The Producers

"The Producers" is a classic comedy film from 1967 about Max Bialystock (Zero Mostel), a washed-up Broadway producer, and Leo Bloom (Gene Wilder), a timid accountant. Max, desperate to regain his former glory, hatches a plan with Leo to deliberately produce a Broadway flop and scam their investors out of money.

They find a script called "Springtime for Hitler," written by Franz Liebkind (Kenneth Mars), a deranged Nazi sympathizer. Max and Leo secure the financing from a group of elderly women, who are oblivious to their scheme. With the money in hand, they hire a terrible director, Roger De Bris (Christopher Hewett), and an eccentric Swedish secretary, Ulla (Lee Meredith), to help bring the show to life.

To their shock, "Springtime for Hitler" becomes a bizarre and unintentional hit with the audience. The outrageous portrayal of Hitler and the Nazi regime creates an uproar, but the public interprets it as a satirical masterpiece. Max and Leo are now faced with the unexpected success of their deliberately awful production.

As the show becomes a sensation, the duo's scheme begins to unravel. They face scrutiny from their investors, who want their share of the profits, and they also attract the attention of the IRS. Max and Leo find themselves in a chaotic and hilarious predicament, desperately trying to salvage their plan while evading the authorities.

Director Mel Brooks, the comedic genius behind "The Producers," crafts a broad satire on Nazis and slyly pokes fun at Broadway musicals. Who else but Brooks could turn such a taboo subject into a hilarious comedy? It's like "The Sound of Music" taken on a wild, twisted journey.

Moreover, Brooks playfully satirizes Broadway itself - suggesting that audiences will just digest anything, as Springtime for Hitler proves. He also takes aim at the enduring connection between Broadway and the gay community, with De Bris and his assistant, Carmen Ghia, being unmistakably flamboyant. Even the character playing Hitler is named L.S.D., a nod to the popular drug of the 60s.

Release: 1967

Stars: Nathan Lane, Matthew Broderick, Uma Thurman

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 91%