The Producers

A little more music and embellishing of several plot points that were passed over in the original film are what distinguishes this musical version of The Producers. It's a musical version about a film that had a plot about two men who try to create the biggest flop in the history of Broadway and a musical.

Taking the places of Zero Mostel and Gene Wilder as the producing partners Bialystock&Bloom are Nathan Lane and Matthew Broderick. Both these guys are given an impossible task of repeating two classically congruent performances that Mostel and Wilder created. Even the additional bits of business just can't make me forget the original.

Will Ferrall did not come over from Broadway to do the role of the hermit like Nazi living in Greenwich Village and caring for his carrier pigeons. He had to do double duty because he also took the place of beatnik method actor Dick Shawn from the original. I'm not sure that combining the roles was the best thing, I'm also not sure Ferrall did real justice to either try as he might on both. Kenneth Mars was the reclusive Nazi author of Springtime For Hitler. in the original. Both he and Shawn were almost as memorable as Mostel and Wilder.

I do love the Mel Brooks humor, but I think he laid it on a bit thick with the gay stereotyping of Gary Beach and Roger Bart. It came this close to the good side of being offensive, but not quite.

There's a lot to like in this version of The Producers, but I think Mel should not have touched his masterpiece.

What a fantastic surprise. I've seen Luke-warm reviews about this film, largely saying that the theatrical basis (the Broadway show) is oh-so-evident. Well, in my opinion, this is one of the film's strengths. It's a well-intentioned performance and is close enough to the original Producers, and so unlike it, that the musical remake is justified.

I love musicals, especially musical comedy. This film is a sop to the musical comedy, with good performances from the leads, and Uma Thurman and Will Ferrell, who all appear to be enjoying themselves.

The central (staged) number "Springtime for Hitler" is brilliantly choreographed, with suitably outrageous costumes. Gary Beach as a brilliantly camp Hitler completes this excellent scene. And the bratwurst!! The editing in this sequence - camera panning to the gob-smacked audience is brilliant. This is a film that salutes and spoofs musicals. It's an absolute delight

Not having been able to afford to pay the exorbitant prices being asked by the producers of "The Producers", now running for a few years at the St. James theater on Broadway, we waited for the release of the film based on the musical that is based on the original 1968 film written and directed by Mel Brooks. In fact, we paid about one tenth of what it would have cost seeing it in the theater and we thought we were in for a treat, especially, if that genius Mel Brooks, was involved in the screen play. Wrong! The film, while not a total failure, could have used a different treatment as it plays flat at times.

In theory, "The Producers" was the right candidate for making the transfer to the screen since it involved the same director, Susan Stroman, and the two principals, Nathan Lane and Matthew Broderick, who were paid a cool million each to come back to the show, last winter, when sales were lagging because the substitute actors weren't pulling in the crowds the original stars did. The film looks as though it's a poor imitation of what might have been in the theater.

The music is the first thing that is wrong with the film. The musical score by Mr. Brooks leaves a lot to be desired. In fact, the whole film could be considered a vulgar attempt at the musical genre. But alas, that's another problem with the New York Broadway theater that prefers to revive third rate musicals with people that have no talent for the stage and only serve to attract the tourist crowds that jam the large theaters with its theme park musicals.

Another problem are the two principals. Perhaps when the show opened on Broadway both Nathan Lane and Matthew Broderick might have given the show a different flavor with their interpretation of Max Bialistock and Leo Bloom. The director doesn't seem to use them for the new medium effectively. In fact, both Mr. Lane and Mr. Broderick, left to their own instincts can be awful, as proved by their recent appearance on Broadway in "The Odd Couple", a show which we caught a preview recently. This pair of charismatic actors are seen in the film doing their own shtick.

Uma Thurman is fine as the long limbed Swedish secretary in a fun role that seems to be the only thing right in the movie. Gary Beach's flamboyant gay director is fun to watch.

"The Producers", in this reincarnation doesn't show anything new as a movie.

I am a huge fan of the original movie and had the pleasure of seeing the wonderful Broadway show in 2003, so I was more than expecting to love this remake. Unfortunately it didn't live-up to my expectations on a number of fronts.

Most fundamentally, it seemed more of a cinematic rendering of the stage show than a remake of the movie - the problem is that it utterly lacks the charm of the 1968 film, and fails to capture the excitement and energy of the show. This is not to do with the actors, who all put in great performances and do the best job possible with their roles. Though, I wonder if it was a good idea to keep the leads from Broadway - playing a part on stage is very different from doing the same thing in a movie. This is at the heart of what is wrong with this movie - it is trying to be cinematic and theatrical at the same time.

Also, they have cut some of the funniest scenes and changed some of the best lines from the original. Why, I wonder? For example, the first encounter between Max and Leo in the original movie is hilarious and dramatic - a magnificent opening set-piece, with drama, humour and conflict. In this version, Leo just knocks on the door and introduces himself. Bit of a damp squib, really.

Overall, I am not sure what to make of this movie. I would probably have enjoyed it more if I had not seen the original. But not much.

Much better than anyone had the right to expect. Lane and Broderick are superb. Even moving. Look what I'm saying, moving. I mean it. Their commitment is contagious. The comedy in itself is shamelessly anachronistic. The gay jokes belong to the period in which the original Producers were conceived. The tone is consistent with that period, the film happens at an incredible pace and you smile from beginning to end. How marvelous to see Matthew Broderick dance. This is an actor who never had an Academy Award nomination and his performances have always been top notch and his range runs the famous gamut from A to Z. What a courageous actor. I couldn't believe he could get away with the "I'm in pain! I'm wet and I'm still hysterical" scene without making me miss Gene Wilder but he did. Nathan Lane is a force of nature. His Max is very much a tribute to Zero Mostel, especially to his hair but this Max is Nathan Lane through and through. Uma Thurman is a delight and I had a great time at the movies. What else do you want out of life.