# Its a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 3, 2017, 9:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-a-mad-mad-mad-mad-world/785767 "2017-05-03T09:31:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Kimballkid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b5a626/32.png) [@Kimballkid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimballkid)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2017, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-a-mad-mad-mad-mad-world/785767/81 "2017-05-04T16:11:20Z")
> [@Prof.Pepperwinkle](#): > > Ooo, _The Cannonball Run_. Burt Reynolds, Roger Moore, Farrah Fawcett, Dom De Luise, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr., Adrienne Barbeau, Jackie Chan, Jamie Farr, Peter Fonda, Jack Elam, Bert Convy, Mel Tillis, Bianca Jagger and Jimmy “the Greek” Snyder. All it lacked was being a good movie. The sequel had Frank Sinatra, Shirley MacLaine, Marilu Henner, Telly Sevalas and Sid Caesar as well. Already mentioned in post #27. I only know because I was going to mention the same movie and was irked when it was already mentioned. ---
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2017, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-a-mad-mad-mad-mad-world/785767/82 "2017-05-04T18:21:24Z")
> [@digs](#): > > …his foot knocks over a pail, and the camera follows it down a hill. The other characters say… nothing. > > I whispered to my dad “They forgot to say ‘He kicked the bucket’!” His reply: “It’s funnier this way.” > > I pondered that for years… It’s okay. I took care of that. Palatial movie theater, 1963. We have special balcony seats because my mother was in the management chain. I am a low single-digit number of years old. (There might have been a touring star or two in the audience… not unusual even for a secondary city in those days; my mother was kissed by a roster of A-listers and battalion of B-listers over the years.) Said foot kicks said object. From the balcony comes, “HA HA HA, HE KICKED THE BUCKET HA HA HA HA!” My family claims the audience laughed harder at me than the screen. I can’t remember well enough to say. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2017, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-a-mad-mad-mad-mad-world/785767/83 "2017-05-04T18:39:44Z")
_She’s Having A Baby_ technically counts. ---
**Author:** ![Roderick\_Femm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/roderick_femm/32/14875_2.png) [@Roderick\_Femm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roderick_Femm)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2017, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-a-mad-mad-mad-mad-world/785767/84 "2017-05-04T19:07:46Z")
> [@kunilou](#): > > [The Longest Day.](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0056197/fullcredits?ref_=tt_cl_sm#cast). > > Bloated movies with big stars in cameo roles are a Hollywood tradition. I take very strong exception to the description of this movie as “bloated.” It is indeed long, but appropriately so, and full of content that is actually necessary to the story. Many of the other movies are indeed full of filler put there as opportunities for cameos, but not The Longest Day. As for IAMMMMW, I saw it as a teen when it came out, and found it mostly boring, and very disappointing considering the cast. My opinion of it has not changed in the past 50+ years. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2017, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-a-mad-mad-mad-mad-world/785767/85 "2017-05-04T19:58:36Z")
> [@Roderick\_Femm](#): > > As for IAMMMMW, I saw it as a teen when it came out, and found it mostly boring, and very disappointing considering the cast. I knew my then-wife-to-be’s college roommate adored this movie, and knew that I could get her to nod approvingly by, uh, _praising with faint damns_ with a comment about how they’d squandered the opportunity presented by this-or-that clever and witty performer, who surely could’ve done so much more in an expanded role. Unable to resist, I slowly said _“it’s a shame that they squandered the Three Stooges.”_ ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2017, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-a-mad-mad-mad-mad-world/785767/86 "2017-05-04T20:01:30Z")
> [@Amateur\_Barbarian](#): > > It’s okay. I took care of that. > > Palatial movie theater, 1963. We have special balcony seats because my mother was in the management chain. I am a low single-digit number of years old. (There might have been a touring star or two in the audience… not unusual even for a secondary city in those days; my mother was kissed by a roster of A-listers and battalion of B-listers over the years.) > > Said foot kicks said object. > > From the balcony comes, “HA HA HA, HE KICKED THE BUCKET HA HA HA HA!” > > My family claims the audience laughed harder at me than the screen. I can’t remember well enough to say. I gotta admit, at the age of eight I had yet to assimilate the phrase “He kicked the bucket.” :smack: I laughed when it happened because I thought it was a funny moment (especially when Buddy Hackett says “If he jumps up again, I’m gettin’ the hell outta here!”), but I failed to grasp the full meaning of it until I heard my dad use the expression in describing the movie to someone else. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2017, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-a-mad-mad-mad-mad-world/785767/87 "2017-05-04T20:03:05Z")
> [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](#): > > I knew my then-wife-to-be’s college roommate adored this movie, and knew that I could get her to nod approvingly by, uh, _ **praising with faint damns** _ with a comment about how they’d squandered the opportunity presented by this-or-that clever and witty performer, who surely could’ve done so much more in an expanded role. > > Unable to resist, I slowly said _“it’s a shame that they squandered the Three Stooges.”_ Surely you mean “damning with faint praise”? :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![Scumpup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce73a5/32.png) [@Scumpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scumpup)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2017, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-a-mad-mad-mad-mad-world/785767/88 "2017-05-04T20:54:39Z")
> [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](#): > > I knew my then-wife-to-be’s college roommate adored this movie, and knew that I could get her to nod approvingly by, uh, _praising with faint damns_ with a comment about how they’d squandered the opportunity presented by this-or-that clever and witty performer, who surely could’ve done so much more in an expanded role. > > Unable to resist, I slowly said _“it’s a shame that they squandered the Three Stooges.”_ Yes, you could spin it that way. Or, you could spin it that they were making a meta-gag by having the kings of slapstick standing motionless for their cameo. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2017, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-a-mad-mad-mad-mad-world/785767/89 "2017-05-04T21:01:09Z")
> [@terentii](#): > > Surely you mean “damning with faint praise”? :dubious: Nope; “damning with faint praise” would be saying something that literally counts as praise, but impliedly serves as damning criticism – saying, when asked to recommend someone for a promotion, that he’s, uh, punctual. If that’s me singing his praises, then he presumably has nothing else going for him, see. Here, I would’ve been doing the opposite: impliedly lavishing praise on the movie, by making clear that my only regret was how they didn’t give Witty Charmer #9 just a trifle more screen time. If that’s me criticizing the film, then it’s presumably beyond reproach, apart from me wanting to see more of the performer she loved. Except, of course, she had disdain for the Stooges. ---
**Author:** ![DrFidelius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drfidelius/32/3447_2.png) [@DrFidelius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrFidelius)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2017, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-a-mad-mad-mad-mad-world/785767/90 "2017-05-04T21:29:56Z")
I’m sorry, but the scenarios in my head for the Stooges should their services had been required are far, far funnier than anything which could have been committed to film. Emergency crew standing at ready! Them??? ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2017, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-a-mad-mad-mad-mad-world/785767/91 "2017-05-04T21:58:45Z")
> [@Roderick\_Femm](#): > > I take very strong exception to the description of this movie as “bloated.” It is indeed long, but appropriately so, and full of content that is actually necessary to the story. Many of the other movies are indeed full of filler put there as opportunities for cameos, but not The Longest Day. > > As for IAMMMMW, I saw it as a teen when it came out, and found it mostly boring, and very disappointing considering the cast. My opinion of it has not changed in the past 50+ years. Not to hijack with a discussion of a different movie, but even just relying on memory, I think they could’ve cut John Wayne entirely out of the movie and not lost anything. ---
**Author:** ![cmkeller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmkeller/32/118_2.png) [@cmkeller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmkeller)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2017, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-a-mad-mad-mad-mad-world/785767/92 "2017-05-04T22:15:38Z")
Dr Fidelius: > [@](#): > > 'm sorry, but the scenarios in my head for the Stooges should their services had been required are far, far funnier than anything which could have been committed to film. > > Emergency crew standing at ready! Them??? My reaction when I saw them was that they looked pathetic. I felt bad for them that someone shoehorned them into a movie to stand there doing nothing. ---
**Author:** ![Quercus\_alba](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quercus_alba/32/4061_2.png) [@Quercus\_alba](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quercus_alba)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2017, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-a-mad-mad-mad-mad-world/785767/93 "2017-05-04T22:20:48Z")
> [@Banksiaman](#): > > …Have there been any other movies deliberately designed to get such a large number of big names onto screen? _Love Actually_? ---
**Author:** ![K364](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/k364/32/5_2.png) [@K364](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/K364)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2017, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-a-mad-mad-mad-mad-world/785767/94 "2017-05-04T23:10:41Z")
**Murder On The Orient Express** Starring Albert Finney Lauren Bacall Martin Balsam Ingrid Bergman Jacqueline Bisset Jean-Pierre Cassel Sean Connery John Gielgud Wendy Hiller Anthony Perkins Vanessa Redgrave Rachel Roberts Richard Widmark Michael York In 1974, some huge names and a whole bunch of “Actor’s actors” who were highly respected for their craft. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2017, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-a-mad-mad-mad-mad-world/785767/95 "2017-05-04T23:19:55Z")
> [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](#): > > Nope; “damning with faint praise” would be saying something that literally counts as praise, but impliedly serves as damning criticism – saying, when asked to recommend someone for a promotion, that he’s, uh, punctual. If that’s me singing his praises, then he presumably has nothing else going for him, see. > > Here, I would’ve been doing the opposite: impliedly lavishing praise on the movie, by making clear that my only regret was how they didn’t give Witty Charmer #9 just a trifle more screen time. If that’s me criticizing the film, then it’s presumably beyond reproach, apart from me wanting to see more of the performer she loved. > > Except, of course, she had disdain for the Stooges. Yeah, I got it. I just didn’t want to pass up an opportunity to make you say “And don’t call me Shirley!” 😃 ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2017, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-a-mad-mad-mad-mad-world/785767/96 "2017-05-04T23:33:44Z")
You maybe wouldn’t think of it this way, but consider last year’s top-grossing movie: it’s a Captain America sequel, once again starring Chris Evans; and Robert Downey Jr, who can also carry a movie, is second-billed; and Scarlett Johansson, who can also carry a movie, is third-billed; and Don Cheadle has been known to carry a movie; and Jeremy Renner has been known to carry a movie; and Chadwick Boseman has been known to carry a movie; and Elizabeth Olsen has been known to carry a movie; and Marisa Tomei has been known to carry a movie; and William Hurt has been known to carry a movie; and Anthony Mackie has been known to carry a movie; and Emily VanCamp has been known to carry a movie; and Martin Freeman has been known to carry a movie; and Alfre Woodard has been known to carry a movie; and Paul Rudd, like Paul Bettany, has been known to carry a movie. So, what, the weak spot is the guy who earned those four straight Emmy nominations as the iconic Roger Sterling on **Mad Men** not all that long ago? Because I’m pretty sure it’s not Daniel Brühl, what with that _Oscar_ nomination of his; or Stan Lee, who pretty much just racks up cameos for a living these days. (Wait, does Sebastian Stan count as a name actor? I’d argue that Sebastian Stan counts as a name actor.) And then there’s Tom Holland, who is effectively getting a spinoff as Spider-Man on the strength of debuting his take on the role here – which doesn’t really count, but is weird in a way that other “and then he got to star in a big-budget movie” stuff _isn’t._ ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2017, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-a-mad-mad-mad-mad-world/785767/97 "2017-05-04T23:50:43Z")
For more recently “star studded ensemble casts”, I’d add: Ocean’s Eleven (and it’s two sequels I suppose). Hail, Caesar! (Clooney, Hill, Johansen, Brolin, Fiennes, Tatum, Swinton, McDormand) This is the End (Franco, Rogan, Hill, McBride, Baruchel, and a shit-ton of cameos) Tropic Thunder (Stiller, Black, Downey Jr, Baruchel, Hader, Nolte, McConaughey, a ton of cameos and Tom Cruise in his greatest role ever!) The Grand Budapest Hotel (Fiennes, Fiennes, Ronan, Brody, Dafoe, Norton, Goldblum, Keitel, Abraham, Law, Wilkinson, Schwartzman,Swinton, Wilson) ---
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2017, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-a-mad-mad-mad-mad-world/785767/98 "2017-05-05T00:44:05Z")
> [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](#): > > So, what, the weak spot is the guy who earned those four straight Emmy nominations as the iconic Roger Sterling on **Mad Men** not all that long ago? Because I’m pretty sure it’s not Daniel Brühl, what with that _Oscar_ nomination of his; or Stan Lee, who pretty much just racks up cameos for a living these days. (Wait, does Sebastian Stan count as a name actor? I’d argue that Sebastian Stan counts as a name actor.)\* Nitpick: Bruhl was nominated for a Golden Globe for _ **Rush** _ but not an Oscar. And no way on Earth is Sebastian Stan a name actor. I’d wager 95% of filmgoers know him as “the Winter Soldier guy” and not by his actual name. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2017, 1:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-a-mad-mad-mad-mad-world/785767/99 "2017-05-05T01:13:33Z")
> [@MovieMogul](#): > > Nitpick: Bruhl was nominated for a Golden Globe for _ **Rush** _ but not an Oscar. Ah, looks like you’re right. Well, can we dicker over whether to add Frank Grillo? He was top-billed in two of those PURGE movies, each pulling in a little over $100m, one before CA:CW and one after. (Well, one before and one _during,_ I guess.) > [@](#): > > And no way on Earth is Sebastian Stan a name actor. I’d wager 95% of filmgoers know him as “the Winter Soldier guy” and not by his actual name. Yeah, but that’s kind of the _point,_ right? He’s known as “the Winter Soldier guy” because of the role he played in a movie that got titled “The Winter Soldier.” ---
**Author:** ![Ukulele\_Ike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/df788c/32.png) [@Ukulele\_Ike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ukulele_Ike)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2017, 1:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-a-mad-mad-mad-mad-world/785767/100 "2017-05-05T01:21:03Z")
> [@Robot\_Arm](#): > > Not true. Both were in _Chitty Chitty Bang Bang_. DAMN YOUR EYES! I knew as I was typing that that there was probably another one. Also, MURDER BY DEATH is perhaps the only movie that reduced me to screaming laughter in a theater. Probably because I was 15 and stoned. Thank god the weirdness that was real-life Truman Capote was captured in at least one feature film. “And…lots and LOTS of makeup.” [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-a-mad-mad-mad-mad-world/785767.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-a-mad-mad-mad-mad-world/785767.md?page=6)