The Producers

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.

One has to compare this with the original and it just does not cut it. Lane is pretty good in this but have seen him much, much better. I like Broderick usually but this performance is embarrassing. Will Ferrell is his usual overrated self-there is not a funny bone in his body!! Uma Thurman is wasted in this .I have been told that the stage play is great, so perhaps a straight filming of the Broadway production might have been a better idea (after all Into the Woods worked brilliantly as a simple filming of the stage). Incidentally I love musicals so that was not my problem. The original film was just so great and the performances by Mostel,Wilder and Mars were incredible and incredibly funny that any remake just had to suffer by comparison. The only way in which the new version might have shaded it were the stage numbers which looked great. A nice try but they shot and they missed.

Imagine watching a play, but the over-the-top acting that gives an audience 50 feet away a connection to a play's actors, is painfully irritating when watching it 6 feet away on TV, or blown up on a movie screen. Bad. Bad. Very very bad , in a movie format. At least the songs, while novel, had music that was entirely forgettable. While this may have been a fine musical play (though I doubt it, and I enjoy musicals) it was irritating as a movie. The characters dialogue was not comical- simply over the top (like the acting) and bizarre - intended to be funny simply for the crude, crass degree of bizarreness.

Unless you get into watching mediocre musicals on film, I'd pass this one by.

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.

First, there was Mel Brooks' clever movie "The Producers." That got adapted into a Tony-winning stage musical. Then the musical became adapted into a movie. This hilarious spectacle is sure to please! Nathan Lane and Matthew Broderick return as Max Bialystock and Leo Bloom, the same roles they made famous on Broadway. Lane is a riot, channeling Zero Mostel's bombastic character. Meanwhile, Broderick surprises as he does a decent take on Gene Wilder's original hysterical act. Will Ferrell scores laughs as Nazi playwright Franz Liebkind, and Uma Thurman puts in a good song and dance as Swedish sexpot Ulla. The movie perfectly catches the style of the old-fashioned musical, with a large serving of slapstick. This snappy production is sure to be a hit with everyone!