Review of It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World (1963) by Jacob M — 21 Feb 2014

Stanley Kramer's madcap comedy epic It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World hit theater screens on November 7, 1963, becoming both financially successful and critically acclaimed. Filled with more high profile comedians than you can shake a fire engine ladder at, it seemed almost destined to be a success, despite the fact that no one had made anything like it before and that it could have easily been a tremendously large scale failure.

The film's story, which is about a mad trip across California by a number of strangers trying to find a buried satchel of money, was the basis for the zaniness, and it featured all types of comedy all rolled into one film.

Heading up the cast is the only non-comedic character in the film played by Spencer Tracy, but the lead and supporting casts reads like a who's who of comedy superstars from the era. Milton Berle, Jonathan Winters, Buddy Hackett, Ethel Merman, Sid Caesar, Mickey Rooney, Phil Silvers, Dick Shawn, Peter Falk, Carl Reiner, Normal Fell, Don Knotts, Stan Freberg, Jerry Lewis, and many, many more, all in either main roles, supporting roles or appearing as simply cameos (Jack Benny being the best example).

Besides the comedic all-stars, the film is also notable for its extensive and surprising use of special effects. Matte paintings were used to a large degree, as well as an abundant use of clever sound design.

Shot in and around California, the film was also very well photographed by Ernest Laszlo, and featured a score by Ernest Gold. And the film's opening title sequence being created by the late, great Saul Bass was just the icing on the cake.

Its story and its zaniness have been copied in other similar films with large groups of comedic actors, but none are as funny, as memorable or as just flat-out entertaining as It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World.