It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World (1963)

Director:

Stanley Kramer

Writers:

William Rose (story) &
Tania Rose (story)

Release Date:

2 December 1963 (UK)

Genre:

Action | Adventure | Comedy | Crime

Tagline:

If ever this mad, mad, mad, mad world needed "It's a mad, mad, mad, mad world" it's now! (1970 re-release)

Plot:

The dying words of a thief spark a madcap cross-country rush to find some treasure.

Plot Keywords:

Race | Desert | Money | Mother In Law | Blockbuster

Awards:

Won Oscar. Another 2 wins & 9 nominations

Cast

Spencer Tracy	...	Capt. T. G. Culpepper
Milton Berle	...	J. Russell Finch
Sid Caesar	...	Melville Crump
Buddy Hackett	...	Benjy Benjamin
Ethel Merman	...	Mrs. Marcus
Mickey Rooney	...	Ding Bell
Dick Shawn	...	Sylvester Marcus
Phil Silvers	...	Otto Meyer
Terry-Thomas	...	J. Algernon Hawthorne
Jonathan Winters	...	Lennie Pike
Edie Adams	...	Monica Crump
Dorothy Provine	...	Emeline Marcus-Finch
Eddie 'Rochester' Anderson	...	Second Cab Driver
Jim Backus	...	Tyler Fitzgerald
Ben Blue	...	Biplane Pilot
Joe E. Brown	...	Union Official
Alan Carney	...	Police Sergeant
Chick Chandler	...	Detective Outside Chinese Laundromat
Barrie Chase	...	Sylvester's Girlfriend
Lloyd Corrigan	...	The Mayor
William Demarest	...	Police Chief Aloysius
Andy Devine	...	Sheriff of Crockett County
Selma Diamond	...	Ginger Culpepper (voice)
Peter Falk	...	Third Cab Driver
Norman Fell	...	Detective at Grogan's Crash Site
Paul Ford	...	Col. Wilberforce
Stan Freberg	...	Deputy Sheriff
Louise Glenn	...	Billie Sue Culpepper (voice)
Leo Gorcey	...	First Cab Driver
Sterling Holloway	...	Fire Chief
Marvin Kaplan	...	Irwin
Edward Everett Horton	...	Mr. Dinckler
Buster Keaton	...	Jimmy the Crook
Don Knotts	...	Nervous Motorist
Charles Lane	...	Airport Manager
Mike Mazurki	...	Miner
Charles McGraw	...	Lt. Matthews
Cliff Norton	...	Reporter
Zasu Pitts	...	Gertie - Switchboard Operator
Carl Reiner	...	Tower Controller at Rancho Conejo
Madlyn Rhue	...	Secretary Schwartz
Roy Roberts	...	Policeman Outside Irwin & Ray's Garage
Arnold Stang	...	Ray
Nick Stewart	...	Migrant Truck Driver
The Three Stooges	...	Firemen
Sammee Tong	...	Chinese Laundryman
Jesse White	...	Radio Tower Operator at Rancho Conejo
Jimmy Durante	...	Smiler Grogan
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Joe DeRita	...	Fireman (as The Three Stooges)
Larry Fine	...	Fireman (as The Three Stooges)
Moe Howard	...	Fireman (as The Three Stooges)
Jack Benny	...	Man in Car in Desert (uncredited)
Paul Birch	...	Policeman (uncredited)
Wally Brown	...	Policeman (uncredited)
John Clarke	...	Helicoper Pilot (uncredited)
Stanley Clements	...	Detective in Squad Room (uncredited)
Howard Da Silva	...	Airport Officer (uncredited)
Minta Durfee	...	Woman in Final Crowd (uncredited)
Roy Engel	...	Patrolman / Police Radio Voice Unit F-14 (uncredited)
James Flavin	...	Patrolman (uncredited)
Nicholas Georgiade	...	Detective at Grogan's Crash Site (uncredited)
Stacy Harris	...	Police Radio Unit F-7 (voice) (uncredited)
Don C. Harvey	...	Policeman in Helicopter (uncredited)
John Indrisano	...	Hard Hat in Crowd (uncredited)
Allen Jenkins	...	Cop (uncredited)
Robert Karnes	...	Officer Simmy (uncredited)
Tom Kennedy	...	Traffic Cop (uncredited)
Harry Lauter	...	Police Dispatcher (uncredited)
Ben Lessy	...	George (uncredited)
Bobo Lewis	...	Pilot's Wife (uncredited)
Jerry Lewis	...	Driver Running Over Hat (uncredited)
Bob Mazurki	...	Eddie (uncredited)
Barbara Pepper	...	(uncredited)
Eddie Ryder	...	Air Traffic Control Tower Staffer (uncredited)
Charles Sherlock	...	Crowd Member (uncredited)
Eddie Smith	...	(uncredited)
Doodles Weaver	...	Hardware Store Clerk (uncredited)

Directed by
Stanley Kramer

Writing credits
William Rose		(story and screenplay) (as William) &
Tania Rose		(story and screenplay)

Produced by
Stanley Kramer	....	producer

Original Music by
Ernest Gold

Cinematography by
Ernest Laszlo		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Gene Fowler Jr.
Robert C. Jones
Frederic Knudtson

Production Design by
Rudolph Sternad

Art Direction by
Gordon Gurnee

Set Decoration by
Joseph Kish

Costume Design by
Bill Thomas

Makeup Department
George Lane	....	makeup artist
Connie Nichols	....	hairdresser
Lynn F. Reynolds	....	makeup artist (as Lynn Reynolds)
Steven Clensos	....	makeup artist (uncredited)
Rolf Miller	....	makeup artist (uncredited)

Production Management
Clem Beauchamp	....	production manager
Adrian Woolery	....	production manager: animation (uncredited)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
George R. Batcheller Jr.	....	assistant director (as George Batcheller)
Bert Chervin	....	assistant director
Charles Scott	....	assistant director
Carey Loftin	....	second unit director (uncredited)

Art Department
Art Cole	....	property master
Saul Bass	....	poster designer (uncredited)

Sound Department
Walter Elliott	....	sound editor
Roy Granville	....	sound re-recordist
John K. Kean	....	sound engineer (as John Kean)
Clem Portman	....	sound re-recordist
Vinton Vernon	....	sound re-recordist
Glenn E. Anderson	....	boom operator (uncredited)
Richard Portman	....	assistant foley artist (uncredited)
Gordon Sawyer	....	sound supervisor (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Danny Lee	....	special effects
Chuck Gaspar	....	special effects (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
Linwood G. Dunn	....	photographic effects
Farciot Edouart	....	process photographer
James B. Gordon	....	photographic effects
Jim Danforth	....	miniature maker (uncredited)
Jim Danforth	....	stop-motion animator (uncredited)
Marcel Delgado	....	miniatures (uncredited)
Willis H. O'Brien	....	visual effects (uncredited)

Stunts
Carey Loftin	....	stunt supervisor
Max Balchowsky	....	stunts (uncredited)
Paul Baxley	....	stunts (uncredited)
May Boss	....	stunt double (uncredited)
May Boss	....	stunts (uncredited)
Richard E. Butler	....	stunts (uncredited)
Tap Canutt	....	stunts (uncredited)
Bill Couch	....	high wire stunt double: Spencer Tracy (uncredited)
Bill Couch	....	stunt double: Buddy Hackett (uncredited)
Chuck Couch	....	stunt double: Terry-Thomas (uncredited)
Philip Crawford	....	stunts (uncredited)
Dick Crockett	....	stunts (uncredited)
John Daheim	....	stunts (uncredited)
Carol Daniels	....	stunts (uncredited)
George DeNormand	....	stunts (uncredited)
Gary Epper	....	stunts (uncredited)
Stephanie Epper	....	stunts (uncredited)
Fred Gabourie	....	stunts (uncredited)
Dick Geary	....	stunts (uncredited)
Sol Gorss	....	stunts (uncredited)
Chuck Hayward	....	stunts (uncredited)
Bob Herron	....	stunts (uncredited)
Robert F. Hoy	....	stunts (uncredited)
John Hudkins	....	stunt double: Jonathan Winters (uncredited)
John Hudkins	....	stunts (uncredited)
Loren Janes	....	stunt double: Eddie 'Rochester' Anderson (uncredited)
Walt La Rue	....	stunts (uncredited)
Carey Loftin	....	stunt double: Terry-Thomas (uncredited)
Carey Loftin	....	stunt driver (uncredited)
Carey Loftin	....	stunts (uncredited)
Paul Mantz	....	stunt pilot (uncredited)
Harvey Parry	....	stunts (uncredited)
Regis Parton	....	stunt double: Milton Berle (uncredited)
Gil Perkins	....	stunts (uncredited)
Jack Perkins	....	stunt double: Jonathan Winters (uncredited)
Janos Prohaska	....	stunt double: Peter Falk (uncredited)
George Robotham	....	stunt double: Dick Shawn (uncredited)
Wally Rose	....	stunts (uncredited)
Carl Saxe	....	stunt double: Sid Caesar (uncredited)
Fred Scheiwiller	....	stunts (uncredited)
Bill Shannon	....	stunts (uncredited)
Alex Sharp	....	stunts (uncredited)
Paul Stader	....	stunts (uncredited)
Tom Steele	....	stunts (uncredited)
Frank Tallman	....	stunt pilot (uncredited)
Helen Thurston	....	stunt double: Ethel Merman (uncredited)
Buddy Van Horn	....	stunts (uncredited)
Dale Van Sickel	....	stunt driver (uncredited)
Dale Van Sickel	....	stunts (uncredited)
Jesse Wayne	....	stunt double: Mickey Rooney (uncredited)
Marvin Willens	....	stunt double: Phil Silvers (uncredited)
Marvin Willens	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Joseph Edesa	....	chief gaffer (as Joe Edesa)
Dick Johnson	....	assistant cameraman (as Richard Johnson)
Martin Kashuk	....	assistant company grip
Hal McAlpin	....	additional photographer (as Hal A. McAlpin)
Irmin Roberts	....	additional photographer (as Irman Roberts)
Morris Rosen	....	company grip
Charles F. Wheeler	....	camera operator (as Charles Wheeler)
James V. King	....	camera operator: second unit (uncredited)
Hal McAlpin	....	still photographer (uncredited)
Jack Woolf	....	aerial photographer (uncredited)

Animation Department
Bob Carlson	....	animator: titles (uncredited)
Hugh Childs	....	animator: titles (uncredited)
Tab Collar	....	animator: titles (uncredited)
Art Goodman	....	animator: titles (uncredited)
Bernard Gruver	....	animator: titles (uncredited)
Oscar Hansson	....	animator: titles (uncredited)
Ruth Kissane	....	animator: titles (uncredited)
Bror Lansing	....	animator: titles (uncredited)
Ed Levitt	....	animator: titles (uncredited)
Mary Mathews	....	animator: titles (uncredited)
Bill Melendez	....	animator: titles (uncredited)
Carl Pederson	....	animator: titles (uncredited)
Beverly Robbins	....	animator: titles (uncredited)
Charles Smith	....	animator: titles (uncredited)
Danny Smith	....	animator: titles (uncredited)
Frank Smith	....	animator: titles (uncredited)
Irene Wyman	....	animator: titles (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Joe King	....	costume supervisor

Music Department
Mack David	....	lyricist: songs
Art Dunham	....	music editor
The Four Mads	....	musician: dance sequence
Ernest Gold	....	composer: songs
The Shirelles	....	singers: dance sequence
Bob Bain	....	musician: guitar (uncredited)
William Brittan	....	music recording engineer (uncredited)
Ernest Gold	....	musician: dance sequence (uncredited)
Robert Helfer	....	music coordinator (uncredited)
Albert Woodbury	....	orchestrator (uncredited)

Transportation Department
Frank Khoury	....	driver (uncredited)

Other crew
Saul Bass	....	title designer
Anne P. Kramer	....	assistant to producer (as Anne Kramer)
Stanley Kramer	....	presenter
Paul Mantz	....	aerial supervisor
Bud Pine	....	production coordinator
Marshall Schlom	....	script supervisor
Frank Tallman	....	aerial supervisor
Ivan Volkman	....	assistant to director
Clarence Agress	....	physician: Mr. Silvers (uncredited)
Robert E. Blair	....	dog trainer (uncredited)
William T. Hurtz	....	director: animated title sequence (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Casey Productions

Distributors

• United Artists (1963) (USA) (theatrical)
• United Artists (1963) (Argentina) (theatrical)
• United Artists Films (1964) (Finland) (theatrical)
• United Artists (1964) (France) (theatrical)
• Cosmopol-Filmverleih- und Vertriebs-K.G. (1967) (Austria) (theatrical)
• United Artists (1970) (USA) (theatrical) (re-release)
• National Broadcasting Company (NBC) (1972) (USA) (TV) (original airing)
• CBS/Fox (1985) (USA) (VHS)
• MGM-Pathé Communications Co. (1991) (USA) (all media)
• MGM/UA Home Video (1991) (USA) (VHS)
• MGM/UA Home Video (1991) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• MGM/UA Home Video (1995) (Spain) (VHS)
• Chapel Distribution (1997) (Australia) (theatrical) (35mm print)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment España S.A. (2003) (Spain) (DVD)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (2003) (USA) (DVD)
• MGM Home Entertainment (2007) (USA) (DVD)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (2007) (USA) (DVD)
• Magnetic Video (????) (USA) (VHS)

Special Effects

• Film Effects of Hollywood (photographic effects)

Other Companies

• Allen Electric  organ provided by (uncredited)
• Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment  camera cranes (uncredited)
• MGM/UA Home Video  VHS package design
• Samuel Goldwyn Studios  sound recording
• Solters & Digney  publicity (uncredited)
• Stalmaster-Lister Co.  casting
• The Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra  music played by

Also Known As:

"It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World" - USA (promotional title)

Runtime:

USA:154 min (edited version) | USA:174 min (restored video version) | 182 min (Laserdisc version) (extended re-edit) | 192 min (original version)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.76 : 1

Sound Mix:

4-Track Stereo (Westrex Recording System) (35mm prints) | 70 mm 6-Track (Westrex Recording System) (70 mm prints)

Certification:

Australia:G | Canada:G (Manitoba/Nova Scotia/Quebec) | Finland:K-8 | Spain:T | UK:U | Canada:PG (Ontario) | USA:G (1970) | Iceland:L | Portugal:M/12 (edited version) | Portugal:M/6 (re-rating) (uncut) | West Germany:12 | Australia:PG (TV rating) | USA:TV-G (TV rating) | Portugal:M/6 | Argentina:Atp | USA:Approved (PCA #20263) | Sweden:11

Filming Locations:

Santa Monica, California, USA

Company:

Casey Productions

Trivia:

The actors were given two huge scripts, one with all the dialogue, the other with the action.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: When Hawthorne starts telling Finch what he thinks of American men, just as he says the words "coronary thrombosis" the mountains visible through the window behind them suddenly jump forward toward the car: obviously a rear-projection shot with the background film looped.

Quotes:

Migrant truck driver:[after barreling down a hill and stuff flies off the truck] I've said it before and I'll say it again, I didn't want to move to California.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Son of the Beach: It's a Nude, Nude, Nude, Nude World (#2.9)" (2001)

Soundtrack:

It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World

Greatest comedy of all time, period.

I never planned to write a review for this movie, until I took a stroll through the user comments, and was shocked at all the people who think it is.... God help us... overrated. No way. If anything, it is UNDERrated. I see people complaining about the endless shouting, the over the top slapstick, the brashness, the loudness, the length. I can only conclude that these people are a bunch of humorless dorks.

First of all, you can't just sit down to watch a three hour movie without knowing what you're in for. This is not your typical comedy--this is an EPIC comedy, the first of its kind, that inspired other such epics as "Those Magnificent Men in their Flying Machines" and "The Great Race" (which happens to be my favorite comedy--in fact, I'd like to say it's the better movie, but props go to this one for inventing the genre). And I can't speak for everyone else, but this movie leaves me laughing from start to finish.

Yes, it is very long, but it NEVER has a dull moment. Even if the amazing car stunts aren't particularly funny, you can't tell me they aren't wildly entertaining. I have yet to see an action movie with better car chases than these. And yes, the slapstick is ridiculously over the top, although I can't see how that's a problem (the gas station scene is one of the funniest in movie history, in my opinion). But underneath all the slapstick and shouting, holding the whole movie together, is that incredibly cynical message. It is a movie about kind, decent folks turning into law-breaking lunatics and ruining their lives for the sake of money. The subplot with Spencer Tracey realizing his entire life has been a waste, and then ruining what life he has left, is one of the most tragic story lines I have seen. But it's also pretty darn funny.

All the critics need to lighten up and see this for the absurd, delirious, hysterical farce it is.

10/10 stars.