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It's A Mad Mad Mad Mad World (1963)
Released By: Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment   Rating: Not Rated   In Theaters: N/A
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Studio: Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment
Genre: Comedy
MPAA Rating: Not Rated
Director: Stanley Kramer
Language: English
Official Website: http://www.mgm.com/title_title.do?title_star=ITSAMADM
Theatrical Release: N/A
Home Video Release: N/A
Cast: Carl Reiner, Jonathan Winters, Mickey Rooney, Milton Berle, Sid Caesar, Spencer Tracy
Published ID: 5904
UPC: 027616902740,
Plot: With this all-star Cinerama epic, producer/director Stanley Kramer vowed to make the comedy that would end all comedies. The story begins during a massive traffic jam, caused by reckless driver Smiler Grogan (Jimmy Durante), who, before (literally) kicking the bucket, cryptically tells the assembled drivers that he's buried a fortune in stolen loot, under the Big W. The various motorists setting out on a mad scramble include a dentist (Sid Caesar) and his wife (Edie Adams); a henpecked husband (Milton Berle) accompanied by his mother-in-law (Ethel Merman) and his beatnik brother-in-law (Dick Shawn); a pair of comedy writers (Buddy Hackett and Mickey Rooney); and a variety of assorted nuts including a slow-wit (Jonathan Winters), a wheeler-dealer (Phil Silvers), and a pair of covetous cabdrivers (Peter Falk and Eddie Rochester Anderson). Monitoring every move that the fortune hunters make is a scrupulously honest police detective (Spencer Tracy). Virtually every lead, supporting, and bit part in the picture is filled by a well-known comic actor: the laughspinning lineup also includes Carl Reiner, Terry-Thomas, Arnold Stang, Buster Keaton, Jack Benny, Jerry Lewis, and The Three Stooges, who get one of the picture's biggest laughs by standing stock still and uttering not a word. Two prominent comedians are conspicuous by their absence: Groucho Marx refused to appear when Kramer couldn't meet his price, while Stan Laurel declined because he felt he was too old-looking to be funny. Available for years in its 154-minute general release version, the film was restored to its roadshow length of 175 minutes on home video; the search goes on for a missing Buster Keaton routine, reportedly excised on the eve of the picture's premiere. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
IDDateTimeTitleReviewHelpfulVotesTotalVotes
wild and funny movie
Added 11/17/2009

I was at work and we were talking about funny movies my choice was its mad mad mad world. The movie was from so long ago, I was surprised how many people agreed and knew of the movie.
0 out of 0 people found this helpful.
DVD movie review
Added 9/21/2009


Saw and thoroughly enjoyed the movie a few years ago. Purchased the DVD for a granddaughter stationed in Germany.

0 out of 0 people found this helpful.
A must see for everyone
Added 9/6/2009

This is one of the funniest movies that has ever been made. The who's who of Hollywood during this time era is extrodinary and they are all in this movie. The movie came in excellent condition and arrived right on time. If you want to laugh your fanny off with anyone this is the movie to watch. Suiteable for even the most grumpiest old farts.........
0 out of 0 people found this helpful.
One Of A Kind
Added 8/26/2009

There are three versions of It's A Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World. A laser disc version in which they "attempted" to restore the original cut footage from the road show release. However, because over the years they treated the cut footage as garbage, the color now looks like garbage. So you have the garbage footage inter-cut with the current release print they're using.

Finally, they came out with a DVD version in 2001. That version had the bonus material that that the laser disc had, only they put it on the flip side of the main movie instead of a second disc (easier to damage). Although the picture quality is okay when compared to laser disc and VHS, it appears to be from the same master and leaves much to be desired when viewed on today's HD televisions. Another problem I've noticed with many MGM DVDs, especially those of UA releases, is that they seem to use any old release print to master their DVDs of older films from. The result is that you see dirt and scratches in the film. One particular MGM/UA DVD that was originally in Cinerama, The Hallelujah Trail, looks like they dragged the film on the floor first. To make matters worse, it was a letterboxed NON-ANAMORPHIC version. When compared to an anamorphic or as some manufacturers call it, "Enhanced for 16:9 televisions" DVD, the anamorphic DVDs have MUCH better resolution than plain letterboxed DVDs. The mystery is that it cost no more to make the anamorphic DVD master, so you have to wonder what they're thinking. While I don't know what they're thinking, I can tell you what the end result has been for me. Just to name two DVDs off hand (not MGM/UA). I bought Field Of Dreams and To Kill A Mockingbird (Universal) when they came out. Both turned out to be letterboxed non-anamorphic. The quality of Mockingbird was pretty poor. Then, a year or two later both were "released" again, however, this time they were anamorphic. And while Mockingbird still wasn't great, it was MUCH better than the original. I think I have at least 12 movies that I had to purchase twice because of this, so I wonder if it's intentional on their part.

The current DVD release is a one sided version that doesn't have the bonus material that the original 2-sided DVD release had. The only thing that was increased is the price. Just like other films that are true classics, Mad World deserves to be restored (assuming that what was used for the current release are really the best elements currently available) just like what was done for Lawerance Of Arabia, My Fair Lady, etc. and released on Blu-ray.

As for the movie itself, let me just say what the original advertising said: "Anyone who's ever been funny is in it", and I will add to it by saying and then some. This is the type of picture that should really be watched in a theatre that is full on a Saturday night. The only other caveat is that it's even funnier if you are familiar with some of the comediennes in the film. That is because somehow, the genius of Stanley Kramer has created a link between what these comediennes were famous for and their roles and appearances in the plot.

The bottom line is that this is one film that's NOT TO BE MISSED.

0 out of 0 people found this helpful.
About 90 minutes too long
Added 8/20/2009

I rememeber watching this for the first time when I was 8 years old. The plot is hilarious, but the problem is the movie is too long. I found this to be non-stop slapstick comedy something not done too often these days. Some were memorable like when Jim Backus flies Mickey Rooney, and Buddy Hackett in a private plane Backus dies, and Hackett and Rooney are left to fly the plane on thier own. Then the annoying part of the movie was with the loud-mouthed opinionated shrew who harasses poor Johnathan Winters. I guess that's the one reason why I don't watch the movie anymore, and that's because of henpecking. I hate henpecking, and when Winters stands up for himself she sicks her muscle-bound son named Sonny on him, and for about a half hour throughout the movie Sonny is driving like a man possessed, and all this for a million dollars. I have to ask all the characters in the end "Was It Worth It?" I don't feel that it was worth the money spent on the making of this flick, but it's still a classic compared to a couple of watered down films like "Scavenger Hunt", and "Million Dollar Mystery". I just don't get the movie at all, but I guess money isn't really all that it's cracked up to be with me. I know we need it to survive, but I also know the minute we get something like a million dollars we want more, and in the quest to get it they lose it all, and all end up in the hospital. When I was 8 I would've found this to be funny, but now I feel nothing, but pity.
0 out of 0 people found this helpful.
wild and funny movie
Added 11/17/2009

I was at work and we were talking about funny movies my choice was its mad mad mad world. The movie was from so long ago, I was surprised how many people agreed and knew of the movie.
0 out of 0 people found this helpful.
DVD movie review
Added 9/21/2009


Saw and thoroughly enjoyed the movie a few years ago. Purchased the DVD for a granddaughter stationed in Germany.

0 out of 0 people found this helpful.
A must see for everyone
Added 9/6/2009

This is one of the funniest movies that has ever been made. The who's who of Hollywood during this time era is extrodinary and they are all in this movie. The movie came in excellent condition and arrived right on time. If you want to laugh your fanny off with anyone this is the movie to watch. Suiteable for even the most grumpiest old farts.........
0 out of 0 people found this helpful.
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