August 13, 2025
Dying is Easy. "It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World” (1963)
Going Hollywood - Movies and Television from the Golden Age to TodayAbout this episode
"Dying is easy, comedy is hard." So were the alleged dying words of great English actor Edmund Kean in 1833. He couldn't have known that he was giving a perfect review of our film for today, Stanley Kramer's legendary comedic epic of money-grubbing greed, "It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World" (1963). A dying criminal's roadside confession about "$350Gs" buried under a "Big W" transforms a group of ordinary motorists into a crazed mob racing across Southern California in an epic treasure hunt where greed obliterates all sense of decency and cooperation. Stanley Kramer, known for serious dramas with social messages, assembled "a murderous row" of famous comics, including Milton Berle, Sid Caesar, Buddy Hackett, Phil Silvers, Jimmy Durante, Ethel Merman, Jonathan Winters, Sid Caesar, et al., capped off by the legendary Spencer Tracy in one of his final film performances. The film captures these mid-century comedy giants at their peak, preserving their unique talents in what has become a time capsule of American humor. Shot in breathtaking Ultra Panavision, this visual feast pioneered spectacular stunts and chase sequences that would influence action comedies for decades.. Six decades later, "It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World" remains the gold standard of ensemble comedy, proving that sometimes the journey is more rewarding than the treasure itself. Join the madness and discover why this film continues to inspire passionate devotion from comedy lovers everywhere. To listen to the wonderful Ernest Gold soundtrack go to https://youtu.be/00LN9EI6XSk?si=1QCyDBdlF1tblvnT Text us & We'll Respond on an Episode Links to Tony's website, and Brad's website at www.goinghollywoodpodcast.com Follow us on Instagram @goinghollywoodpod To watch "The True Story of the Barrymores," go to https://www.amazon.com/gp/video/detail/B0CZTHYN6D/ref=atv_dp_share_cu_r To watch Tony's WIRED video "Tech Support: Old Hollywood" go to https://youtu.be/6hxXfxhQSz0?si=TO4Xv6q87XhBnqDT Reach us at goinghollywoodpodcast@gmail.com Listen to our Going Hollywood Playlist Podcast logo by Umeworks