The Greatest Movie Ever Made
Peter Robinson's recent disappointment in showing Young Frankenstein to his sons made me apprehensive when It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World came up in a conversation with my kids. I quoted a few lines ("it's a big W, I tells ya--a big W!"), remembered a few scenes . . . and started giggling uncontrollably.
I instantly started to worry. Would my children, so far removed from the movie's context, find it dated? Heck, if I watched it again, would I find it dated?
Well, I can report with deep satisfaction that, unlike the execrable work of Mel Brooks, IAMMMMW is a work of even greater genius than I remembered.
The premise: five men and their companions witness a car go over a cliff. Before he dies, the driver reveals his secret: $350K of cash buried in a state park in Santa Rosita, California, under a "big W". A mad chase for the money ensues.
It's hard to imagine a more perfectly crafted film. The premise gives the plot an effortless, accelerating momentum. The dialog wonderfully expresses all the neuroses and grasping neediness lurking within the middle American mind. The characters are realized by a cast of literally dozens of the top comedians of the time: Milton Burle, Buddy Hacket, Ethel Merman, Jonathan Winters, Phil Silvers--that's only a partial list. And the frosting on the cake is a series of insane stunts with cars are airplanes.
Of many superb performances, I must single out that of Terry-Thomas, who plays J. Algernon Hawthorne, a stereotypical Englishman. The stereotype is, of course, cruelly unfair--which is what makes it so funny:
My already sky-high opinion of this movie only increased by re-watching it. Best of all, during the movie, when I asked him if it was living up to the hype, my 13 year old son responded with a simple "oh, yeah!"
Oh, yeah, indeed.
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Jun '10
Re: The Greatest Movie Ever Made
Jonathan Winters destroying the gas station may be the funniest scene in movie history:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lZ9N7oCKC1E
One of the greatest movies ever.
Edited on April 20, 2012 at 5:31pmApr '11
Re: The Greatest Movie Ever Made
My sister and I immediately dissolve into giggles if someone uses the phrase "kicks the bucket."
I also love the bit about how the car "just went sailing right out there!"
Hmmm...time to update the Netflix queue...
Aug '10
Re: The Greatest Movie Ever Made
I agree that Mel Brooks' stuff is arguably overrated. I find his earlier stuff very slow, but I've usually wondered if that's simply my modern ADHD movie-goer's prejudice talking.
When it comes to nominations for "Greatest Comedy Ever Made", for my money you can't beat Airplane!
Jun '10
Re: The Greatest Movie Ever Made
Fredösphere
Of many superb performances, I must single out that of Terry-Thomas, who plays J. Algernon Hawthorne, a stereotypical Englishman. The stereotype is, of course, cruelly unfair--which is what makes it so funny:
Don't you just love how Thomas positively hisses the words "bosom" and "brassiere"? Hilarious.
Mar '11
Re: The Greatest Movie Ever Made
The other film that I have to wonder at is "A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum"
The fact that I can't get my wife to laugh at it with me might be telling...However I still rank this one as comedy genius :-)
Jul '11
Re: The Greatest Movie Ever Made
I showed this movie to the kids when they were 4,10,12,17 and one was but a glint in the milkman's eye. The 3 older ones still talk about. One of my favorites. "I'm comin Momma!" Dick Shawn as Sylvester.
Mar '11
Re: The Greatest Movie Ever Made
Misthiocracy:
When it comes to nominations for "Greatest Comedy Ever Made", for my money you can't beat Airplane! · 33 minutes ago
Agreed. I've watched Airplane! countless times. I knew it was a parody of an earlier film, but it wasn't until I caught Zero Hour on TCM a few months ago that I recognized what a masterful parody it was.
Aug '10
Re: The Greatest Movie Ever Made
Basil Fawlty
Misthiocracy:
When it comes to nominations for "Greatest Comedy Ever Made", for my money you can't beat Airplane!
Agreed. I've watched Airplane!countless times. I knew it was a parody of an earlier film, but it wasn't until I caught Zero Houron TCM a few months ago that I recognized what a masterful parody it was.
Ha! I happened to have TCM playing in the background when they showed Zero Hour!
The Zuckers did the same thing with Police Squad, which was a nearly shot-for-shot parody of M Squad.
Edited on April 20, 2012 at 6:58pmMar '11
Re: The Greatest Movie Ever Made
While handing out kudos to the cast of Mad, let's not forget Spencer Tracy's wonderfully cynical turn as Capt. C. G. Culpepper.
Sep '10
Re: The Greatest Movie Ever Made
It was the first movie I remember watching, probably because I could not stop laughing—slinging all the people into bushes and trees was an amazing special effect for my day.
Jul '10
Re: The Greatest Movie Ever Made
Jim Backus as the drunk pilot always kills me. It has something for just about everyone with all styles of comedy. And the cameos!
Jul '10
Re: The Greatest Movie Ever Made
The whole movie is hysterically preposterous. There aren't too many movies I'll bother watching more than once (most I don't bother to watch at all), but IAMMMMW is great every time. Thanks for the link to the clip with Terry Thomas and Milton Berle. Classic!
Dec '10
Re: The Greatest Movie Ever Made
Afraid Animal House will always top my list. And Diane, Emily & Peter can squawk all they want that the movie was about Dartmouth, but it was filmed on the UofO campus, so it belongs to us.
May '10
Re: The Greatest Movie Ever Made
Thanks for all the great comments so far. As various people remember their personal favorite scenes, I find myself agreeing with each in turn--yes, that moment really was best. It proves Whiskey Sam's point: IAMMMMW contains multitudes.
It even has moments of pathos. I love the gut-wrenching scene near the end when Dorothy Provine as Emeline Marcus-Finch enjoys two minutes of hoping she can make off with the money, until her hopes are dashed. She shows us the loneliness at the heart of all escapist fantasies.
I also noticed that my ten year old daughter, who did not appear to enjoy the movie quite as comprehensively as my son, nevertheless laughed her head off any time any character suffered brutal physical abuse. Disturbing (very disturbing), but it proves the point: the movie really does have something for everyone.
Jan '12
Re: The Greatest Movie Ever Made
What a great movie! This post reminds me that it's been years since I've watched it. I think it's time again. My dad introduced my sister and I to this movie when we were kids, and it was always one of our favorites.
May '10
Re: The Greatest Movie Ever Made
What could happen with an old-fashioned?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2f1UPl8ANe4
Feb '11
Re: The Greatest Movie Ever Made
While I agree, Mad World is funny, I strongly disagree that Mel Brook's movies are execrable. Young Frankenstein and Blazing Saddles are simply hilarious. Maybe Peter Robinson's kids needed to learn some Yiddish.
Jun '10
Re: The Greatest Movie Ever Made
Yes, I have to agree that this is one of the funniest movies. I remember first seeing it so very well. Really, I was 12 years old and having a movie made like this was a real bonanza of incredibly funny gags and skits and one liners.
It had everything.
This started my great love and admiration for Jonathan Winters. He influenced many, many comics.
Apr '12
Re: The Greatest Movie Ever Made
I agree with Hang On above. Mel Brooks (up to and including Young Frankenstein at any rate) was a writer of genius. There is nothing funnier than "The Producers" (1968 version), surely?
But back to IAMMMMW, I saw this on its first release at the age of 12, and I remember falling out of my seat into the aisle, I was helpless with laughter. Best lines? "Do you hear bells, baby?"; "That's my son-in-law, Sylvester. He's, he's not normal"; "Try me, I'm pretty gullible"; "What could be safer than a Manhattan?". Wonderful.
Jun '10
Re: The Greatest Movie Ever Made
Rush-is-Right: I agree with Hang On above. Mel Brooks (up to and including Young Frankenstein at any rate) was a writer of genius. There is nothing funnier than "The Producers" (1968 version), surely?
But back to IAMMMMW, I saw this on its first release at the age of 12, and I remember falling out of my seat into the aisle, I was helpless with laughter. Best lines? "Do you hear bells, baby?"; "That's my son-in-law, Sylvester. He's, he's not normal"; "Try me, I'm pretty gullible"; "What could be safer than a Manhattan?". Wonderful. · 30 minutes ago
I'm feeling the warm, positive glow of nostalgia.
Isn't there a scene with Jonathan Winters riding a bike?
And let's not forget the guy whose wreck (and later "kicking the bucket") started it all, Jimmy Durante.
Edited on April 20, 2012 at 10:23pm