James Mason stars as professor of geology Oliver Linderbrook, whose niece Jenny (Diane Baker) lives with him and captures the affections of the Professor’s star student Alec (Pat Boone). Following the discovery of a tool bearing a message from an Icelandic explorer who disappeared years earlier, Linderbrook mounts an expedition into an extinct volcano in search of the earth’s core.

Accompanying him are Alec (Boone), the widow of an ill-fated explorer (Arlene Dahl), an Icelandic guide with a pet duck (Peter Ronson) and shady Count Saknussemm (Thayer David). Ahead of them are giant lizards, a mammoth mushroom forest, whirlpools, the remains of Atlantis, and other exotic dangers. Bernard Herrmann’s lush score almost steals the show from the beautiful images by cinematographer Leo Tover and Academy Award-nominated effects by Johnny Borgese.

Dahl, Baker and Boone will be in attendance.