When IT'S A MAD WORLD opened in December, 1963, it was a completely different comedy universe than it is today and this must be taken into account when seeing this film. The movie-going public couldn't wait to see all of the era's comedians (as well as some of comedy's stars of yesteryear) under the umbrella of one epic production. Under the direction of Stanley Kramer, MAD WORLD was not only marketed as the greatest comedy ever put on film, it was a mini-marathon requiring an intermission in the middle as Sid Caesar and Edie Adams are about to blow themselves out of the basement of a hardware store.
There is no question that much of the humor in MAD WORLD is dated. Physical comedy in 1963 was still pretty much dependent upon the sort of vaudeville slapstick that ruled in the 1940's and 1950's. The careers of the giants--Milton Berle, Phil Silvers, Sid Caesar, and Mickey Rooney--were built upon this trademark humor when a pie in the face or a caravan wild goose chase could still command belly laughs. For that is exactly what MAD WORLD is---a wild goose chase in the grand Keystone Kops tradition--except that in MAD WORLD the mayhem winds through southern California environs.
Watching MAD WORLD recently, I found the service station destruction scene still hilarious and possibly the movie's highlight. Jonathan Winters, who always stood apart from the rest of the comedy world as something very special, unleashes a grand mal as he goes after Phil Silvers for duping him. Arnold Stang and Marvin Kaplan are a riot as the wimp station attendants who try to stop him. The resulting mayhem is the complete annihilation of the building piece by piece. I think the entire segment still holds up.
Would you believe Ethel Merman as Milton Berle's mother-in-law? Merman succeeds in being the movie's stereo-typical shrew and number one annoyance. Except for Merman, though, the women in the movie are pretty much props to hold up their men. Edie Adams, Dorothy Provine, Madeline Rhue, and even luscious Barry Chase, Dick Shawn's bikini-clad girlfriend, are little more than sexy figurines. Other than Merman's character and a very funny moment in which Carol Burnette crosses herself as Ben Blue takes off in a crop duster, the females are not really central to the film's comedy. This is undoubtedly due to the secondary role women played in the comedy world in 1963. Lucille Ball, the 1950's and 1960's comedy queen, ruled the empire and other performing women comedians were scarce. Mary Tyler Moore was just launching in the DICK VAN DYKE SHOW in 1963 and other females were too new and usually relegated to stand up: Phyllis Diller, Totie Fields, Joan Rivers, and Ann Mira.
Spencer Tracy was a great choice as the police captain dreaming of the Mexican border and harboring plans to take the money himself and throw everyone, including his nagging wife and superiors, overboard. There is one very funny, subtle moment, just before the "Big W" is discovered, when Phil Silvers bumps into Tracy amongst the mayhem at the park. Both legends come face to face and stare at one another oddly for a prolonged moment of silence.
As for the effect of so many stars appearing at various points throughout the movie just for the sake of a cameo: the device may fall a bit flat at times, but it's part of the movie's fun. Jerry Lewis, Jack Benny, Ben Blue, Carol Burnett, Carl Reiner, and even Buster Keaton and the Three Stooges appear in MAD WORLD for a just a few moments. Usually, the effect is often an annoying contrivance, but audiences in 1963 simply viewed it as an on-going surprise package and part of the charm of getting so much talent into one production.
The movie's climax--all the stars hanging on for life on an out-of-control fire engine ladder--may not be as back-slapping funny as it was in 1963, but it is still wonderfully entertaining. And the very last scene in the hospital room when Ethel Merman gets her comeuppance is a tip of the cap to the oldest comedy gag in movie history.
MAD WORLD is recommended today if for no other reason than to witness an era's great comedians all coming together like never before and seeing them as they looked in their prime...
Trivia: How well I remember my excitement attending the premiere of IT'S A MAD WORLD in San Francisco the week of December, 1963. The opening chase scene in which the police are speeding after Jimmy Durante who plunges off a cliff in a '58 Ford seemed spectacular and exciting...You almost wanted to applaud as all of the great comedians appeared one by one including Jonathan Winters, my personal favorite...There should have been a film all it's own titled THE FILMING OF IT'S A MAD, MAD, MAD, MAD WORLD. I have heard that the off-camera antics of all these great talents could fill a book....Who among the lead characters is still living? Unofficially, as of this writing, Jonathan Winters, Mickey Rooney, Sid Caesar, Dorothy Provine, and Edie Adams come immediately to mind....In minor roles, Jerry Lewis, Barrie Chase, Carl Reiner, Peter Falk, Carol Burnett, Don Knotts, Madeline Rhue...I'm sure there are others...
Dennis Caracciolo
There is no question that much of the humor in MAD WORLD is dated. Physical comedy in 1963 was still pretty much dependent upon the sort of vaudeville slapstick that ruled in the 1940's and 1950's. The careers of the giants--Milton Berle, Phil Silvers, Sid Caesar, and Mickey Rooney--were built upon this trademark humor when a pie in the face or a caravan wild goose chase could still command belly laughs. For that is exactly what MAD WORLD is---a wild goose chase in the grand Keystone Kops tradition--except that in MAD WORLD the mayhem winds through southern California environs.
Watching MAD WORLD recently, I found the service station destruction scene still hilarious and possibly the movie's highlight. Jonathan Winters, who always stood apart from the rest of the comedy world as something very special, unleashes a grand mal as he goes after Phil Silvers for duping him. Arnold Stang and Marvin Kaplan are a riot as the wimp station attendants who try to stop him. The resulting mayhem is the complete annihilation of the building piece by piece. I think the entire segment still holds up.
Would you believe Ethel Merman as Milton Berle's mother-in-law? Merman succeeds in being the movie's stereo-typical shrew and number one annoyance. Except for Merman, though, the women in the movie are pretty much props to hold up their men. Edie Adams, Dorothy Provine, Madeline Rhue, and even luscious Barry Chase, Dick Shawn's bikini-clad girlfriend, are little more than sexy figurines. Other than Merman's character and a very funny moment in which Carol Burnette crosses herself as Ben Blue takes off in a crop duster, the females are not really central to the film's comedy. This is undoubtedly due to the secondary role women played in the comedy world in 1963. Lucille Ball, the 1950's and 1960's comedy queen, ruled the empire and other performing women comedians were scarce. Mary Tyler Moore was just launching in the DICK VAN DYKE SHOW in 1963 and other females were too new and usually relegated to stand up: Phyllis Diller, Totie Fields, Joan Rivers, and Ann Mira.
Spencer Tracy was a great choice as the police captain dreaming of the Mexican border and harboring plans to take the money himself and throw everyone, including his nagging wife and superiors, overboard. There is one very funny, subtle moment, just before the "Big W" is discovered, when Phil Silvers bumps into Tracy amongst the mayhem at the park. Both legends come face to face and stare at one another oddly for a prolonged moment of silence.
As for the effect of so many stars appearing at various points throughout the movie just for the sake of a cameo: the device may fall a bit flat at times, but it's part of the movie's fun. Jerry Lewis, Jack Benny, Ben Blue, Carol Burnett, Carl Reiner, and even Buster Keaton and the Three Stooges appear in MAD WORLD for a just a few moments. Usually, the effect is often an annoying contrivance, but audiences in 1963 simply viewed it as an on-going surprise package and part of the charm of getting so much talent into one production.
The movie's climax--all the stars hanging on for life on an out-of-control fire engine ladder--may not be as back-slapping funny as it was in 1963, but it is still wonderfully entertaining. And the very last scene in the hospital room when Ethel Merman gets her comeuppance is a tip of the cap to the oldest comedy gag in movie history.
MAD WORLD is recommended today if for no other reason than to witness an era's great comedians all coming together like never before and seeing them as they looked in their prime...
Trivia: How well I remember my excitement attending the premiere of IT'S A MAD WORLD in San Francisco the week of December, 1963. The opening chase scene in which the police are speeding after Jimmy Durante who plunges off a cliff in a '58 Ford seemed spectacular and exciting...You almost wanted to applaud as all of the great comedians appeared one by one including Jonathan Winters, my personal favorite...There should have been a film all it's own titled THE FILMING OF IT'S A MAD, MAD, MAD, MAD WORLD. I have heard that the off-camera antics of all these great talents could fill a book....Who among the lead characters is still living? Unofficially, as of this writing, Jonathan Winters, Mickey Rooney, Sid Caesar, Dorothy Provine, and Edie Adams come immediately to mind....In minor roles, Jerry Lewis, Barrie Chase, Carl Reiner, Peter Falk, Carol Burnett, Don Knotts, Madeline Rhue...I'm sure there are others...
Dennis Caracciolo
