Broadway to film, another adaptation technique also used by 2002’s best picture at The Academy Awards, Chicago, brings Mel Brooks’ The Producers to the silver screen. The original motion picture, released in 1968 was a humorous hit starring Gene Wilder and Zero Mostel, and then was made into a hit musical on Broadway in 2001 starring Matthew Broderick and Nathan Lane. The musical included a longer length, added and extended scenes. The musical later received fifteen Tony Nominations and won twelve, a record breaking winner. The film as well as the Broadway show is directed by Susan Stroman.
Max Bialystock (Nathan Lane) used to be one of the top producers on Broadway, but his latest releases have disappointed and have been dubbed the worst shows in town. Now he’s low on money, living in his office and selling himself to old women to fund his shows. After getting acquainted with his accountant, Leo Bloom (Matthew Broderick), Max learns that he secretly wants to become a producer. Unfortunately, Leo lacks the courage Max has, and carries around his blue baby blanket to comfort him in uncomfortable situations. The duo discover that a producer could actually make more by producing a flop than one could a hit. Confronting his boss (Jon Lovitz), who discourages his employees with many negative comments and reducing them to drones, Leo quits accounting and decides to join Max on his quest to find the worst play ever written. Looking through piles of plays for the worst one, they eventually encounter a red folder containing a play, entitled “Springtime for Hitler.” To acquire the rights to this “mother lode”, says Max, they seek out the writer, Franz Liebkind (Will Ferrell), a former Nazi. Through many more events, a woman nicknamed Ulla (Uma Thurman) by Max and Leo, a Swedish woman with an astonishingly long last name that has a “doesn’t have a clue” personality, wishes to audition for a role in their show, who until auditions actually start, they make their secretary.
Susan Stroman’s The Producers has the music that any Broadway show would include, but lacks the feel of a true feature length film. Many of the shots and sets used actually look like a set, not what they actually are trying to be. The angle of the camera, that standard center wide shot is widely used, and you can’t help feeling like you are watching a stage musical, rather than a true Hollywood craft. Obviously Susan Stroman has no previous experience as a film director but has dedicated all her skills to the theatre.
Matthew Broderick appears spacey throughout the film, like how a student in a high school play would stare blankly into space while delivering his performance. This is unbelievably Broderick’s worst performance as a film actor; though I’m sure I would disagree with myself if he were actually on stage. Perhaps Stroman exibited the same directing as she would a play and Broderick putting aside his instincts as a film actor and putting on his jazz hands, turn this film into something onstage.
Nathan Lane delivers humorously as he would any other film, with that delighted positive personality. Uma Thurman gracefully moves around in scenes with a heavy, but believable, Swedish accent. Will Ferrel, if you are a regular reader of my reviews, you know how I have felt about his previous films. Though, in this film, he is very humorous as a deranged former Nazi who is obviously been pushed over the edge by his beliefs. The film also stars Roger Bart as Carmen and Gary Beach as Roger De Bris, as a gay couple, Max and Leo approach Roger De Bris as Springtime’s director. The musical performances and numbers are very enjoyable, Mel Brooks writing the lyrics, partnered with Thomas Meehan as the musical composer.
The Producers has its series of checks and balances, flooded with moderate directing from Susan Stroman who definitely should go back to theatre, and dull acting from Broderick tear off some of the letters from the big musical marquee. Still kept at an enjoyable level we get welcoming performances from many others, as well as a fun musical soundtrack from the ’68s film’s director Mel Brooks and composer Thomas Meehan. A classic film remade at an acceptable musical level, I still hope this film would have been more a film rather than what appears to be a school play with a director working with a frustrating kid who has the lead. “They’ve got it, so why don’t you?”
Rated PG-13 for sexual humor and references. Running time 134 minutes.