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The Producers 2005
Studio executives summary / pitch
Mel Brooks' legendary, all time biggest ever, Broadway smash on the big screen. Can't lose. Nathan Lane and Matthew Broderick are utterly perfect.
Rating

Warning: Contains moments of extreme comic violence, fully grown men with blankets, busty Nazi girls in tank dresses, ultra camp men, whiny men, sweep over hair styles, Swastikas.

Short plot summary

Max Bialystock (Nathan Lane) is a down on his luck Broadway producer who's latest flop, Funny Boy, saw Hamlet set to music.

Visiting Bialystock, accountant Leo Bloom (Matthew Broderick), suggests that more money could be made from producing a disaster than a hit, thus setting into train the musical in which our hero's put on what they hope is the worst musical of all time so that they can run off with the backers money.

What our panel of critics thought

"Utterly consummate. A verifiable moment of genius."

"Mel Brooks is free to drop dead now, his life's work is finished. Bravisimo!"

"The campest Hitler in 60 years! A triumph!"

"It's Singin' in the Third Reich! A wonder from the first rib tickle to the last!"

"Is this the best musical comedy of all time? Only time will tell. Ask me again in twenty years. It's either this one or Singin' In the Rain."

"Oh, hell. It's the greatest movie musical comedy of all time. There, I said it. Sue me."

Please tell me the ending SPOILER

Our hero's hope that 'Springtime for Hitler' will flop are not realised. The show is a smash and they have no way of paying off the backers.

Bialystock is arrested and charged, but Leo Bloom escapes to Rio de Janeiro with Ulla (Uma Thurman).

Leo hears of his friend's troubles and returns to face charges. They are both sentenced to five years in Sing Sing prison...

Justify this movie's existence in the classic strand. From theVoiceof Reason.com's Veritable Cornucopia

Superb. At last Singin In the Rain has competition for the title of best movie comedy musical of all time.

It all fits together perfectly in this movisation of the Broadway mega smash. Nathan Lane and Matthew Broderick are priceless and the music is simply wonderful.

The term genius is over used. However, Mel Brooks has achieved genius in this musical. It is the pinnacle of his career and thankfully it ended this way and not with Robin Hood Men In Tights.

This musical has that timeless 1950's feeling and look, a couple of truly 'bring down the house' quality numbers and the rest of the music and performances are brilliant.

If you only watch one movie musical for the rest of your life, make it this one.

Quotable quotes (real)

"Unhappy unhappy, very very very very unhappy."

"Bloom where do you think you're going? You've already had your toilet break. Bloom: I'm not going to the toilet, I'm going into show business."

"If you've got it, flaunt it!"

"Are you gonna jump on me?"

"I'm wet, I'm hysterical and I'm wet!"

Is there any moment in this musical when you wanted to scream like a girl?

The 'I want to be a producer' song and dance routine is utterly superb. You will feel compelled to erupt into applause when it ends even if you just don't do that sort of thing.

How satirical is this film?

Adolf Hitler gets it in the neck and pretty much everywhere else in this movie. Mel Brook's career-long campaign to make Adolf a laughing stock seems to have worked out just fine.

What can I take from this movie to make me a better person?

Never ever ever mess with Mel Brooks.

How much would you pay for a copy of this movie in goods?

A nazi swastika arm band and baseball cap set.

Other comments

The greatest comedy musical of this century so far. The jury is out whether it is better than Singin in the Rain, we'll have to wait another 20 years to answer that question. We wouldn't bet against it, though.

Genius really does live here.

Date of review

May 31, 2006

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