In the wild ride of movie history, two films stand out. They are “It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World” from 1963, a funny-as-hell fling from Stanley Kramer, and the darkly amusing 1981 flick “Honky Tonk Freeway” by John Schlesinger.

The first was a hit; the second a shit.

But both tell us a lot about America’s free spirit.

Both movies love the open road. The road trip, the ultimate symbol of freedom, is where all the human drama plays out. In “Mad World,” a mad dash for hidden cash is not just about the money but the journey. “Honky Tonk Freeway,” however, puts a little town named Ticlaw under the microscope, showing us a small slice of American capitalism, where an off-ramp from the freeway becomes a dream.

“Mad World” is all about how crazy people can get when there’s money involved. It pokes fun at our money-obsessed society with its colorful cast of comic stars, each showing a different side of our pursuit of wealth.

“Honky Tonk Freeway,” though, takes a different angle. It’s like a wild photo of 1980s America, full of excess. Ticlaw is a small town chasing after every tourist buck it can, even if it means selling its soul. It’s a funny but sad comment on how far we’ve taken the American Dream.

These two movies meet at the intersection of comedy and critique. They use the ridiculous to show us the real. If “Mad World” offers the mad rush after World War II to get rich, then “Honky Tonk Freeway” laughs at the neon greed of the ’80s. They’re like funny pictures of their time, showing us that the American Dream is often a wild chase after nothing.

But here’s the thing: Even while they’re poking fun, these movies still show love for the American Dream. They’re not making fun of the dream but how silly we can get about it. Both find humor in our mistakes and show that we never give up trying for something better. They’re not mean, but a therapy: laughing at ourselves helps us understand ourselves.

“It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World” and “Honky Tonk Freeway” take a good, hard, but loving look at America and our love for the open road.

By showing us the human spirit chasing after success, they reveal our shared journey’s funny and silly side. So as we keep traveling our roads, let’s remember to laugh at the side trips, respect the speed bumps, and enjoy the wild show that is this crazy, crazy, crazy, crazy world.