It's A Mad Mad Mad Mad World ( USA - 1963 )

The big daddy of Hollywood comedy                                                                                           

Director: Stanley Kramer

Country: USA

Starring: Spencer Tracy and loads of stars

Genre: Comedy

Year: 1963

If you haven’t watched this film, then you are definitely missing something in Hollywood. One of the longest titles in the world of cinema, “It’s a Mad Mad Mad Mad World” is also a longest running time, 2hr 40 mins for a comedy genre and the list of star-cast is endless with various yesteryear stars appearing in cameo.

Plot

The films starts in Mojave Desert highway, old-timer robber Smiler Grogan crashes off the highway into a cliff, he is tailed by the police. 

Four vehicles stop-by to assist him, but Grogan is severely injured, reveals about $350,000 cash buried under “big W” in a nearby Santa Rosita State Park in Santa Rosita. He eventually dies by saying about the money. The people who went down to help him don’t reveal this information to the police. 

Spencer Tracy as Capt. Culpeper

But the police command lead by Captain Culpeper, who is handling the Smiler Grogan case for 15 years, commands the local units to follow this people, as he suspects Grogan would have revealed something to this people. 

These mad people (see the picture below), first thinks it as a joke, but they decide to take a shot, by seeing the greed in others. Before travelling to Santa Rosita they try to divide the money, but they can’t settle for a way to share, when money-greed kicks their head. So all decide, everyone should do what is best for themselves and starts their mission to travel to Santa Rosita in an absolute craziness.

With 28-mins gone in the above mentioned story, the film kicks-off with the perfect cinematic timing of jumping into the 2nd part of the script.

Four motors racing each other’s in the highway. Melville & Monica charter a shabby World War I plane. They arrive first in Santa Rosita, but they are accidentally locked down inside the basement of a hardware store while buying pick and shovel. 

While Melville & Monica trying to get out of the store basement. Benjy and Dingy tries to get a plane, but their pilot Tyler becomes unconscious after getting drunk in the mid-air. Now Benjy and Dingy are in the mercy of the nearby Air Traffic Controller to guide them to land.

Pike and Finch family continues to be on road. Several people get involved with them- an Englishman, Finch’ brother-in-law Marcus, motorist Otto- who dupes Pike. 

After an adventurous journey, everyone arrive at Santa Rosita Park to find the big W and the money. 

But Capt. Culpeper has other plans to take all money by himself and tries to escape to Mexico. Finally, foolishness mixed with confusion, takes up on everyone’ mind and all end up with broken bones.

Directed by Stanley Kramer, this film is considered as a big daddy of Hollywood comedy, which was a highest grossing film at the time. 

The film is famous for its slapstick comedy, one-liners, car-plane action sequences and stunt scenes. It is a Ben-Hur, Titanic of the comedy genre. A perfect escape to a mad world filled with greed. You can watch this anytime and many-time.

Trailer