Fun AIP attempt to jump on the then-popular Jules Verne bandwagon (its based on two lesser known Verne novels) with Vincent Price having a great old time as a mad scientist who is so anti war he flies around in a big zeppelin, dropping bombs on armies. Just like in 20000 Leagues Under the Sea some innocents get caught up with the maddie and try to stop him.
To be honest this is a bit clunky, harmed by it's low budget: there is far too much stock footage of what's taking place on land (including the 1939 The Four Feathers) and scenes of our four heroes lingering in the viewing deck watching out the window (this happens a lot).
There is also an uninspiring sub plot where David Frankham, as the annoyingly honourable fiancee of Mary Webster, squabbles with heroic Charles Bronson. I kept assuming Frankham would die or turn evil but nope he was still there in the end; ditto Henry Hull's nasty little munitions manufacturer.
There's also some really unfunny comic relief involving a wacky French chef.
The piece has its charm, though - all those silly sailors outfits the crew (and our heroes) wear, Vincent Price in a great role, the sheer novelty of seeing Bronson be so absurdly miscast in a conventional leading man role. Richard Matheson wrote the script, which is as always for Matheson an expert piece of work. And I found the ending, where Price's crew refused to abandon him, genuinely touching. (It may have been even more so had any of them been allowed to develop some personality.) Good kids entertainment.
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