IT’S A MAD MAD MAD MAD WORLD (1963)
Directed by: Stanley Kramer
Written by: William and Tania Rose
Starring: Spencer Tracy, Milton Berle, Sid Caesar, Buddy Hackett, Mickey Rooney, Dick Shawn, Phil Silvers, Jonathan Winters, Terry Thomas, Ethel Merman, Edie Adams, Dorothy Provine
Cameos: Eddie Anderson, Jim Backus, Andy Devine, Peter Falk, Norman Fell, Paul Ford, Stan Freberg, Sterling Holloway, William Demarest, Marvin Kaplan, Arnold Stang, Buster Keaton, Don Knotts, Carl Reiner, Jerry Lewis, The Three Stooges, Jimmy Durante, Jack Benny
I’m sure most of you are scratching your heads when you see most of the people on this list. Yes, I’m 24 years old but I have a good feeling most people my age (or younger) have no idea what this movie is. I was introduced to this film when I was a kid at my Grandmother’s house and it hooked me. Throughout the years I would watch films and television shows that would have these stars so I got more acquainted with them. Even still you really don’t need to know who they are to enjoy the film in general. It is amazing though just how many stars Stanley Kramer convinced to be in this.
Three people you need to look forward to in this film:
1) Jonathan Winters. He is in absolute riot and what’s amazing is that this was his first ever production in anything. He comes across as a bumbling man but the moment you piss him off he is a freight train. The iconic scene of him destroying the gas station is filled with sight gags and violence. But the other moments (which are provided up above) make me laugh even more. The moment Phil Silvers drives away and Winters puts 2 and 2 together it is the most perfect portrayal of anger in film. Speaking of which:
2) Phil Silvers. He’s basically playing himself in this because all of his characters act so sleazy. The end scene before intermission (yes, this movie is so long it has an intermission) of him crossing the river works perfectly with the score. But my favorite of his scenes is him fooling Don Knotts. Just a great rapport between the two and they clearly bounce off each other well.
3) Dick Shawn. He is the dark horse of this picture but being the mama’s boy Sylvester brings a lot of laughs. To this date I lose it in the intermission when he screams ‘MY MAMA!’. Also, the dance he does in this with his hippie girlfriend is still hilarious no matter how many times I see it.
In general everyone does a great job in this. Milton Berle, Ethel Merman (one of the best female comedic performances in my mind), Mickey Rooney and Buddy Hackett probably gets the worst in their adventures. (Also, Mitt Romney aka Jim Backus makes an early appearance) Plus cameos galore! Jerry Lewis, The Three Stooges, Andy Devine, and so much more. Again you might not know who these people are now, which is very sad and you should change that, but it’s a hilarious movie. It’s #2 on my ‘All Time Favorite’ list but I say it’s the funniest comedy I’ve ever seen.
