Summary:
A dying thief reveals where he hid a stolen fortune to a group of passing travelers only to set off a chain of crazy events as everyone races towards the riches.
My Thoughts:
Even as a younger child, I remember watching this film and finding it hilarious. There are of course references I didn’t get, as I was too young to fully comprehend some of them- even now, though I’ve tried to familiarize myself with actors and actresses of ages past, I’m sure I’ve missed some of the cameos and references simply because there is just so much crammed into this film. It is one of the first true epic comedies that I ever made, and even today, when anyone talks about epic comedies, there are only a few that come to mind (this and “Wolf of Wall Street” are the ones I first think of). The film starts with a bang (or rather a crash) and then continues to grow; piling on more and more and more and more and more until you can’t help but cave to its charms. While there are certainly some scenes that are a bit too long, some jokes that don’t land quite as well as others, and some characters that are a bit annoying, the film itself is so overwhelmingly over the top that it’s hard not to truly appreciate this work for what it is: a mess of insanity that delights and entertains still fifty-five years after the release.
“He just went sailing right out there!”
After elderly thief Smiler Grogan (Jimmy Durante, “The Man who Came to Dinner”) crashes on the side of the road, a slew of motorists pull over to try to help. When they find Smiler, he’s so banged up that it’s obvious he wont make it through, and he tells the crowd that stopped about a suitcase of money buried in Santa Rosita, sparking a mad race that spans states and involves more comedians and mayhem than imaginable. Among those who first witness the death of Smiler are newlyweds Melville (Sid Caesar, “Grease”) and Monica Crump (Edie Adams, “The Apartment”), Russell (Milton Berle, “The Muppet Movie”) and Emeline Finch (Dorothy Provine, “The Great Race”) accompanied by Emeline’s loudmouthed mother Mrs. Marcus (Ethel Merman, “Airplane”), buddies Benjy Benjamin (Buddy Hackett, “The Little Mermaid”) and Ding Bell (Mickey Rooney, “Breakfast at Tiffany’s”), newlyweds and truck driver Lennie Pike (Jonathan Winters, “The Flintstones”) (more join in on the madness later, but these are the original eight). Monitoring their progress is Captain Culpepper (Spencer Tracy, “Judgement at Nuremberg”), a police officer hung up on the George Smiler case and desperate to solve it before he retires.
Really, this film is all about the excessiveness of it all. There are far too many characters, far too any storylines, and far too many jokes, but that’s where all the fun comes from. I can totally understand how people who aren’t a fan of slapstick would absolutely hate this film, but for those who like movies in the same vein as “Airplane”, this movie is probably right up your alley. I will admit that there are scenes that are slower than others, and some characters who are not as funny as others- but that totally makes sense- this is a three hour and fifteen minute movie. How many epics do you know without a few slow bits? What I think I like most about the movie is that it is suitable for all ages, and everyone who watches this will probably get something different from it. When I was a child, my favorite parts were Lennie Pike angrily destroying the gas station and Benjy and Ding piloting the plane after they knock their pilot unconscious. I still love those bits now; if anything, I love them even more for being able to appreciate the craziness of some of the stunts.
But while the slapstick, wordplay and just general humor is what brings me back to this film again and again, I also find myself appreciating the writing of this film for the way it approaches the topic of greed. While humor is obviously the major motivator behind this movie, it does say a lot about man’s desire for money and what ridiculous lengths we as a species are willing to do for scraps of paper. This movie is undeniably funny and still, even fifty-five years after its release, incredibly poignant when it comes to its observations.
Verdict:
I would honestly recommend this film to almost everyone. As I’ve mentioned a few times now, some of the jokes are a little drawn out, but for the most part the humor really holds up. Beyond that, the humor is broad enough that it really has something for everyone, whether you like slapstick, wordplay, clever gags or just sheer stupidity, this film has everything. I loved this film as a kid, and I love it just as much now. Truly a timeless classic.
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