MovieChat Forums > It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World (1963) Discussion > Wilberforce's Balcony Fall

Wilberforce's Balcony Fall

posted 10 years ago by richard.fuller1
6 replies | jump to latest

Has this scene ever been cut out?

I'm watching the movie right now on This and the scene was included. For some reason, the scene has never registered as to when it occurred in the movie, but I see now it happened just before they landed.

I remember the scene from when I was little in the '70s, perhaps it was one of the first things about this movie to hook me when I saw commercials was the airplane.

In 1980, I recorded the entire movie onto audio cassettes to listen to it, since we didn't have a VCR (and wow, talk about nostalgia), but I think that scene with Wilberforce was included but I'm not sure.

I got a 'restored' version on tape, then dvd, but when I catch tv airings of the movie, it rolls just like those audio cassettes, with no 'restored' scenes, so at best, the balcony scene wasn't lost and if it was edited, it was done for commercial time, but it seems to me it was cut out, but I also may not have been paying attention to when it took place.

[–] JEFJR 10 years ago

Somewhat off-topic, but still in the control tower:

I thought it was hilarious when the actor later known as "The Maytag Repairman" says from off-camera: "Why don't we just shoot them down and save everyone a lot of trouble?"

[–] richard.fuller1 10 years ago

That was the brilliant Jesse White who said that line.

Aside from 'Wilberforce' that's Carl Reiner and Jesse White in the tower, another brilliant pairing up in the movie. The last fellow seemed to be the 'straight' man and had little to say.

[–] powersroc 10 years ago

We never do see just how far the Major fell. Did he stop above ground or did he hit the ground? He could have been in that hospital ward with all the other "merrymakers."

[–] bengt_malma 10 years ago

Every time I see this movie (which I love) I'm amazed at the dangerous stunt with the colonel falling out of the tower; not the fall in itself, but the wing of the plane passes less than ten feet from him. It must be terribly difficult for the pilot to steer as close to the stunt-man as possible without cutting him in two, all the while assessing the exact width of the wing. Amazing stuff.

[–] bengt_malma 10 years ago

I must correct myself after just watching the documentary in the bonus material. It was no stuntman but actually Carl Reiner who was nearly cut in two by the airplane wing. I have paused the film, and it is certainly only about 8 feet away. He tells of how he immediately yelled for new underwear. :)

[–] Doghouse-6 10 years ago

I've seen Reiner relate that anecdote, but it just doesn't add up in relation to anything appearing in the film. That's neither he nor Paul Ford standing outside the tower, but Paul Ford's stunt double, and he's the only one out there (unless Reiner's claim is that he was doubling for Ford, but I don't believe that's the case).

It sounds like it could be one of those stories that starts out in one form and, embellished for effect during years of re-tellings, ends up as something quite different, or perhaps just faulty memory. Now, to be generous and perfectly fair to Mr. Reiner, it's possible that's a completely accurate story about a shot that was made but wasn't included in the film. But it doesn't describe the one that is, as Reiner is nowhere to be seen in it.

Poe! You are...avenged!