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It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World

Play trailer Poster for It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World G 1963 2h 55m Comedy Adventure Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
69% Tomatometer 39 Reviews 83% Popcornmeter 10,000+ Ratings
The story begins during a massive traffic jam, caused by reckless driver Smiler Grogan, who, before kicking the bucket, cryptically tells the assembled drivers that he's buried a fortune in stolen loot under the Big W. All the motorists set out to find the fortune.

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It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World

It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World

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Critics Consensus

It's long, frantic, and stuffed to the gills with comic actors and set pieces -- and that's exactly its charm.

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Critics Reviews

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Don Druker Chicago Reader 11/07/2007
Stanley Kramer strikes out again with this elephantine 1963 attempt at uproarious comedy. Go to Full Review Variety Staff Variety 11/07/2007
The comic competition is so keen that it is impossible to single out any one participant as outstanding. Go to Full Review Time Out 02/09/2006
Kramer's 'comedy to end all comedy' stretches its material to snapping point but offers happy hours of star-spotting. Go to Full Review Rachel Wagner Hallmarkies Podcast 03/23/2025
So many funny scenes. Ethel Merman steals the movie Go to Full Review Penelope Gilliatt Observer (UK) 03/06/2024
This is a grim new variant of the old knockabout form, a comedy that deliberately brutalises every convention that makes people laugh. What it be comes, not surprisingly, is a comedy hat makes people feel battered and bleak. Go to Full Review Judith Crist New York Herald Tribune 08/08/2022
It's a comic's field day. We haven't seen such a salute to the gift of lunacy for decades. Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Robert L 04/15/2024 It is one of my all time favorite movies. Definitely my favorite comedy. Great group of actors and non-stop action. I saw it for the first time with my Dad when it came out in 1963. See more Honnest Jonn 06/17/2023 The original comedy epic, containing the ultimate all-star cast of comedy legends! Non-stop laughs, historic locations all around Southern California, and some heart stopping stunts and car chases! See more David B. @midnightrun1 May 7 One of the great comedies of all time. So many memorable scenes, so many great lines from a really great cast. See more Frans B @FransB Apr 10 Brilliant! Stanley Kramer at his absolute best. Very well written and brought to screen. Amazing cinematography, way ahead of it's time. Stellar cast all excels convincingly in character. Epic adventure comedy indeed. More mishaps, misunderstandings, turn of events, silliness, car chases, unfortunate events, fortunate events, calamity, mad rush, drama, suspense and all round breakneck speed pace than you'll probably ever witness in a movie. This must be the golden standard of this genre. Very entertaining and memorable, also funny as hell See more Phil T @RT73555170 Mar 21 It's far too long and not very funny. It is very difficult to make a big budget comedy with so many stars. If you're idea of a funny scene is some guy trapped at the end of a fire engine ladder crying "Woooo" while latter swings around, then this comedy is for you. I saw the original 70mm road show engagement when I was a child and just sat through it, waiting it to end. I felt the comedy was too juvenile when I was a kid. It reminds me of Spielberg's 1941 another big budget comedy that wasn't very funny. See more Al F @CallMeAl Feb 23 This movie is an absolute classic! It has possibly the greatest cast ever assembled and it still holds up today. It may be long, but it well worth the watch. See more Read all reviews
It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World

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Cast & Crew

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Stanley Kramer

Director

Spencer Tracy

Capt. T.G. Culpeper

Edie Adams

Monica Crump

Milton Berle

J. Russell Finch

Jimmy Durante

Smiler Grogan

Jonathan Winters

Lennie Pike

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It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World

It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World (1963) It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World (1963) It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World (1963) View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis The story begins during a massive traffic jam, caused by reckless driver Smiler Grogan, who, before kicking the bucket, cryptically tells the assembled drivers that he's buried a fortune in stolen loot under the Big W. All the motorists set out to find the fortune.
Director
Stanley Kramer
Producer
Stanley Kramer
Screenwriter
Tania Rose, William Rose
Distributor
United Artists
Production Co
United Artists, Casey Productions
Rating
G
Genre
Comedy, Adventure
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Nov 7, 1963, Wide
Release Date (Streaming)
Aug 19, 2016
Runtime
2h 55m
Aspect Ratio
Cinerama (2.59:1), Scope (2.35:1)