Journey to the Center of the Earth

In 1880 Edinburgh, Professor Lindenbrook is given a heavy volcanic rock by his admirer Alec McEwan. Alec hopes to win Lindenbrook's favor and help him win the heart of his niece Jenny. Inside the rock Linden discovers a plumb bob and a cryptic inscription left by Arne Saknussemm, hinting at a journey to the Earth’s center.

Lindenbrook translates the inscription and learns that Saknussemm ventured to the center of the Earth. He resolves to follow in the Icelandic pioneer's footsteps. He enlists Alec to join the voyage and prepares for an extraordinary journey.

Professor Göteborg, Lindenbrook's rival, seeks to reach the center before them. He dispatches his team toward Iceland to beat them to the discovery. The pursuit foreshadows the dangers they will face on the journey.

Göteborg and his assistant capture Lindenbrook and Alec and imprison them in a cellar. They are rescued by local Hans Bjelke and his pet duck Gertrud, who stumble upon the scene and free the prisoners. The daring escape shifts the balance of the expedition.

Lindenbrook later discovers Göteborg dead in his hotel room, suggesting foul play. Potassium cyanide crystals found in Göteborg's goatee lead Lindenbrook to conclude he was murdered. Carla Göteborg, the widow, enters the story to safeguard her husband's work.

Carla provides vital equipment, including Ruhmkorff lamps, but only if she accompanies the expedition to protect her husband's reputation. Lindenbrook reluctantly agrees, and Hans and Gertrud decide to join as well. The group now heads into the unknown with new allies.

On a specific date, they mark the sunrise's exact location on Snæfellsjökull and descend into the Earth following Saknussemm's markings. They are not alone, as Count Saknussemm, Göteborg's killer, trails them in secret. The expedition presses on into the subterranean world.

During the descent, Alec becomes separated and comes face to face with Count Saknussemm. When Alec refuses to be the Count's servant, the Count shoots him in the arm. Lindenbrook tracks the trail of gunfire by following the echoes to find them.

Lindenbrook captures Saknussemm and conducts a quick trial for murder. The group sentences him to death, but no one is willing to carry out the execution, so the Count is kept along as an unwelcome member of the expedition. The dynamic tension with the Count continues as they proceed.

They reach a subterranean ocean and build a raft to cross it. They narrowly escape a family of dimetrodons and watch their raft circle a large mid-ocean whirlpool. The crossing marks a turning point toward the Earth's inner world.

The explorers reach the opposite shore after enduring the grueling journey to the center. The narrative highlights magnetic forces that tug at metal and cause exhaustion. They press onward toward the surface, driven by the promise of escape.

In the sunken city they discover Atlantean ruins and Saknussemm's skeleton, with his right hand pointing toward a volcanic chimney. An updraft suggests a path to the surface, but a rock obstruction blocks the way. Lindenbrook uses Saknussemm's gunpowder to blast the barrier and continues toward the exit.

A massive lava-driven ascent carries the group toward the surface. They are ejected from the volcanic chimney area and emerge away from the lava eruption. They survive the peril and reach the outer world.

Back in Edinburgh, they are hailed as heroes, though Lindenbrook declines honor because they have no documented evidence. Alec marries Jenny, and Lindenbrook and Carla share a kiss, signaling their forthcoming wedding. The expedition leaves a lasting inspiration for future generations.