It's a Mad Mad Mad World

1963 • 159 minutes

About this movie

After a long prison sentence Smiler Grogan is heading at high speed to a California park where he hid $350,000 from a job 15 years previously. He accidentally careers over a cliff in view of four cars whose occupants go down to help. The dying Grogan gives details of where the money is buried and when the witnesses fail to agree on sharing the cash, a crazy chase develops across the state.

Ratings and reviews

FYI, there is a long-ish intro on this copy of the movie where the screen is black and all you hear is the main song for over 2 and a half minutes. Also, this copy of the movie is in color (just saying since the picture on Google Play makes it look like it's in B&W). Anyhow, if you've never seen this movie before then here is the easiest way I can explain it. It's a 1963 comedy with a huge all-star cast (of it's time) centered around a general Rat Race like story. It's over 3 hours of zany mad cap ridiculous fun that rarely lets up when it gets going with one of the best mother-in-law performances ever put on film and sprinkled with some very surprising guest appearances. What really helps this movie feel exciting for so long is that while it's centered around one main story arch; it's surrounded by 5 secondary stories that are then divided into even more separate stories as the movie progresses and as more characters become involved. And I don't think I've ever been more excited to get through an intermission after the absolute insanity that's taking place before the movie takes a break. I would love to be able to go back in time to hear what people were saying while waiting for the second half to begin. Anhow in my opinion, this film has always been an absolute treat for me to rewatch and it's creative/thoughtful storytelling is nearly flawless except for it's ending which to me always felt a bit too excessive and sort of tacked on. But don't let my little criticism on the ending stop you from enjoying this really, really fun family film. Believe me, the journey to get to the end more than makes up for it.

This film changed my life. This is the best movie ever. The lines of this film will stay with you forever. So good that if they make a reeboot ( Which they ABSOLUTLEY should ), I would DEMAND sequels. 100/10.

Our family loves this movie! We have watched it several times and find ourselves quoting it all the time. Classic comedy at its best and a great family movie.