Overview
A chaotic race for buried treasure unfolds amidst a traffic jam of epic proportions.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Breakneck
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- Mild
- frantic
- irreverent
- colorful
- classic comedy night
- group movie night
What critics said
Critics broadly admire the film's spectacular stunts, colorful all-star ensemble, and frantic comic energy while finding its extreme length and repetitive pratfalls excessive.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
The motorists' pursuit repeatedly expands into wrecked cars, damaged aircraft, a destroyed service station, and collapsing structures.
Culpepper, Finch, Crump, Benjamin, Mrs. Marcus, Dingy Bell, and other motorists independently race toward the buried fortune.
Smiler Grogan's revelation about stolen money buried under the Big W triggers the entire treasure hunt.
The film's widescreen presentation emphasizes large automobile chases, stunts, crashes, and sprawling California locations.
Films like It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World, and why
The Great Race
large-scale ensemble screwball comedy driven by escalating greed, frantic pursuit, and destructive slapstick
Around the World in 80 Days
classic treasure hunt adventure with an expansive ensemble, comic rivalry, and exuberant physical gags
Rat Race
high-energy caper comedy centered on competing opportunists, elaborate chases, and escalating chaos
Movie Details
- Director
- Stanley Kramer
- Release Date
- 1963-11-07
- Runtime
- 192 min
- Rating
- 7.0 / 10 (720)
Cast
- Spencer Tracy
- Milton Berle
- Sid Caesar
- Buddy Hackett
- Ethel Merman
- Mickey Rooney
- Dick Shawn
- Phil Silvers
- Terry-Thomas
- Jonathan Winters
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- fuboTV, MGM+ Amazon Channel, Philo, MGM Plus Roku Premium Channel, MGM Plus
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, Plex
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World about?
- A chaotic caravan of motorists abandons cooperation to chase a buried fortune, turning greed into an extravagant cross-country slapstick demolition derby.
- What is It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World as breakneck, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World violent?
- Only mildly. Ember rates the violence in It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World as mild.
- What did critics think of It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World?
- Critics broadly admire the film's spectacular stunts, colorful all-star ensemble, and frantic comic energy while finding its extreme length and repetitive pratfalls excessive.
- Which films are like It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World?
- Films with a similar feel include The Great Race, Around the World in 80 Days, and Rat Race.
- How long is It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World?
- It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World runs 192 minutes.
- Where can I watch It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World?
- In United States, It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World streams on fuboTV, MGM+ Amazon Channel, Philo, MGM Plus Roku Premium Channel, MGM Plus.
