“The Producers” (Universal Pictures)
In 1968 Mel Brooks created a comedy film titled “The Producers.” Many considered it to be a classic. Years later he created a Broadway musical based on this film. It was also called “The Producers” and it won award after award from loving critics. Now Brooks has converted that play into a musical comedy film titled – you guessed it – “The Producers.”
Nathan Lane and Matthew Broderick created the roles of Max and Leo on Broadway and they repeat these roles in the film. They are joined by other Broadway cast members Gary Beach and Roger Bart. New additions to the film include Uma Thurman and Will Ferrell.
Max and Leo are Broadway producers with a scheme to get rich quick. They figure they can create a sure flop play and pocket the money the investors have given them. They will buy the worst script from an unknown author named Franz Liebkind (Ferrell), and will hire the worst director, Roger de Bris (Beach) to take it to Broadway. Then when the play flops they will take the money and run.
The play they select is titled “Springtime For Hitler,” and it is sure to offend audiences and close quickly. A voluptuous actress named Ulla (Thurman) comes by their office to try out for the play. They immediately hire her as a secretary while waiting for the play to come together. She later becomes a love interest for the shy Leo.
All of this is done with the Mel Brooks wacky sense of comedy and it is fun and funny. It is also fairly crude. The songs are hummable and the supporting cast is talented. Lane and Broderick are pros and could do these roles in their sleep, but they still manage to make everything look fresh and new.
Ferrell is hilarious as the secret Nazi playwright. He steals every scene he is in. Thurman is surprisingly good as Ulla. She is quite a dancer and her voice is satisfactory. Nicole Kidman was originally cast in the role and it is possible she would have been a better match with the part than Thurman.
Beach is hysterical as the oh so gay director and Bart is a laugh getter as his fey assistant. All of the cast throw themselves into their parts with abandon and play and sing it all to the max.
The movie is rated PG-13 for profanity and crude humor.
There is a lot of fun to be had with “The Producers” even though the film itself seems a little dated. Still with all these incarnations that has to be expected.
I scored “The Producers” a one more time 7 out of 10.
