Film
It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World
1964
UK Quad / Single Sided / (30″ x 40″) Printed in England. Stafford & Co. Ltd. Netherfield, Nottingham & London
UK / British
Very Fine; originally folded (as issued)
Stanley Kramer
Ethel Merman, Jimmy Durante, Jonathan Winters, Milton Berle, Phil Silvers, Sid Caesar, Spencer Tracy, Terry-Thomas
This original 1964 UK quad film poster for “It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World” is a spectacular display of slapstick comedic artwork by the great Jack Davis. Davis, beautifully details the key characters from the film and its design perfectly suits the British landscape format. If you are a Jack Davis fan, this is simply one of the best pieces of his madcap artwork you will see. Directed with panache by Stanley Kramer it has attained a cult status and is rightly regarded as a classic of the genre with any paper from the first 1964 release highly prized. From 1964 this fine Style A. UK quad film poster displays and presents very well with minimal handling wear and is offered in original folded (as issued) unrestored condition. A scarce item of extremely desirable movie memorabilia for a much loved and collected comedy masterpiece.
…more detailVintage Movie Posters Grading Criteria... read more +
“After a long prison sentence Smiler Grogan is heading at high speed to a California park where he hid $350,000 from a job 15 years previously. He accidentally careens over a cliff in view of four cars whose occupants go down to help. The dying Grogan gives details of where the money is buried and when the witnesses fail to agree on sharing the cash, a crazy chase develops across the state.”
Stanley Kramer’s “It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World“ is the best comical depiction of the essence of capitalism and its utter irrationality. What a cast!! Winters, Rooney, Berle, Hackett you have assembled the greatest comedians of that generation. The infighting, where they try applying reason to the problem is also drop dead funny. You cannot use reason with greed; good luck, it is a form of insanity that is Stanley Kramer‘s whole point. They are insane. The feeble attempt to try and reach a quiet, rational accommodation is worth me writing pages about reason and greed; if you just watch the movie you will see the folly while you are laughing.
Yes, the Spencer Tracy story is an unfunny disaster. Hey, go make a sandwich and come back it is a three hour movie. Watch Phil Silvers and his instant Karma for being so cruel to Jonathan Winters; the little brat from hell sees to that. It has so many funny scenes; my favorite, after the gas station, is when Ethel Merman tells her crackpot hippie son that some English guy attacked her. When he runs Terry-Thomas and Milton Berle off the road, he says, ‘‘hey man, are you English ?” Thomas says, ”Why, yes don’t you like the English ?” he throws him off the hill. It has so many great moments. Yes, it is long but within that length are scenes that are some of the funniest ever put to film. Also, there is a depth within the humor; if people ever took a step back and looked upon the insanity of acquisition and possession, this is what Kramer is trying to accomplish.
Spencer Tracy’s family problems are not funny and slow the pacing way, way down. I love that the studio is pushing a longer blu ray version, save yourself some money, the extra footage has not even been processed properly; it has color fading in and out, snow and you will see why it was removed: it sucks. Look, I agree with earlier critics it could use some serious editing. If Kramer had lived, I think he would have cut a lot off the film. The Tracy scenes need to go, Sid Caesar and his wife are a big bore in that hardware basement. Yes, it is too long but it still has some of the funniest scenes in any movie. The ruthless infighting is very funny with skilled comedians working really well together. A one of a kind funny movie.
Trade Address:
Vintage Movie Posters (UK) Limited
The Malthouse
The Broadway
Old Amersham
HP7 0HL
© 2024 Vintage Movie Posters
Registered Office Address: Vintage Movie Posters (UK) Limited, Aston House, Cornwall Avenue, London N3 1LF GB
Registered Company No: 07664517
Mint
A poster that has never been used or displayed and may show the most minor signs of age and wear. The poster should have no holes or tears.
Near Mint
A generally unused poster with fresh, saturated colors. May have minimal tears at folds. Has no significant holes, no paper loss, may have minor tears along edges, may have fine pin holes.
Very Fine
A poster with bright colour and crisp overall appearance. It may have very general signs of use including slight fold separation and fold wear. It may have pin holes or very minor tears. This is the highest grade allowed for a poster that has been restored either on linen or on paper.
Fine
A poster with good colors and overall clean appearance. It may have minor tears small paper loss and minor stains. It may have some fold seperation.
Good
An average poster with overall fresh color. May have tears, minor paper loss, minor hazing. Paper may be brittle due to age, may have minor stains. May have a small amount of writing in an unobtrusive place. May have medium or major restoration.
Fair
A poster with faded colors and brittle paper, showing significant signs of use. May have tears and paper loss. May have tape, writing, stains in image area. In need of restoration or had major restoration.
Poor
A poster that is worn, torn, and/or damaged. May have staining, cracking, dry rot, and/or large tears. May be heavily soiled, may have pieces missing. In need of major restoration.
All photographs and images used on our site are photographs of the actual poster/item you are buying, we do not use stock photographs.
LOBBY CARD
11 x 14″ printed on heavy stock paper. Used as display in theatre lobbies. Originally made in sets of eight. Some sets have a title card, which contains credits and artwork, essentially a mini-poster. The remaining seven cards are coloured photographic credits and poster artwork showing different scenes from the movie.
WINDOW CARD
14 x 22″ printed on heavy stock paper with the top 4-6 inches usually left blank for the local cinema owner to fill in the cinema and the date it was due to play. Largely discontinued during the 1970’s.
HALF SHEET
22 x 28″ printed on heavy stock paper. The image displayed is normally a smaller version of the main poster, although some do have different artworks and sometimes come in two versions.
INSERT
14 x 36″ printed on heavy stock paper. Inserts usually have the same artwork as a one sheet. Popular with collectors since they are smaller and easier to frame. Normally come tri folded or rolled.
STYLE Y/FORTY BY SIXTY
40 x 60″ printed on heavy stock paper. Rare since they were primarily used for major motion pictures only. Designed to be used outside the theatre, on an easel, normally at a drive-in movie theatre.
ONE-SHEET
27 x 41″ printed on paper. This is the most common size of poster, intended to be displayed in a glass “marquee” case. It is the most sought after size by collectors. Since the 1980’s most posters are sent to the theatre rolled and maybe slightly smaller measuring 27″ by 40″ and with the advent of backlit light boxes a growing number of modern movie posters are available double-sided and the more traditional single-sided.
THREE-SHEET
41 x 81″ printed on paper. These were printed on two or three separate sheets designed to overlap, few survive. Used for larger advertising spaces, normally posted on walls, perfect for huge movie theatres the drive-in, where people could see them from a distance. From the 1970’s on, three-sheets were sometimes printed in one piece and issued as “international” versions to be used abroad.
BRITISH QUAD
30 x 40″ Most common poster size used in the UK. British Quads are horizontal and may have different artwork to the US one sheet. Like a US one sheet they normally come in two versions. Like a US one sheet they are usually supplied single-sided or more commonly now as a double sided poster.
BRITISH ONE-SHEET
27 X 40″, printed on paper. Very rarely used size.
ITALIAN LOCANDINA
13 x 28″ six inches shorter than the US insert, very nice size to frame. Italian poster illustrators are some of the best in the industry.
ITALIAN PHOTOBUSTA
18 x 26″ Glossy, high quality, used as lobby cards in Italy. Size may vary, either vertical or horizontal format. There are also double Photobusta or mini Photobusta.
2-FOGLIO (DUE)
(DUE): 39 x 55″ This is the standard poster size used in Italy. Italian poster illustrators are some of the best in the industry.
4-FOGLIO
(QUATTRO) 55 x 79″ Very large Italian poster printed in two pieces, often contains very beautiful artwork.
FRENCH
47 x 63″ (GRANDE) or 24 x 33″ (PETITE) French movie posters normally come with different artwork to either the US or the UK. Like the Italian’s some of the artwork is extrememly beautiful.
