STARS : SPENCER TRACY, MILTON BERLE, SID CAESER, BUDDY HACKETT, ETHEL MERMAN, MICKEY ROONEY & heaps more

I have fond memories of this film as it’s probably my father’s favourite film and he’s watched it so many times that he knows it back the front. And it was with great anticipation that I was able to watch it in widescreen for the first time.

It’s A Mad Mad Mad Mad World was made way back in 1963 this is probably one of the funniest comedies you will be lucky enough to see. The plot is pretty simple really in that a GROUP of people driving down a road witness an old crook named Grogan (Durante) go “sailing right out there” and off the road in a spectacular crash.

Upon rushing down to his aid Grogan tells the GROUP a wild tale about $350,000 of stolen money he has buried under a “Big W” in Rosita Beach State Park which they can have if they get to it before the cops do.

Keeping a close eye on things is police chief Culpeper (Tracey) who has been chasing Grogan for over 20 years and wants to get the money back so that he is able to retire and take his wife on a long overdue holiday.

What follows is an exciting chase as the 7 car loads of people all decide that they are deserving of the money. Double crossing, sabotage and out and out thievery being the norm rather than the exception in ORDER to get to the money first. On top of this the cops are watching every move they make and are determined to return the money to it’s rightful owner.

Rooney, Berle, and Merman are the standout characters in this film and with Merman in particular playing the part of the mother-in-law from hell with relish.

THE EXTRAS

Sadly all we get in Region 4 is the theatrical trailer which is a pity as the Region 1 counterpart has an hour long documentary that includes deleted scenes and outtakes.

CONCLUSION

It’s A Mad Mad Mad Mad World is well deserving of its reputation as one of the funniest comedies ever made.