It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World
It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World

It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World

1963Movie192 minEnglish

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.

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IMDb6.9/10
Rotten Tomatoes82%
Metacritic74/100
Google Users86%
Director: Stanley KramerGenres: Adventure, Comedy, Family

Plot Summary

A group of strangers, after witnessing a car crash, learn from the dying driver about a stash of money hidden 200 miles away. This sparks a frantic, chaotic race across California to find the treasure, with each individual and group willing to do anything to get there first. Along the way, they encounter numerous obstacles and each other, leading to a series of escalating hijinks and misadventures. The pursuit becomes a symbol of human greed and the absurdity of life.

Critical Reception

Upon its release, 'It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World' was a massive box office success and received generally positive reviews for its ambitious scope, large ensemble cast, and slapstick humor. While some critics found its length and relentless pace overwhelming, most praised its pure entertainment value and groundbreaking comedic set pieces. Over the years, it has been recognized as a landmark of the epic comedy genre.

What Reviewers Say

  • Praised for its ambitious scale and incredible ensemble cast of comedy legends.
  • Celebrated for its innovative and extensive physical comedy sequences and chase scenes.
  • Acknowledged as a highly entertaining, albeit long, cinematic spectacle.

Google audience: Audiences frequently highlight the film's enduring humor, the sheer number of comedic stars, and the thrilling, adventurous plot. Many appreciate its classic status and the nostalgic joy it provides, though some find its runtime a bit lengthy for modern viewing.

Awards & Accolades

Nominated for Best Original Song (for 'More'), Best Sound, and Best Film Editing at the 36th Academy Awards. Stanley Kramer also received a Golden Globe nomination for Best Director.

Fun Fact

The film's climactic scene, featuring the giant 'W' structure, was actually built on a soundstage, and the vehicles crashing into it were suspended by wires to simulate the chaotic impact.

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My Review

TMDB Reviews

3 reviews
CinemaSerf

CinemaSerf

Maybe not since Michael Anderson managed to put together a stellar cast for his "Around the World in Eighty Days" (1956) have we seen quite such an ensemble group of famous faces peppering a light-comedy. This time, it all starts with Jimmy...
Wuchak

Wuchak

_**Epic screwball comedy-adventure with an all-star cast is overlong**_ Released in 1963, “It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World” is grand comedy-adventure about several motorists in the remote desert of Southern Cal learning of a buried cache...
John Chard

John Chard

It's every man (and old bag) for himself. It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World is one of those films that as a child I went to the cinema to watch and then proceeded to talk about it enthusiastically in the playground for weeks afterwards. So I ...