It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World (1963)
If ever this mad world needed "It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World"... it's NOW!
This movie is a riot! If you enjoy laughing until your sides hurt, then buckle up for 163 minutes of pure comedic pandemonium. It's a madcap extravaganza stuffed to the brim with comedians who were the bee's knees back in the day. My dad absolutely adored this film—he had a talent for bursting into laughter at the most absurd scenes. Every time I watch it, I can't help but reminisce about those belly-laughing sessions with him.
It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World is a 1963 comedy film directed by Stanley Kramer, from a screenplay by William and Tania Rose. The film, starring Spencer Tracy with an all-star cast featured a remarkable group of comedic actors spanning various generations of film history. The movie is about the madcap pursuit of a suitcase full of stolen cash by a colorful group of strangers. The principal cast features Edie Adams, Milton Berle, Sid Caesar, Buddy Hackett, Ethel Merman, Dorothy Provine, Mickey Rooney, Dick Shawn, Phil Silvers, Terry-Thomas, and Jonathan Winters. You’ll recognize many comedians in supporting roles and cameos throughout the film.
Stanley Kramer, usually the maestro of "heavy drama," decided to dive headfirst into the world of slapstick comedy, and boy, did it pay off! It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World hit the jackpot, bagging critical acclaim, a mountain of laughs, and a couple of shiny awards to boot. Nominated for six Academy Awards and winning Best Sound Editing, plus a pair of Golden Globe nods, this flick is the perfect cure for a gloomy day.
So, on with the show... or should I say, "hold onto your hats, because you're in for a wild, wacky ride!"
After his jailbreak, Smiler Grogan (Jimmy Durante) crashes his car on California State Route 74. As he's about to kick the bucket, he spills the beans to a bunch of curious drivers about $350,000 stashed under "a big W" in Santa Rosita State Park—nope, not a fast-food joint! This group of drivers can't agree on how to split the cash, so they zoom off to the park like they're in a wacky Daytona 500 race, bumper cars style!
The zany drivers after the money include Melville Crump (Sid Caesar), a dentist on a second honeymoon with his wife Monica (Edie Adams), who charters a rickety biplane to Santa Rosita. They manage to arrive first, only to get themselves locked in a hardware store basement—a great place to be stuck if you ever need a last-minute hammer. After several laughably futile attempts to break out, they finally decide to blow up the wall with dynamite. Their dramatic escape leaves them covered in soot and, hiring the first cab they find, they race to the park looking like cartoon characters who've just had an intimate encounter with an explosion.
Ding Bell (Mickey Rooney) and Benjy Benjamin (Buddy Hackett), two pals on their way to Vegas, decide to charter a tiny airplane. Their pilot, who must have been practicing for the "Worst Pilot Ever" award, manages to knock himself out cold. Ding and Benjy, who know nothing about flying, somehow miraculously land the plane. They stumble out, looking like they've just survived a roller coaster designed by a toddler, and immediately hire a cab to race them to the park. Little do they know, the cab driver thinks "Santa Rosita" is the latest dance craze and takes the scenic route.
J. Russell Finch (Milton Berle), a businessman traveling with his wife Emmeline (Dorothy Provine) and her mother Mrs. Marcus (Ethel Merman), crashes into the furniture truck of Lennie Pike (Jonathan Winters), another witness of Grogan’s crash. Finch, channeling his inner used car salesman, persuades British Army Lieutenant Colonel J. Algernon Hawthorne (Terry Thomas) to drive them to Santa Rosita. Mrs. Marcus and Emmeline exit the car after a spat that could rival a soap opera cliffhanger, opting to hitch their own ride. Hawthorne, proving that British driving skills don’t always translate well to American roads, crashes the car while barreling through a tunnel, leading to a comedic fistfight that would make even the Three Stooges proud.
Pike, in his quest for the treasure, stops motorist Otto Meyer (Phil Silvers) for a ride. Meyer, realizing there's a fortune to be had, decides to ditch Pike faster than a hot potato, convincing two service station attendants to keep him occupied. Pike, being the determined fellow he is, goes full Hulk-mode, wrecks the station, and commandeers a tow truck. He then picks up the indomitable Mrs. Marcus and her daughter Emmeline. Mrs. Marcus calls her far-out groovy son, Sylvester (Dick Shawn), who lives nearby, but in a classic case of misunderstanding, he thinks he's joining the treasure hunt and rushes off to meet her. The group eventually reassembles with Russell and Hawthorne, continuing their madcap journey to the park, looking like a chaotic, dysfunctional family reunion on wheels.
Meyer stops to help a stranded miner get back to his very rural cabin. Trying to get back to the highway, Meyer takes a less-than-brilliant detour through a raging river. Naturally, his car is swept away faster than he can say "Oops!" Desperate and drenched, with all the grace of a floundering duck, he decides to "borrow" another motorist's car. If anyone asks, it's just an extended test drive, right?
Meanwhile, Santa Rosita Police Captain T. G. Culpeper (Spencer Tracy), hoping to tie up the Grogan case before his impending retirement, secretly has the motorists shadowed throughout their various adventures. Fueled by hilarious misunderstandings and bumbling antics, Culpeper's surveillance efforts resemble a slapstick comedy routine more than a serious police operation. After a furious argument with his wife and daughter about his minuscule pension that could barely buy a banana peel, Culpeper has a mental breakdown and decides that if he can't retire peacefully, he might as well join the mad dash for the cash!
The whole crazy crew, now a circus of oddballs, finally stumbles upon Santa Rosita at nearly the same time, and the hunt for the "big W" turns into a chaotic game of hide and seek. Surprise! The big W is just four palm trees playing Twister. Culpeper, channeling his inner Sherlock Holmes, arrives just in time to see the madness unfold. As the group digs like a bunch of over-caffeinated squirrels, they unearth a suitcase brimming with cash. Culpeper whips out his badge and and informs them that they are wanted by the police. He hints that they should surrender and hope for a slap on the wrist.
The motorists quickly figure out that Culpeper isn't planning a police escort but rather a solo escape with the dough. Cue the chase scene! They pursue him into a run-down building and onto a wobbly fire escape that looks like it’s held together with duct tape and wishful thinking. Naturally, the fire escape starts to give way, the briefcase bursts open, sending cash fluttering down on the huge crowd of spectators.
In the prison hospital, the inmates lament their lost money and blame their injuries on Culpeper. He reveals that although his boss managed to restore his pension, making his corrupt actions unnecessary, his family relationships are ruined, and he faces the judge's toughest sentence which may mean he'll never find happiness again. Mrs. Marcus, accompanied by Emmeline and Monica, enters and begins scolding the men. Suddenly, she slips on a banana peel and falls. Everyone bursts into laughter, and after a brief hesitation, even Culpeper joins in!
This wacky flick is a laugh riot from start to finish, perfect for a movie night with friends. Trust me, nothing beats a room full of uproarious laughter!
Enjoy!
…Jill
The Main Cast:
Spencer Tracy as Captain T. G. Culpeper
Milton Berle as J. Russell Finch
Sid Caesar as Melville Crump
Buddy Hackett as "Benjy" Benjamin
Ethel Merman as Mrs. Marcus
Mickey Rooney as Ding Bell
Dick Shawn as Sylvester Marcus
Phil Silvers as Otto Meyer
Terry-Thomas as Lt. Col. J. Algernon Hawthorne
Jonathan Winters as Lennie Pike
Edie Adams as Monica Crump
Dorothy Provine as Emeline Marcus-Finch
Supporting Cast:
Eddie "Rochester" Anderson as a cab drive
Jim Backus as airplane owner Tyler Fitzgerald
Ben Blue as the vintage biplane pilot
Joe E. Brown as the union official giving a speech at a construction site
Alan Carney as a sergeant with the Santa Rosita Police Department
Lloyd Corrigan as the mayor of Santa Rosita
William Demarest as Aloysius, Chief of the Santa Rosita Police Department
Andy Devine as the sheriff of Crockett County, California
Selma Diamond as Ginger Culpeper (voice)
Jimmy Durante as Smiler Grogan
Peter Falk as a cab driver
Norman Fell as primary detective at the "Smiler" Grogan accident site
Paul Ford as Col. Wilberforce
Stan Freberg as a deputy sheriff of Crockett County
Leo Gorcey as the cab driver bringing Melville and Monica to the hardware store
Sterling Holloway as the Santa Rosita Fire Department fireman
Edward Everett Horton as Mr. Dinkler, owner of the hardware store
Marvin Kaplan as service station co-owner Irwin
Buster Keaton as Jimmy the Crook
Don Knotts as the nervous motorist
Mike Mazurki as the miner bringing medicine to his wife
Charles McGraw as Lt. Mathews of the Santa Rosita Police Department
ZaSu Pitts as Gertie, the Santa Rosita Police Department Central Division's switchboard operator
Carl Reiner as the Rancho Conejo airport tower controller
Eddie Ryder as a Rancho Conejo air traffic controller
Arnold Stang as service station co-owner Ray
The Three Stooges (Moe Howard, Larry Fine, and Curly Joe DeRita) as Rancho Conejo Airport firemen
Sammee Tong as a laundryman
Jesse White as a Rancho Conejo air traffic controller
Here are a few photos of some of the well-known comedians in supporting roles of this film:
Notes of Interest:
Saul Bass created the animated opening credits for Kramer’s comedy. This sequence is notable for its creative use of graphics and motion to set the tone for the film. Spencer Tracy, an acclaimed actor with numerous awards, is mentioned first in the film. He is followed by nine main cast members listed alphabetically, with positions repeatedly changing throughout the credits. The animation features various whimsical elements such as a wind-up toy globe and a man trampled by a crowd as he opens a door to the world, symbolizing the chaotic nature of the story. Bill Melendez, who later became well-known as an animator for the Peanuts series, assisted with this visually engaging sequence.
The film premiered at Los Angeles's newly constructed Cinerama Dome on November 7, 1963.
The Forks Part…
To complement this wacky film from 1963, what better than a quirky 1960’s recipe? This gem comes from Mrs. Francis, who was in my mother's neighborhood bridge club. It's a retro delight that serves 6, but you can easily double it for more guests or leftovers! Get ready for a groovy movie night with Wieneroni, the dish that's as fun to eat as it is to say!
Here's a fun tidbit: Thinking about recipes with hot dogs made me remember Kahn’s Hot Dogs. Growing up in southern Ohio, I fondly remember the delightful ad campaign from Kahn's Hot Dogs. Each package included a sports card, and their catchy slogan was “the wiener the world awaited!” It’s perfect for setting the mood for a zany movie night!
Wieneroni Casserole
What You Need:
1/2 pound bacon, diced
1/2 cup chopped onion
4 tsps Worcestershire sauce
1 cup dark corn syrup
3/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp paprika
1/3 cup lemon juice
2 cups water
1-1/2 cups chili sauce
1 pkg wieners (also called hot dogs or frankfurters) or you could also use bratwursts if desired
1 Tbsp cornstarch
2 Tbsp water
What To Do:
Combine bacon and onion in skillet, fry until bacon is crisp and onion is soft.
Drain off excess fat.
Stir in the Worcestershire sauce, corn syrup, salt, paprika, lemon juice, water and chili sauce.
Bring to boil.
Reduce the heat; cover and simmer 10 minutes.
Add frankfurters, simmer until franks are hot, about 8 minutes.
Blend corn starch with 2 tablespoons water, stir into sauce; stir and boil 1 minute.
Serve on macaroni and cheese or penne pasta (made according to pkg directions).
A truly wonderfully wacky film, and perfectly suitable with a heaping dish of Weineroni!
This is so silly and so sixties. And what a cast! It would never happen today.