The classic story with some changes. Passepartout is Lau Xing, a Chinaman who travels to England to get the jade Buda that was stolen from his village by General Fang, a female warlord who is conspiring with Lord Kelvin. He wants the Buda. She wants arms for her conquests. After stealing the Buda, Lau runs into inventor Phileas Fogg. He signs on as Fogg’s valet, thinking it’s the quickest way to get the Buda back to China. Fogg makes a bet with Kelvin that he can circle the world in 80 days. Kelvin assembles Fang and her minions and the incompetent Inspector Fix to stop Fogg.

Fogg’s first stop is Paris where Monique, a French artists latches on to him looking for adventure. As they circle the world, Fogg and Monique fall in love. But when they get to Lau’s village, Fogg feels like he’s been used and takes off on his own. He makes it to San Francisco where his money is stolen. Lau and Monique follow and rescue him, then help him fight off Fang. Halfway across the Atlantic, their boat runs out of coal. Fogg fashions a flying machine and arrives back in London in time to win the bet and expose Kelvin.

I enjoyed it a lot more this time than I did the first time in the theater, perhaps because I had decreased expectations. It earns a 7 just for Cecile De France’s smile.