MovieChat Forums > It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World (1963) Discussion > Was Meyer really that bad?

Was Meyer really that bad?

posted 10 years ago by steely3000
9 replies | jump to latest

*** SPOILER ALERT ***

OK I know he was a fast talker, a smooth operator and a con artist, but did he really commit any crime? Pike was sort of gullible and threw the bike off the road as Meyer drove off. The nervous motorist more or less allowed Meyer to "borrow" his car, did not object to Meyer's offer to drive away.

For that matter, Meyer was kind hearted enough to give the miner a lift so that he can give his wife medicine, perhaps to save her life. Not his fault he drove down a mountain and into a river. Also in a way not his fault for frauding Ray and Irwin into thinking he was a doctor, in order to get away from the assaulting Pike.

So Meyer was a creep for sure, but I don't feel he was responsible for any true illegalities

[–] Big G-2 10 years ago

Otto Meyer found the miner (Mike Mazurki) quite threatening - heck he tore off the door on the passenger side of Meyer's car (which the miner would apologize). It was fear that lead to Meyer to take the miner home, not so much a kind heart!

And even though he may claim that he "borrowed" the car, it still registers a a stolen vehicle to the police. I don't think Meyer had any intention of giving the car back to Don Knotts. Add to that speeding and negligent driving (almost hit Captain Cuplpepper's car when going up the hill to Santa Rosita State Park). Plus, eventhough I am not a lawman, any stolen money has to be given back to the police or else I would assume it could count as being an accessory to the robbery.

[–] Doghouse-6 10 years ago

Well, he did stop for the miner in the first place, before he knew the whole story about why he needed a ride. It really wouldn't have been out of character for Meyer to have simply passed him by.

Incidentally, it was Pike who tore off the door (although the miner does pull the horn ring off the steering wheel in the restored footage...and then apologizes).

Poe! You are...avenged!

[–] Big G-2 10 years ago

Oops! You are correct. It was Pike in his rage that tore off the passenger door on Meyer's car. My bad!

Meyer also stopped for Pike, but that shouldn't indicate he had a kind heart, more likely it was curiosity (and because they were practically blocking the road!).

[–] Doghouse-6 10 years ago

Yup, I'd say one thing nobody's likely to hear said about ol' Otto is that he had a kind heart. If someone said what kind, that might be a different matter.

Poe! You are...avenged!

[–] Alek_Hidell 10 years ago

The miner did threaten Meyer when he didn't want to drive him to his house. In the extended Criterion version of the movie, the miner grabbed Meyer by the collar, ripped off the horn ring from the steering wheel, and told Meyer "Don't make me get rough!!".

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Ha! Made you look!!
I'm just a patsy!

[–] stevenackerman69 10 years ago

He was a little bit of an egotist, telling people to work faster and stuff. Phil Silvers played many roles like that.

[–] steely3000 10 years ago

Yes he did. I loved him on TV especially and this movie.

[–] 10 years ago

[deleted]

[–] PillowRock 10 years ago

Meyer did con Don Knotts out of his car, that's grand theft auto. A crime, most definitely. Knotts allowed Meyer to borrow his car because Meyer fast-talked him into believing some phony baloney about him being a secret spy being pursued by double agents.

In addition to which, simply impersonating a federal officer is a crime all on its own, even without the part about using that impersonation to steal a car.