It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World
Updated: 12/11/2025, 4:56:08 PM Wikipedia source
It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World is a 1963 American Technicolor epic comedy film in Ultra Panavision 70 produced and directed by Stanley Kramer, from a screenplay by William and Tania Rose. The film, starring Spencer Tracy with an all-star cast composed largely of comedians, is about the madcap pursuit of a suitcase full of stolen cash by a colorful group of strangers. The principal cast features Edie Adams, Milton Berle, Sid Caesar, Buddy Hackett, Ethel Merman, Dorothy Provine, Mickey Rooney, Dick Shawn, Phil Silvers, Terry-Thomas, and Jonathan Winters. The film marked the first time Kramer directed a comedy, though he had produced the comedy So This Is New York in 1948. He is best known for producing and directing, in his own words, "heavy drama" about social problems. His first attempt at directing a comedy film paid off immensely as It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World became a commercial success and was nominated for six Academy Awards, winning for Best Sound Editing, and two Golden Globe Awards. It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World premiered on November 7, 1963 at the Cinerama Dome with a running time of 192 minutes. However, against Kramer's wishes, the film was cut by its distributor United Artists to reduce the film's running time to 163 minutes for its general release. In 2014, the Criterion Collection released a restored version that is closer to the original 202-minute cut envisioned by Kramer. The film featured at number 40 in the American Film Institute's list 100 Years...100 Laughs.
Infobox
Directed by
Stanley Kramer
Written by
mw- William RoseTania Rose
Produced by
Stanley Kramer
Starring
Spencer Tracy Milton Berle Sid Caesar Buddy Hackett Ethel Merman Mickey Rooney Dick Shawn Phil Silvers Terry-Thomas Jonathan Winters Edie Adams Dorothy Provine Jimmy Durante
Cinematography
Ernest Laszlo
Edited by
Frederic KnudtsonRobert C. JonesGene Fowler Jr.
Music by
Ernest Gold
Color process
Technicolor
Productioncompany
Casey Productions
Distributed by
United Artists
Release date
November 7, 1963 (1963-11-07)
Running time
192 minutes (Cinerama Dome premiere)159-163 minutes (general release)186 minutes (1991 Laserdisc extended version)197 minutes (2014 Criterion Collection restored version)202 minutes (original cut envisioned by Stanley Kramer)
Country
United States
Language
English
Budget
$9.4 million
Box office
$60 million
Tables
· Release and reception › Awards and honors
Academy Awards
Academy Awards
Award
Academy Awards
Category
Best Cinematography – Color
Nominee(s)
Ernest Laszlo
Result
Nominated
Best Film Editing
Best Film Editing
Award
Best Film Editing
Category
Frederic Knudtson, Robert C. Jones, and Gene Fowler Jr.
Nominee(s)
Nominated
Best Music Score – Substantially Original
Best Music Score – Substantially Original
Award
Best Music Score – Substantially Original
Category
Ernest Gold
Nominee(s)
Nominated
Best Song
Best Song
Award
Best Song
Category
"It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World" Music by Ernest Gold; Lyrics by Mack David
Nominee(s)
Nominated
Best Sound
Best Sound
Award
Best Sound
Category
Gordon E. Sawyer
Nominee(s)
Nominated
Best Sound Effects
Best Sound Effects
Award
Best Sound Effects
Category
Walter Elliott
Nominee(s)
Won
American Cinema Editors Awards
American Cinema Editors Awards
Award
American Cinema Editors Awards
Category
Best Edited Feature Film
Nominee(s)
Frederic Knudtson, Robert C. Jones, and Gene Fowler Jr.
Result
Nominated
Edgar Allan Poe Awards
Edgar Allan Poe Awards
Award
Edgar Allan Poe Awards
Category
Best Motion Picture Screenplay
Nominee(s)
William Rose and Tania Rose
Result
Nominated
Golden Globe Awards
Golden Globe Awards
Award
Golden Globe Awards
Category
Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy
Nominee(s)
Nominated
Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy
Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy
Award
Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy
Category
Jonathan Winters
Nominee(s)
Nominated
Laurel Awards
Laurel Awards
Award
Laurel Awards
Category
Top Roadshow
Nominee(s)
Won
Top Song
Top Song
Award
Top Song
Category
"It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World" Music by Ernest Gold; Lyrics by Mack David
Nominee(s)
Won
New York Film Critics Circle Awards
New York Film Critics Circle Awards
Award
New York Film Critics Circle Awards
Category
Best Film
Nominee(s)
Nominated
| Award | Category | Nominee(s) | Result | Ref. |
| Academy Awards | Best Cinematography – Color | Ernest Laszlo | Nominated | |
| Best Film Editing | Frederic Knudtson, Robert C. Jones, and Gene Fowler Jr. | Nominated | ||
| Best Music Score – Substantially Original | Ernest Gold | Nominated | ||
| Best Song | "It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World" Music by Ernest Gold; Lyrics by Mack David | Nominated | ||
| Best Sound | Gordon E. Sawyer | Nominated | ||
| Best Sound Effects | Walter Elliott | Won | ||
| American Cinema Editors Awards | Best Edited Feature Film | Frederic Knudtson, Robert C. Jones, and Gene Fowler Jr. | Nominated | |
| Edgar Allan Poe Awards | Best Motion Picture Screenplay | William Rose and Tania Rose | Nominated | |
| Golden Globe Awards | Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy | Nominated | ||
| Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy | Jonathan Winters | Nominated | ||
| Laurel Awards | Top Roadshow | Won | ||
| Top Song | "It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World" Music by Ernest Gold; Lyrics by Mack David | Won | ||
| New York Film Critics Circle Awards | Best Film | Nominated | ||
References
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