Platicsco
Good story, Not enough for a whole film
Pacionsbo
Absolutely Fantastic
Maidexpl
Entertaining from beginning to end, it maintains the spirit of the franchise while establishing it's own seal with a fun cast
Benedito Dias Rodrigues
Think in something original,mad,crazy,wild,louder,this roadshow comedy goes beyond the border of insanity and greed,when l'd watched it for first time in 1986 right away realize it was the most creative comedies which l never saw until then,for advent of the DVD it's comes to alive again,in this second time l've to admit a little disappoint about that,but on second time around l saw it carefully and so some many funny situations in an original way which convince me totally,a bit dated but still peerless indeed,all star cast proved a comic roots themselves,unfortunately the dealer here in Brazil supplied us with full frame needing a best restoration!! Resume: First watch: 1986 / How many: 4 / Source: TV-DVD / Rating: 8
egasulla
This hideous thing lasts more than three hours, and allegedly exceeded production costs by a lot. I guess an unfortunate way the producers chose to cut the bleeding was to hire the script writers for a regular 90 minutes movie. Therefore, the dialogue of the second half of the movie consists mostly of inarticulated shouting and yelling. Some of the many (way too many!) actors in the cast do OK with this, such as Ethel Merman who made a career out of overacting. But people like Sid Caesar, Milton Berle or -most of all- Spencer Tracy are completely out of place here.Stanley Kramer directed a grand total of one comedy -this one. It's not difficult to see why. Speaking about his "serious" movies he said "Instead of relying on star names, we pinned our faith in stories that had something to say." Hard to believe this is the same guy who crammed a lot of stars together in this movie and had them yell "aaaghh!!!" every time a car or a plane is about to crash (basically the entire movie).
vze3vhtf
I just watched this movie in its uninterrupted entirety (intermissions and all) for the first time. Just in case I missed any actual laughs in all my previous viewings, because I always thought this movie was nothing but an overproduced, overblown, overly loud, excuse to pack together as many comedians as possible.Yet, sadly, even under the best conditions, there were still no actual laughs, because this movie is sadly still nothing but an overproduced, overblown, overly loud, excuse to pack together as many comedians as possible.However, when I saw Ethel Merman, I was reminded of another role of hers, in ' Airplane '. The difference is, unlike this movie, that part was only 30 seconds long, and also unlike this movie, that part was absolutely hysterical! And so it occurred to me that had Kramer & company had the foresight to anticipate more from the Zucker-Abrahams-Zucker playbook of understated deadpan comedy (Which they only hinted at here with the sweet & subtle cameo by the Three Stooges), then this would have been MUCH different, and MUCH funnier, movie.-Oh, What Might Have Been!But as it is, this mess deserves no more than 4/10, and even that 4 is only because of the impressive pre-CGI stunt work.Otherwise, it's pretty much just a sad waste, of all that talent, and of 3 hours...
SimonJack
With a cast of 50 people, including many big names of the movies and comedies of the era, "It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World" is one of the funniest movies of all time. It may be the very best and funniest film of those that barely have a plot. It has just enough of one to set in motion the hijinks and madcap race of numerous people to find their fortune, "tax free." All of the cast perform very well. Some stand out for their characters or particularly funny lines. Ethel Merman plays perfectly the nagging, shrill-voiced mother-in-law, Mrs. Marcus, whom no one can stand. Buddy Hackett is excellent as Benjy Benjamin, both for his character portrayal and some very funny lines. Phil Silvers is Otto Meyer, and reprises his Sgt. Bilko character to a tee; only this time he is as much disliked for his conniving as we find him funny. Terry-Thomas is the English gentleman, J. Algernon Hawthorne, who is "actually Colonel Hawthorne." He, too, has a touch of greed amidst his genteelness. Peter Falk and Eddie "Rochester" Anderson have somewhat smaller roles as cabbies, but their roles and lines are very funny. Others of the big name stars, Spencer Tracy, Milton Berle, Sid Caesar and Mickey Rooney have very good roles and some funny scenes, but otherwise straight dialog. The many smaller roles are funny or lend to the hilarity. Jerry Lewis, Jack Benny and the Three Stooges have very funny cameos. But, you'll notice I haven't yet mentioned one name that has a prominent role. Jonathan Winters as Lennie Pike steals every scene in which he appears. His character, his expressions, his temperament, and his lines at times are riotously funny. One particularly laugh out loud scene is the fight between Thomas's Hawthorne and Milton Berle's Russell Finch. I couldn't stop laughing in the long scene of Lennie Pike tearing into the two service station owners, Ray (played by Arnold Stang) and his partner after they tie him up. I can't think of another film that had such a hilarious total demolition of a set. Each encounter after that between Winters and Silvers was hilarious. Two of the funniest scenes also had the dialog to match the facial expressions and the setting. Jonathan Winters and Buddy Hackett are the laughter kings in these scenes. In the first, Hackett's Benjy says, "So now, there's only one way to figure it. And that is, every man … including the old bag (Mrs. Marcus), for herself." Mickey Rooney's Ding Bell says, "So, good luck and may the best man win." Benjy, "Right! Except you, lady. May you just drop dead." Pike, "All right. All right. We all agree on that."I'm chuckling as I write this last hilarious scene. Winters' Pike says, "If we find the money we still have to report the taxes. Otherwise it's like stealing from the government." Melville Crump (played by Sid Caesar) says, "Could you explain it to him please?" Berle's Russell Finch, "Who me? Well, don't you see, if we find the money, there may not be any taxes to pay on it … just because we did find the money." (Winters has an incredulous look of disbelief on his face). Finch continues, "What he was trying to say is …" Pike interrupts, "Everybody has to pay taxes. Even businessmen that rob and steal and cheat from people every day … even they have to pay taxes."This movie came out while I was serving in the Army in Europe, during the Cold War. I didn't see it for the first time until years later on TV. I think movie buffs today will find it as funny as it must have been when it came out. It's a very good family film for lots of laughs. Parents or grandparents can explain to the younger kids (who should enjoy some of the hijinks), that there's a message amidst the laughter. Crime and dishonesty don't pay.
