☰
Rotten Tomatoes
Cancel Movies Tv shows RT App News Showtimes

It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World

Play trailer Poster for It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World G 1963 2h 55m Comedy Adventure Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
69% Tomatometer 39 Reviews 83% Popcornmeter 10,000+ Ratings
The story begins during a massive traffic jam, caused by reckless driver Smiler Grogan (Jimmy Durante), who, before kicking the bucket, cryptically tells the assembled drivers that he's buried a fortune in stolen loot, under the Big W. All of the motorists set out to find the fortune.
Watch on Fandango at Home Stream Now

Where to Watch

It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World

It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World

What to Know

Critics Consensus

It's long, frantic, and stuffed to the gills with comic actors and set pieces -- and that's exactly its charm.

Read Critics Reviews

Critics Reviews

View More (39)
Don Druker Chicago Reader Stanley Kramer strikes out again with this elephantine 1963 attempt at uproarious comedy. Nov 7, 2007 Full Review Variety Staff Variety The comic competition is so keen that it is impossible to single out any one participant as outstanding. Nov 7, 2007 Full Review Time Out Kramer's 'comedy to end all comedy' stretches its material to snapping point but offers happy hours of star-spotting. Feb 9, 2006 Full Review Rachel Wagner Hallmarkies Podcast So many funny scenes. Ethel Merman steals the movie Mar 23, 2025 Full Review Penelope Gilliatt Observer (UK) This is a grim new variant of the old knockabout form, a comedy that deliberately brutalises every convention that makes people laugh. What it be comes, not surprisingly, is a comedy hat makes people feel battered and bleak. Mar 6, 2024 Full Review Judith Crist New York Herald Tribune It's a comic's field day. We haven't seen such a salute to the gift of lunacy for decades. Aug 8, 2022 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

View More (1000+)
Robert L It is one of my all time favorite movies. Definitely my favorite comedy. Great group of actors and non-stop action. I saw it for the first time with my Dad when it came out in 1963. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 04/15/24 Full Review Honnest Jonn The original comedy epic, containing the ultimate all-star cast of comedy legends! Non-stop laughs, historic locations all around Southern California, and some heart stopping stunts and car chases! Rated 5 out of 5 stars 06/17/23 Full Review Andrew W. The number one needy comedy of all time. Full stop. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 09/06/25 Full Review Alejandro E Whether or not it's a classic from the 1960s, the fact is that watching a motley crew of men and women go in pursuit of treasure for nearly three hours is a rather amusing, jocular exercise. To watch and relax. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 07/19/25 Full Review Stephen C 2 hours and 55 minutes is too long!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars 07/04/25 Full Review Clark J Possibly a bit over hyped, and definitely over analyzed by those who live by being negative, it’s a fun, chaotic movie with many laughs and zero subtlety . Worth seeing again every 10 years. The ending was a major disappointment, so enjoy the journey. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 05/03/25 Full Review Read all reviews
It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World

My Rating

Read More Read Less POST RATING WRITE A REVIEW EDIT REVIEW

Cast & Crew

View All

Stanley Kramer

Director

Spencer Tracy

Capt. T.G. Culpeper

Edie Adams

Monica Crump

Milton Berle

J. Russell Finch

Jimmy Durante

Smiler Grogan

Jonathan Winters

Lennie Pike

More Like This

View All
Inspector Clouseau 0% 21% Inspector Clouseau Watchlist Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines 78% 74% Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines Watchlist The Twelve Chairs 87% 62% The Twelve Chairs Watchlist Around the World Under the Sea 20% 24% Around the World Under the Sea Watchlist Hot Millions 67% 75% Hot Millions Watchlist Discover more movies and TV shows. View More
View All

It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World

It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World (1963) It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World (1963) It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World (1963) View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis The story begins during a massive traffic jam, caused by reckless driver Smiler Grogan (Jimmy Durante), who, before kicking the bucket, cryptically tells the assembled drivers that he's buried a fortune in stolen loot, under the Big W. All of the motorists set out to find the fortune.
Director
Stanley Kramer
Producer
Stanley Kramer
Screenwriter
Tania Rose, William Rose
Distributor
United Artists
Production Co
United Artists, Casey Productions
Rating
G
Genre
Comedy, Adventure
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Nov 7, 1963, Wide
Release Date (Streaming)
Aug 19, 2016
Runtime
2h 55m
Aspect Ratio
Cinerama (2.59:1), Scope (2.35:1)
Most Popular at Home Now