Plot: What’s it about?
As a slew of cars head down a winding mountain road, one speeds through the rest, only to sail right over the edge of a cliff. About five cars come to a halt afterwards and the drivers get out, to see if the driver has somehow managed to survive. The driver (Jimmy Durante) is still kicking, but it is obvious that he’s near the end and as such, he decides to share a valuable secret with the men who came to check on him. He tells them about a buried treasure worth over three-hundred grand, just waiting for them to uncover and claim it. The cash is found beneath a massive W and of course, he tells them they won’t be able to miss the site. He soon kicks the bucket and this leaves the men alone, wondering about the treasure and also, what the other men think about the old man’s last words. After they try to divide the treasure like gentlemen and that fails, it turns into a race against time and each other, as the men try to stake their claim on the loot. But unknown to them, other people also know about the cash and as such, the race turns into a widespread one, but once the dust has settled, who will end up with the buried treasure?
A wild, hilarious chase picture, It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World has finally arrived on Blu-ray and in a welcome notion, MGM has created a terrific package here. In any event, this is a very cool movie and while the abundance of cameos gets tiresome, the flick still levels off at a high plateau, so I am very pleased to be able to own this edition. The premise is a little out there, but the details unfold very well and the jokes remain ever present, especially as we careen toward the finale. A lot of the gags seem on the dated side now, but most still work very well and in the end, only a handful elicit a negative groan. The performances are terrific, with such folks as Milton Berle, Spencer Tracy, Mickey Rooney, Sid Caesar, Jonathan Winters, Ethel Merman, Buddy Hackett, and others in prominent roles, as well as countless cameos by famous faces. In closing, this is a very humorous movie that plays out on a grand scale, which is no simple task. I wouldn’t call this a class film per se, but it is a wonderful comedy and as such, it is more than recommended.
Due to the massive cast involved in this movie, I figured I shouldn’t focus one performer, but instead list some of the more well known actors. As such, here’s a partial list of the numerous comedic legends who can be seen in It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World. The cast here includes Spencer Tracy (Adam’s Rib, Bad Day at Black Rock), Sid Caesar (Grease, Tv’s Your Show of Shows), Mickey Rooney (The Black Stallion, Quicksand), Ethel Merman (Strike Me Pink, Old Man Blues), Jonathan Winters (The Fish That Saved Pittsburgh, The Shadow), Buddy Hackett (The Music Man, The Love Bug), Phil Silvers (The Cheap Detective, The Strongest Man on Earth), Milton Berle (The Muppet Movie, Broadway Danny Rose), Edie Adams (The Apartment, Up in Smoke), Dorothy Provine (The Great Race, Never a Dull Moment), Peter Falk (The Princess Bride, Tv’s Columbo), Don Knotts (The Ghost and Mr. Chicken, The Shakiest Gun in the West), Jimmy Durante (The Milkman, It Happened in Brooklyn), Jerry Lewis (The Nutty Professor, Cinderfella), The 3 Stooges, Buster Keaton (The General, Sherlock, Jr.), and countless others.
Video: How does it look?
This is a relatively low key release for a movie like this and it’s previously only been available at Wal-Mart. That said, the 2.55:1 AVC HD transfer looks, for the most part, pretty good. Yes, the movie is nearing fifty years old and though the main title sequence appears to be from the 35mm prints, the movie itself seems to be taken from the 65mm prints. This results in a bit more detail and an improved picture over the previously available DVD. Colors are nice though contrast is a bit on the high side. Still, it’s the best available version out there and many won’t hesitate to add it to their collections.
Audio: How does it sound?
The movie doesn’t feature any sort of great soundtrack and it’s not really supposed to. The audio serves its purpose here and nothing more. There seems to be a bit of a problem with the sync, but it kind of comes and goes. If you’re expecting something that will knock your socks off, you should probably try another film but again, taking the age of the movie into account, I’ve heard far worse.
Supplements: What are the extras?
If you own the standard DVD of this film then you’ll be familiar with the supplements here. The same “Something a Little Less Serious” documentary is found here as are the extended scenes, though we only get the theatrical cut of the film. The original trailer and the Re-issue trailer are also included.
