60 years ago tonight, my favorite movie opened at what was then called the Pacific Cinerama Dome in Hollywood — a theater that was literally built to show this movie. Now it's just the Cinerama Dome, part of the Arclight complex and it's been closed since the Pandemic closed a lot of things. The theater has been extensively remodeled during this time and I keep hearing rumors — in one case from a very good source — that it's about to reopen and that it will immediately (or soon after) show It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World. So far, those rumors have been wrong.
As I've written here before, I saw that film there on November 23, 1963 and my life changed a little. Actually, the life of just about everyone changed the day before but mine also changed the next day…in this case, for the better. If and when I can see it again at The Dome, I intend to go for what will be my umpteenth viewing. I always enjoy it and I always notice something new I'd never noticed before.
Sixty years is a long time. The only cast member who's still with us is the lovely Barrie Chase who just turned 90 but in a way, everyone in it will live forever in the hearts of us who love this movie. I'm 71 but the next time I see this movie, I'll be 11 years old again. I'm always 11 years old when I see it except sometimes around the knees where I'm 71 or, some days, a couple of years older.