History Film / ItsAMadMadMadMadWorld

** Mrs. Marcus and Emmeline later set out to find the money for themselves without Finch.

They are eventually joined in their treasure hunt by an [[FunnyForeigner English officer]] (Creator/TerryThomas), a ConMan (Creator/PhilSilvers), and Russell's hair-triggered brother-in-law Sylvester (Dick Shawn). Creator/PeterFalk turns up near the end as a cabbie.

Before long, all these characters are in deep trouble. The Crumps get locked in a hardware-store basement, and set it on fire trying to escape. Benjy and Dingy have to fly a plane after its inebriated pilot (Jim Backus) passes out. The van driver demolishes a gas station after the conman tricks two attendants into attempting to tie him up. The conman drives into a river. Mrs. Marcus starts multiple fights.

When aging criminal "Smiler" Grogan (Creator/JimmyDurante) sails his car off a cliff in the Mojave Desert, he gives a FinalSpeech to the various strangers who gather around him, asking them to help him [[TreasureMap where to find $350,000 in cash]][[note]]Approximately $2.932 million in 2020 money[[/note]], which is hidden loot from an old robbery. He then kicks the bucket-- figuratively and [[VisualPun literally]]. After a spirited "negotiation" session as to the allocation of said money breaks down, the witnesses decide to race each other to Santa Rosita State Park, where the loot is "buried under a big 'W'"... each hoping to find it and keep it all for him/herself.

An epic madcap comedy, directed by Creator/StanleyKramer and starring several of the major comedians of its day (1963), with an additional host appearing in [[TheCameo cameos]]: Creator/BusterKeaton, Creator/JerryLewis, Film/TheThreeStooges, [[Radio/TheJackBennyProgram Jack Benny]], Creator/DonKnotts, Creator/StanFreberg...

* RealityEnsues: After their death-defying stunt on the fire ladder, all the men end up in traction, lucky to be alive.

* INeverToldYouMyName: This happens at the big W when Meyer says he is going to the police, and after Culpeper addresses him by using his name, Meyer stops himself mid-rant and asks, "How do you know my name?" This then happens again when Pike asks Culpeper if he knows Meyer, and Meyer uses Pike's name in his answer.

-->'''Melville Crump''': Sure, but if we find the money, we still have to report the taxes. Otherwise its like stealing from the government!... Everybody has to pay taxes. Even businessmen, who lie and cheat and steal every day, even they have to pay taxes!

* AnimatedCreditsOpening: [[http://www.artofthetitle.com/title/its-a-mad-mad-mad-mad-world/ Designed by]] Creator/SaulBass, and animated by a team including Bill Melendez (of later ''Franchise/{{Peanuts}}'' specials fame). [[FreezeFrameBonus Watch in slow-motion]] and you'll see several of the animators' names as the credits fall into place.

* ArtisticTitle: The AnimatedCreditsOpening has a cartoon globe being transmogrified into a hen's egg, a shell game, a spinning top, paper dolls, a yo-yo, etc.

* ChekhovsGun: As Melville Crump is lamenting the useless burglar alarm in the hardware store basement, Monica is sitting in front of stacked boxes of dynamite. They later use said dynamite to get out of the basement.

[[quoteright:300:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/its_a_mad_poster41.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:300:No, actually, we mean it -- it's mad.]]

** Hawthorne's TheReasonYouSuckSpeech against America comes back [[spoiler:when riding the cabs to chase Culpeper.]] Russell lampshades it by asking him, "[[SarcasmMode You want to start that again]]?".

** Hawthorne's TheReasonYouSuckSpeech against America comes back [[spoiler:when riding the cabs to chase Culpeper.]] Russell lampshades it.]]

When aging criminal "Smiler" Grogan (Jimmy Durante) sails his car off a cliff in the Mojave Desert, he gives a FinalSpeech to the various strangers who gather around him, asking them to help him [[TreasureMap where to find $350,000 in cash]][[note]]Approximately $2.932 million in 2020 money[[/note]], which is hidden loot from an old robbery. He then kicks the bucket-- figuratively and [[VisualPun literally]]. After a spirited "negotiation" session as to the allocation of said money breaks down, the witnesses decide to race each other to Santa Rosita State Park, where the loot is "buried under a big 'W'"... each hoping to find it and keep it all for him/herself.

* GettingCrapPastTheRadar: When Mrs. Marcus asks Hawthorne where she should put one of his cacti, Russell just scoffs and says [[AssShove "Oh boy..."]]
** The scene of Sylvester and the stonefaced go-go dancer is filled with this, as it's implied that they have been up all night having sex and possibly doing drugs, based on how frenetic they are. And an accidental GettingCrapPastTheRadar moment has Sylvester leaning backwards and revealing that he isn't wearing underwear and you can see little Sylvester...

* Second-honeymooning dentist Melville Crump and his wife Monica (Creator/SidCaesar and [[Creator/ErnieKovacs Edie Adams]])

* EverybodyLaughsEnding: PlayedStraight, yet effectively. Everybody is battered and broken and has had the worst day ever (especially Culpeper) but when Mrs. Marcus and injures herself, they can still muster up the humor to laugh at her.

Not to be confused with ''VideoGame/MadWorld'' by any means. You are, however, allowed to confuse it with its '00s {{Remake}} (of sorts), ''Film/RatRace''.

When aging criminal "Smiler" Grogan (Jimmy Durante) sails his car off a cliff in the Mojave Desert, he gives a FinalSpeech to the various strangers who gather around him, asking them to help him [[TreasureMap where to find $350,000 in cash]][[note]]Approximately $2.78 million in 2017 money[[/note]], which is hidden loot from an old robbery. He then kicks the bucket-- figuratively and [[VisualPun literally]]. After a spirited "negotiation" session as to the allocation of said money breaks down, the witnesses decide to race each other to Santa Rosita State Park, where the loot is "buried under a big 'W'"... each hoping to find it and keep it all for him/herself.

* CoolPlane: Tyler Fitzgerald's.

* CoolCar: Pretty much all the cars for their mid-century flash, but especially Dick Shawn's red '62 Dodge Dart 440 convertible; as he furiously drives it while blubbering for his mama, he gets it airborne over a road dip.

* CoolCar: Pretty much all the cars for their mid-century flash, but especially Dick Shawn's red '62 Dodge Coronet convertible; as he furiously drives it while blubbering for his mama, he gets it airborne over a road dip.

* CoolCar: Pretty much all the cars for their mid-century flash, but especially Dick Shawn's '62 Dodge - as he furiously drives it while blubbering for his mama, he gets it airborne over a road dip.

* NiceHat: Lennie, Benjy, Russell, Mrs. Marcus, Meyer, Col. Hawthorne, the cab drivers, and Culpeper each have one.

** Russell says that if the Crumps, plus Ding and Benjy, hire planes as he feels they intend to, they will get to the park long before the others. [[spoiler:Sure enough, even with their delays, the Crumps arrive at the park first, with Ding and Benjy right behind, while almost everyone else - Russell, Emmeline, Sylvester, Mrs Marcus, Hawthorne and Pike - gets there last in the Ray & Irwin's Garage van]].

* GreyAndGrayMorality: Everybody is out for themselves in this race for the treasure[[spoiler: -- even Culpeper]]. There are no "white" characters in the film (except possibly [[spoiler:Aloysius]]), but there are hardly any "black" ones either - as Culpeper [[LampshadeHanging properly lampshades]], they are not vile people after all. [[spoiler: Of course, this applies to himself as well.]]