The Crew: In the nineteenth century, Kirk Douglas, Paul Lukas, and Peter Lorre set off to investigate whaling-ship disappearances.
The Mission: Once on the high seas, Douglas and his companions encounter the Nautilus, a technologically advanced submarine piloted by the mysterious Nemo. Nemo (James Mason) captures the men and takes them aboard. Based on Jules Verne's novel, Disney's adaptation was the studio's most expensive production at the time. It also proved a hit with both children and adults, many of whom had read the book as kids. The movie was visually stunning for its day -- especially the famous battle sequence with the giant squid -- but the film's special effects now look dated. Still, it remains a classic of the undersea-adventure genre, remembered fondly by those who saw it in the theaters way back when.

20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, James Mason, 1954. Photo courtesy of the Everett Collection.