It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World (1963)

A group of motorists hear about a crook's hidden stash of loot, and race against each other across the country to get to it.

Director:

Stanley Kramer

Writers:

William Rose (story), Tania Rose (story)

Stars:

Spencer Tracy, Milton Berle, Ethel Merman

Won 1 Oscar. Another 2 wins & 10 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
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

Storyline

The story begins during a massive traffic jam, caused by reckless driver Smiler Grogan, who, before kicking the bucket, cryptically tells the assembled drivers that he's buried a fortune in stolen loot, under the Big W. All of the motorists set out to find the fortune.

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Plot Keywords:

limousine driver | epic | automobile | western u.s. | road movie | 

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Taglines:

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

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Genres:

Action | Adventure | Comedy | Crime

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Certificate:

G

Did You Know?

Trivia

The roles of Melville and Monica Crump were originally larger roles written for Mickey Rooney and Judy Garland. When production of The Judy Garland Show (1963) ran into trouble, Garland had to turn down the part. Rooney eventually got the role of Ding "Dingy" Bell. Edie Adams, who was originally cast as Emeline, got the role of Monica. Ernie Kovacs--who was Adams' husband--was cast as Melville, but was killed in a car crash before shooting began. Sid Caesar replaced him.

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Goofs

When Pike is destroying the gas station, the attendants throw two blue and yellow barrels from the same corner twice.

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Quotes

[first lines]
J. Russell Finch: [as all the cars pull over one by one, the men quickly jump out in shock at having just witnessed Smiler Grogan pass them recklessly fast, careen off the side of the hilly road, and terribly crash down below] Whoa! Hey d-did ya see it, the way he went sailing right out there? D-d he just went *sailing* right out there.
Melville Crump: It was terrible, I m-a-mean just terrible. He musta been doin' over 80 ya know.
J. Russell Finch: An ambulance; we better, we oughta call an ambulance.
Ding Bell: Oh... oh look at that car.
J. Russell Finch: [...]

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Crazy Credits

The opening credits are a sequence of gags all related to a globe of the world.

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Alternate Versions

The current DVD release contains the General Release Version of 154 minutes. The 186-minute version (174 minutes without the overture and entr'acte music) has played occasionally on cable TV.

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Connections

Referenced in It's a Mad World, World, World, World (1993)

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Soundtracks

You Satisfy My Soul
(1963) (uncredited)
Music by Ernest Gold
Lyrics by Mack David
Played by The Four Mads
Sung by The Shirelles

User Reviews

Personifies everything I hate in movies yet oh how I laughed.

Well-so far I haven't read one good review of this movie on here. I don't have a lot to add except growing up, this was one of my favorite comedies. This is totally slapstick, lots of chases and things breaking-silly and almost plot less-but oh how I laughed. I'm not quite sure WHY I did but I have never been able to view this movie without breaking out into Gales of laughter. Since I'm writing a review, I'd like to try to give a specific reason Why this off the wall, completely silly movie appealed to me so much but I can't because there is no reason. This movie is ridiculous in it's way, but it knows it, and doesn't Take itself at all seriously. It's like Seinfeld-a movie about nothing.(Except Chases, things falling, breaking etc). That's it. But It's funny. It's mindless and it's entertaining and I loved it! Since, I haven't seen it in quite awhile, maybe I wouldn't love it now and I can see how it wouldn't be for everybody but all I know is this is one of the few comedies that rendered me absolutely hysterical through most of it and I'm not the only person who had that reaction. This is coming from someone who isn't particularly fond of slapstick. There's not much else to say about it-it's certainly a mad, mad movie and one that gave me numerous laughs many a time.

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English Chinese

Release Date:

7 November 1963 (Canada)

Also Known As:

Eine total, total verrückte Welt

Filming Locations:

Revue Studios, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$9,400,000 (estimated)

Gross USA:

$46,332,858

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$46,332,858

Company Credits

Production Co:

Casey Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

210 min 154 min (edited) 174 min (restored video) 182 min (extended re-edit) (Laserdisc) 192 min (premiere) 205 min (roadshow) 197 min (extended)

Sound Mix:

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

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.76 : 1