MovieChat Forums > Around the World in Eighty Days (1956) Discussion > Shirley MacLaine was dubbed?...

Shirley MacLaine was dubbed?...

posted 17 years ago by anakinskywalkeralpha
4 replies | jump to latest

I recently came across a 15-year-old New York Times article entitled "...And Some Call For a Voice." The article claimed that Shirley MacLaine's voice was entirely dubbed in this movie. To confirm this, I watched clips from some of her movies in the 50's and early 60's - specifically, The Trouble With Harry, Artists and Models, and The Apartment - in order to get a strong sense of what her voice actually sounded like at the time. Then I viewed a few clips from 80 Days, and her voice was noticably different. In particular, her characteristic slight drawl had disappeared. Granted, we may have a voice coach to thank for this, but it is definitely possible that MacLaine's voice was dubbed. Anyone care to produce evidence to refute this claim?

He was a poet, a scholar, and a mighty warrior. He was also the most shameless exhibitionist since Barnum and Bailey.

[–] 17 years ago

[deleted]

[–] tslothrop 16 years ago

I played the scene between Fogg and Aouda at the rail of the Rangoon for my wife (who has a remarkable talent for voices) without telling her who the actress was. Within two or three sentences she stated that it was Shirley Maclaine. I was also able to hear some telling details in her speech patterns that left no doubt that this was actually her voice.

[–] BachOmega 14 years ago

It's possible that she overdubbed it with her own voice once she was able to do a suitable accent, for example. That's how the film version of "King and I" was made due to the loud cameras (and knowing that, now I can't watch it again without watching their lips!)

[–] vranger (444) 4 years ago

It's common an all eras for actors to overdub themselves after filming. When restorers worked on My Fair Lady, they were astounded at Rex Harrison's sync between lips and voice. They eventually "rediscovered" that he wore a mike on his clothes during filming, and that audio was used in release.