crammed with memorable characters

Rating: 10/10 (6 May 2007)

What a great plot, Max Bialystock (Zero Mostel) is a down on his luck producer who hasn't had a hit play for ages and romances little old ladies to get cash for his plays. In walks Leo Bloom (Gene Wilder) who is an accountant who has to go through Max's books. While doing this, he puts an idea into Max's head: a producer could make a lot of money by producing a flop and asking for a lot more money than he needs and when the play is a flop, he can keep the rest of the money. Max manages to talk Leo into joining him as his partner. They then set out to make a Broadway flop by getting the worse play, the worst director and the worst actor. They think they have succeeded when they find a play on Hitler.
Wilder and Mostel are the best comedic double act and they work well together. Wilder has me in stitches at times especially the scene where he gets hysterical. I have to watch the scene more than once as it is one of my best scenes in the film.
What annoys me about some critics is that they say the film is in bad taste but it isn't and they don't get what Mel Brooks is trying to do. Instead of praising Hitler, Mel mocks him especially having a hippie play him which would have probably made Hitler's blood boil if he had been alive to see it.
The film is crammed with characters which I love. Kenneth Mars who plays Franz Liebkind. Mars is brilliant with the mad look he always seems to have throughout the film. Forever keeping his Nazi helmet on, never taking it off, no matter what he is wearing. Christopher Hewett who plays Roger De Bris and Andreas Voutsinas as Carmen Ghia, I can't imagine anyone else playing those characters, they make them their own. The character I really adore is Dick Shawn who plays Lorenzo St. Dubois. He is a hippie who it is decided will play Hitler. What a stroke of brilliance having his initials spell out L.S.D. The scenes where you have him shocked to see himself surrounded by Germans is humorous and when he says Baby, he just has me fits of laughter.
Mel Brooks is a genius. He has the best cast that delivers his script with humour, he has come up with an original plot, his songs add to the humour. He is one my favourite directors who if any of his films are on, I have to watch them.
What is interesting about the end is you don't want Leo and Max to be put away because you have gotten to like them by the end, mainly because of the friendship that they have formed while trying to pull off this big con.
There is nothing bad I can say about the film except it might feel dated to some of the audience who were not around when it was made but you can still laugh at the humour.