The first episode of this wonderful miniseries begins with the robbery of the Royal Bank. In fact, the gentleman coming out of the bank just then, who was actually the robber, did not look like Philias Fogg at all, though, even from a distance, and it was strange, because a few days later, the old, bald clerk mistook this man for Fogg.
In the book, the first servant is a 15-year-old boy, and the callous Fogg fires him simply because he raised the water in his bath by one degree. He pays him nothing, he even has the audacity to make the fired boy open for the new servant the next day. If he is so demanding, he should have hired someone with a lot of experience. If he wanted to help the kid, why didn't he give him another chance? Whereas in the series everything is much fairer. The serv-ant is an elderly man, and Fogg dismisses him, citing other reasons, then pays him two weeks' wages as compensation. The next day, Fogg himself welcomes his new valet, Passepartout, which is far more dignified than the classic story.
The story that Passepartout had served Napoleon III was an outright lie, and Fogg knew this, but passed it by. In fact, Passepartout worked as a circus acrobat and then as a valet to English gentlemen with whom he was unhappy. Although his native France is dear to his heart, Passepartout pathetically extols England only to bribe Fogg into hiring him because that is the surest way to make a good impression on a cold Englishman. Fogg is shown as such, but behind this seemingly cool demeanor and exterior, there is an extremely good, soft and gentle man, and I sensed it the first time watching the series, and Brosnan recreates it amazingly!
That evening, after these events, at the Reform Club, during a game of whist, the conver-sation begins with the spicy news of the spectacular robbery, and from word to word, devel-ops into an argument about whether it is possible to go around the world in 80 days. In a way, if it hadn't been for the robbery, the conversation wouldn't have turned that way, there wouldn't have been a bet, and Fogg wouldn't have gone on the fateful tour that changed his life and met him with love.
On the ship in Dover, our travelers meet the great Sarah Bernard, who tries to seduce Fogg, but he worthily resists her. Passepartout was very funny as he peeped out from behind the plant in the actress's cabin, his frightened face standing out from among the leaves. Unlike Fogg, he would gladly have succumbed to Sarah Bernard's temptations and clearly did not understand his master's restraint. Passepartout had no high moral standards and apparently even the thought of his Madeleine did not deter him.
In troubled Paris, Fogg again becomes the target of seduction, this time by a not particularly attractive Parisian prostitute. He shoves her away and she slaps him hard, which Fogg stoically endures with his unwavering gentlemanly demeanor. A run-in with her rude pimp follows, a slight scratch on Passepartout's head from a random bullet in the street, and thanks to that - a trip to Provence.
Fogg's horrified face when he finds Lenoir with his lover is worth seeing - it's unique! Another proof of his purity and innocence, as well as his moral principles. Despite everything, he accepts others as they are and does not judge anyone.
The balloon adventure follows, in the company of the same beautiful young French woman, who gives Fogg encouraging glances, but he pays her no attention, busy helping Lenoir attach the balloon to the cabin. Instead, Passepartout immediately responds to the beauty and scoops her up in a passionate embrace and kiss. The young woman slips unnoticed into the cabin to keep them company during their air journey. Passepartout is pleased with her appearance, but then, frightened by Fogg's words about the extra weight, impulsively decides to throw her away. Good thing the sensible Fogg stopped him. The frivolous Frenchman has quite a good time with the hottie as they fly over France. However, Fogg's worst fears come true and they crash land in the Alps. And here again Fogg saves the day by coming up with the ingenious idea of the saving brandy, and the clueless Passepartout wails stupidly and laughably as he laments the empty brandy bottle.
Meanwhile, Fogg is now out on the streets as the King's Bank robber, and hot on his heels is Detective Fix, an aging gentleman who should be retired, with overconfidence and a slightly infantile, even inappropriate, demeanor. In the Italian city of Brindisi, he complained to the police chief that Fogg was deliberately eluding him and confusing him, while Fogg himself was struggling to find a way out in a blizzard in the Alps. Fix has no idea about this, gets inappropriately angry, almost whining, and almost falls to the ground and bawls like a toddler. The police inspector looks at him dumbfounded and barely manages to calm him down.
On the ship to Bombay, Fogg and Passepartout find themselves in a cramped room with seven other Egyptians. But Fix is in an even more unenviable position, forced to travel in the hold, in a cell with a Turkish prisoner. That's how he feels when he's stalking an innocent person, albeit unwittingly.
It was a wonderful scene when, at farewell, the seven Egyptians embraced and kissed Fogg, and he, the poor man, stood with such a comical expression...! Finally, the journey through India and the jungles where Fogg met love, undertaking the perilous rescue of Aouda, arriving on an elephant just like the princes in Asia.
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