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

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

Adventure · Comedy · Crime · 1963

A group of strangers come across a man dying after a car crash who proceeds to tell them about the $350,000 he buried in California. What follows is the madcap adventures of those strangers as each attempts to claim the prize for himself.

Movie details

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

“The biggest entertainment ever to rock the screen with laughter!”

1963 Adventure · Comedy · Crime 3h 12m

Critical arithmetic

One number, for now.

TMDB

7.0 / 10

Community rating

A group of strangers come across a man dying after a car crash who proceeds to tell them about the $350,000 he buried in California. What follows is the madcap adventures of those strangers as each attempts to claim the prize for himself.

CriticWise case file

What this film says about your taste.

Not a recommendation score. A measure of how closely the film’s taste signals resemble yours.

The archetype split

Who fights over It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World?

The split comes from the same five-axis model used by the test, not audience ratings or review sentiment.

Taste neighbourhood

Nearby on the taste map.

TMDB supplies the candidates. CriticWise reorders them by craft, strangeness, prestige, emotion, and pace.

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Names above the title

The people responsible.

Directed by

Stanley Kramer

Written by

William Rose · Tania Rose

Spencer Tracy

Spencer Tracy

C. G. Culpepper

Milton Berle

Milton Berle

J. Russell Finch

Sid Caesar

Sid Caesar

Melville Crump

Buddy Hackett

Buddy Hackett

Benjy Benjamin

Ethel Merman

Ethel Merman

Mrs. Marcus

Mickey Rooney

Mickey Rooney

Ding 'Dingy' Bell

Dick Shawn

Dick Shawn

Sylvester Marcus

Court is in session

Put It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World on trial.

Two incompatible taste archetypes. One film. Read the arguments, then issue a completely binding cultural ruling.

The defence The Adrenaline Seeker

“Momentum is a formal choice.”

The velocity sharpens instinct and tension, making every beat land before self-importance can settle in.

The prosecution The Auteur Devotee

“Speed as an alibi.”

The film races past its weak spots and hopes acceleration will keep the audience from inspecting the evidence.