Quartile rating: 7.5/10 · 1 rating
A group of strangers come across a man dying after a car crash who proceeds to tell them about the $350,000 he buried in California. What follows is the madcap adventures of those strangers as each attempts to claim the prize for himself.
It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World is a one-of-a-kind spectacle — an enormous, sprawling slapstick epic that assembles virtually every major comedy star of its era in a single chaotic treasure hunt. Its Novelty is genuinely high: the sheer scale, ambition, and singular comedic energy make it unmistakable and unrepeatable. The plot is intentionally thin by design — a pure McGuffin chase — functional but not sophisticated. The ensemble acting is broad and energetic rather than nuanced, fitting the farcical register but not remarkable individually. Cinematography in Ultra Panavision 70 is impressive for its era and scope, capturing the massive set pieces well, though it's workmanlike rather than artistic. The ending delivers a satisfying dark comic irony with the broken-leg hospital scene, but it's somewhat abrupt given the film's enormous runtime buildup.