Saturday 10 April 2010

It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World

I had a vague recollection of a film that I watched some years ago called It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World made in 1963 see here to refresh the memory -imdb.com and if you have never watched it then please try to then you will know what I am talking about plus it's a bit of a laugh anyway.

The film itself has loads of old film actors doing cameos in it etc, and centers around the chase for some treasure buried under a big "W" by all the aforementioned cameo actors, Now two of these characters played by Phil Silvers better know as Seargent Bilko playing a character called Otto Meyer (a similar persona to Bilko in the film). 

And the second character in the particular scene I am thinking about is played by Jonathan Winters called Lennie Pike a van driver I seem to recall.
Now please forgive me for any innacuracies as I am doing all of this from memory, but there is a scene in
It's A mad mad mad mad world where in the ensuing chase for the treasure under the big "W" the removal van driver Lennie Pike ends up riding a Girls bicycle down the highway in an effort to get to the next town & hire a car.

Then along comes Otto Meyer in a car and Lennie Pike flags him down & being a large removal man on a girls bike in the middle of the desert highway Otto Meyer Pulls over to see what is going on.

SPOILER ALERT Do not continue reading unless you want part of the film revealed to you.

Now bear with me here I know the link I am making is a tenous one & this is difficult to empart in words but bear with me.
The Removal man Pike leaves the Girls bike in the middle of the road blocking the way (but not so much you could not have driven over it or around it) and goes to the side of the car just stopped by driver Otto Meyer (Bilko).
Now there is an exchange of words & Lennie Pike asks for a lift to the next town but makes the mistake of telling Otto the whole story of the treasure under the big "W" and how he intends to beat the others to it.

Now not knowing Otto meyer is a dodgy character is the mistake Lennie makes as he is a bit naive and a bit too trusting & after imparting all of this interesting information to Otto about the treasure he then makes his second mistake.

You see Otto Meyer says something like (to Lennie) "sure I'll give you a lift but before you hop in the car would you mind moving that bicycle out of the way some one may trip over it in the dark or something"......
Lennie of course obliges & when he goes to pick up the girls bycicle Otto burns rubber & drives off shouting "Sucker"! etc...

And off drives Otto Meyer thinking he's going to get to the treasure under the big "W" first.
Leaving the sad figure of Lennie Pike stood with a girls bycicle in the middle of the desert highway no better off than when he had started - worse  if anything as he's stopped cycling to the next town and lost time.

Now I don't do it justice with my description here & those of you who have watched the film I hope have had thier memories refreshed & those who haven't, you will (probably) laugh your arse off when you watch it anyway.

Now on to my main if tenuous link that the Otto Meyer character is just like our M.P.s,  you cannot and should not trust them with any information whatsoever.
 You dont actually know who these people are, and you shouldn't be dumb enough or naive to expect any favours from them when they hold all the cards (i.e our money and Information).
            
But unfortunately what happens is most of us end up like that Lennie Pike character - Blinded by the pot of treasure promised to us (but never materialising) by the M.P's. 
And by treasure you can replace that with whatever crap you ar hoping the Government will provide you be it jobs, better choice of schools better whatever you have in mind.
Because the truth is it's not coming no matter what promises are made to you.
I guess what I'm trying to say is we all need to wise up a bit more & stop being so trusting like Lennie Pike.

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