue an American mission teacher, Susan Gale, from the clutches of a bulbous, drunken sultan, and take her aboard. Also on hand is a leering, cowardly Arab slave trader, Ahmed. When the balloon is forced down by a sandstorm, all except O'Shay are captured as infidels and ordered thrown from the tallest minaret in Timbuktu; but O'Shay arrives with the balloon and plucks them to safety. When they finally reach the Volta, the balloon collapses into the river just as the slave traders are approaching. O'Shay safely plants the flag for England, and Ahmed routs the traders by stopping their leader with a well-aimed dagger. With their mission accomplished, the adventurers shake hands on a job well done.
Director
Irwin Allen
Cast
Red Buttons
Fabian
Barbara Eden
Cedric Hardwicke
Peter Lorre
Richard Haydn
Barbara Luna
Billy Gilbert
Herbert Marshall
Reginald Owen
Henry Daniell
Mike Mazurki
Alan Caillou
Ben Astar
Raymond Bailey
Chester The Chimp
Crew
L. B. Abbott
Irwin Allen
Irwin Allen
Irwin Allen
Charles Bennett
George Boemler
Sid Cutner
Warren B. Delaplain
Jodi Desmond
William Eckhardt
Albert Gail
Albert Gail
Winton Hoch
Emil Kosa Jr.
Ben Nye
Donald L. Piccard
Max Reese
Stuart A. Reiss
Norman Rockett
Paul Sawtell
Ad Schaumer
Walter M. Scott
Jack Martin Smith
Helen Turpin
E. Clayton Ward
Alfred Ybarra
Paul Zastupnevich
Maurice Zuberano
Film Details
Technical Specs
Quotes
Trivia
Notes
Location scenes filmed in California.
Miscellaneous Notes
Released in United States Winter January 1, 1962
Released in United States on Video September 14, 1989
Cinemascope
Released in United States Winter January 1, 1962
Released in United States on Video September 14, 1989
