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

"We've figured it seventeen different ways, and every time we figured it, it was no good, because no matter how we figured it, somebody don't like the way we figured it! So now, there's only one way to figure it. And that is, every man, including the old bag, for himself!"

Director

Stanley Kramer

Cast
Spencer Tracy - Capt. T. G. Culpeper
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 - Lt. Col. J. Algernon Hawthorne
Jonathan Winters - Lennie Pike
Edie Adams - Monica Crump
Dorothy Provine - Emeline Marcus-Finch
...And a ton of other people!

I've waited a long time to finally sit and watch this movie. I admit I had never seen it before, but I knew the general premise as well as the list of comedians who show up throughout. It sounded like my kind of movie. In case readers hadn't noticed, I have an affinity for classic comedians. 

What I like most about the 1963 epic comedy, "It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World" is that it's an epic comedy movie. I mean, this is huge. There's so much packed into it.

It's immense. Very few comedies can accurately claim that claim. It's the chase comedy of all chase comedies. 

Seldom do movies accurately use the term "epic" in their descriptions, especially comedies. This movie is truly epic. 

There are several stories taking place, but they're all tied together for one ultimate goal. 

The movie begins with a speeding car. How appropriate.
Escaped convict, Smiler Grogan (Jimmy Durante), loses control of his car and flies off the road somewhere along California State Route 74. 

Other motorists stop to see if he's alright.

On his dying breath, Grogan reveals to these other drivers that he buried $350,000 in Santa Rosita State Park under "a big W." Then Grogan kicks the bucket - literally, 

The other drivers - Melville Crump (Sid Caesar), Ding Bell (Mickey Rooney), Benjy Benjamin (Buddy Hackett), Lennie Pike (Jonathan Winters), and J. Russell Finch (Milton Berle) - start discussing what to do next. It's a conversation that doesn't involve how to split the money. Each of them goes their separate way to find the buried cash.
Santa Rosita Police Captain T. G. Culpeper (Spencer Tracy) is scheduled to retire. However, he wants to put the Grogan case to bed before he does so. He has all these treasure seekers followed as they each have their own adventure on their respective way to the buried cash. 

There's so much happening in this movie. It's daunting to even try to lay it out. 

I liked this movie right away. Even with its run time of 163 minutes, I couldn't take my eyes off the screen. Actually, I had to watch this in three separate viewings because I couldn't allot enough time to watch it straight through. I want to watch it again because there's so much to see. I'm sure my eyes didn't take it all in the first time.

The cast of who's who in this era's comedy world is amazing. I mean that with all my heart. Amazing! It's mad, for sure. And it's long! It's amazing how long this chase goes on. And if it wasn't for the long line up of who's who in the era's comedy world, it would have been truly maddening in the worst sense of the word. 

There's so much energy and momentum. I don't know what the term "tour de force" means, though I've often heard it used to describe movies. Well, whatever it means, I'm throwing that term in here.

Some of my personal favorite comedians show up for cameos. What's a shame is that they don't stay on screen long enough.

I've heard through various reviews and commentaries that several other comedians were asked to appear in this movie but didn't. Groucho Marx. Stan Laurel. George Burns. Lucille Ball. Jackie Gleason. Bud Abbott. Don Rickles. Harold Lloyd. Peter Sellers. Bob Hope. Evidently, they were all asked to appear, or considered. Or whatever is in between. Oh, what could have been...or might have been, but wasn't...or weren't...or didn't? Whatever.

The dialogue in this movie holds up as hilarious. It's wonderfully irreverent at times. The delivery method among each comedian, along with their unique comedy style meshed together with the other styles, makes the experience anything but dull and dragging. The timing among all the gags is impeccable. It's a major feat to have one movie with so many comedians who work impressively well off each other. They have such impressive chemistry...all of them together! 

Sid Caesar and Edie Adams.

In one scene, when all the treasure hunters are discussing what to do regarding the money, Benjy Benjamin says, "Look! We've figured it seventeen different ways, and every time we figured it, it was no good, because no matter how we figured it, somebody don't like the way we figured it! So now, there's only one way to figure it. And that is, every man, including the old bag, for himself!

"So good luck, and may the best man win," Ding Bell replies.

Benjy turns to Mrs. Marcus (Ethel Merman), J. Russell Finch's loudmouth mother-in-law, and says, "Right! Except you, lady. May you just drop dead!"

Despite the fact that I had to divide this movie into three separate viewings, I can't help but love this movie. For a three-hour movie, there's not one dull moment. It's so on-the-go that it's difficult to keep track of where each of the characters were five minutes ago. 

It's a comedic masterpiece. The comedians who show up cover pretty much each era of American comedy in film and television. The talent spans from silent film comedian Buster Keaton to the Three Stooges, to Jerry Lewis, to Milton Berle, to Don Knotts, to Sid Caesar, to Jonathan Winters. Peter Falk (You know... Columbo) is in this movie. So is Jim Backus. C'mon! He's Thurston Howell III from "Gilligan's Island" and the voice of Mr. Magoo. Anyways, even Ethal Merman is among the crew. 

Even the movie poster is drawn by one of my favorite satirical artists, Jack Davis, whose work is regularly seen in "Mad Magazine." All comedy bases are covered. 

I wrote about ZaSu Pitts a few posts ago, and her comedies from the Hal Roach Studios. She has a cameo as a switchboard operator at the Santa Rosita Police Department. 

Jack Benny shows up for a great cameo, only to be told he's not needed. I wish more people my age knew who Jack Benny was. Those familiar with Jack Benny know who Rochester is. He's in this, too.  

Oh, speaking of Hal Roach, Tom Kennedy plays a traffic in this film. He co-starred with Hal Roach veterans Laurel and Hardy in their movie, "Pack Up Your Troubles." Now, I'm rambling. I love classic comedy so I'm a bit giddy talking about this movie. 

It's a huge comedy. It's the biggest showcase of comedy talent I have ever seen. There's no other way to say it. It works! 

Honestly, I can't think of a word big enough to accurately praise this movie. I might as well just make something up. It's... brimtrescentic! There we go. "It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World" is truly a brimtrescentic experience! Brimtrescentic should be a clear enough word.