Jun. 24, 2002 - 12:55 pm
anyway, moving right along...this is Mel Brooks' first film. you'll probably remember the title because last year Brooks adapted it as a stage musical which actually ran on the real life Broadway in NYC, and won a record-breaking 12 Tony Awards. if you watched the Tonys, you really didn't hear many other things winning. my friend Colin had suggested a few times that i should see this, so i rented it finally.
it stars Zero Mostel and Gene Wilder. one Broadway producer, the other an accountant, they decide to work together to commit fraud. the plan is to produce the biggest flop ever to appear on stage, and keep tons of the production money for themselves. they don't have to pay back anything to the financing people if the musical doesn't make any money. the play they choose is a musical which glorifies the Third Reich along with Hitler's singing and dancing abilities. the title: "Springtime For Hitler."
well this movie didn't make me laugh a ton. most of it was just mediocre. a couple of very funny scenes though. the one where Gene Wilder flips out at the beginning when Zero steals his beloved blue blanket is great. i also love the first musical number of "Springtime For Hitler." where else are you going to see a birdseye shot of a rotating chorus line in the shape of a swastika?
this makes me wish i had caught the musical when i was visiting NYC last summer. we saw a good classic though. "Phantom of the Opera." oh well, i'm sure if "The Producers" is that good it will still be running some time in the future when i make my next visit to the city.