It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World
It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World
G | 07 November 1963 (USA)
It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World Trailers

A group of strangers come across a man dying after a car crash who proceeds to tell them about the $350,000 he buried in California. What follows is the madcap adventures of those strangers as each attempts to claim the prize for himself.

Reviews
Pluskylang Great Film overall
DipitySkillful an ambitious but ultimately ineffective debut endeavor.
filippaberry84 I think this is a new genre that they're all sort of working their way through it and haven't got all the kinks worked out yet but it's a genre that works for me.
Kayden This is a dark and sometimes deeply uncomfortable drama
officialabelincoln This classic is as enjoyable to watch today as it was when I saw it premiering in the theater. The bulk of the cast is comprised of former vaudevillians who have mastered their craft. Nonstop schtick from beginning to end. Great movie!
bombersflyup It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World is a three hour plus annoying stupid comedy, that I couldn't bear.Putting a bunch of comedians together clearly doesn't guarantee a funny film, you have to actually have funny content. It was just awful and annoying, starting with an intro that went forever, I was angry before it had begun. The only scenes a smile may have crossed my face, would of been with Terry-Thomas in them.
ragpap93 It's the original and the best that still holds up today. In fact it's remade many, many times. Remade in many languages and countries. There's a Hindi remake Dhamaal, Telugu remake I remember seeing. Also there's Rat Race off course which is inspired by this but made a little cruder. It's a simple plot. There's money hidden somewhere and people race to it to get it all for themselves. Slapstick at it's best.
atlasmb When director Stanley Kramer assembled the cast for "It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World", the comedians were standing in line for a chance to appear in the film. The result is a veritable Who's Who of comedy from silent film days to 1961. (Check out "Rat Race" (2001) for another comedy with a large ensemble.)I saw IAMMMMW at a drive-in on its first release. I enjoyed the film, with its cartoonish action and characters. It was like watching Wile E. Coyote and the Roadrunner (and friends) played with human actors. Over time, it has not become dated. In fact, I enjoy it more today. As an older viewer, I can better appreciate the subtleties of the performances (even within the slapstick) and the quality of the script. Also, even though I knew who most of the actors were back in 1961, I now have a greater respect for and knowledge of their abilities and careers.There are so many talents in this film, both as leads and as supporting actors and in cameos. But there are a few who really drive this comedy. Jonathan Winters, for example, plays a manic character who is like an unstoppable force. Dick Shawn portrays a kooky, west coast surfer dude like no one else can. Ethel Merman--surprisingly--is like a walking punchline, giving all of the actors something to play off of--like an MVP. And Phil Silvers always makes me laugh, with his "Why I oughta" snarkiness.For cinema fans, this is a film that should be watched for its record of comedic talent. Consider Milton Berle, Buddy Hackett, Mickey Rooney, Terry Thomas, Don Knotts, Jimmy Durante, and Jerry Lewis, just to name a few. The jokes come from every direction.The stuntwork and car chases are also a lot of fun. That this piece of cinematic history is also so much fun to watch is just a bonus.