"The Fuhrer is causing a furor!"

Rating: 4/10 (31 March 2009)

Broadway theatre producer, down-on-his-luck with a string of losers behind him, takes the joshing advice from his accountant to stage a sure-fire musical flop and sell off the interest in it, thereby leaving him a millionaire when the show closes after one night. Low-voltage hysteria from Oscar-winning screenwriter Mel Brooks, who also makes his debut as director. The timing is off, the scenes ramble without punch, the sets and art direction are appalling, and the opening scenes with Zero Mostel wooing different elderly women for show-money are disastrous. Oscar-nominated Gene Wilder has a very funny early scene freaking out in Mostel's office, and the auditions for their lopsided extravaganza are amusing. However, aside from the musical number "Springtime For Hitler", Brooks never quite gets the lead out. His pacing drags, and he's surely not helped by the flagging editing and overacting from just about everyone (Dick Shawn and Kenneth Mars are the worst culprits). Even though this is early-era Brooks, one is automatically inclined to cut him a wide berth for both his customary belly laughs and groaners--unfortunately, much of "The Producers" is lined with groaners, particularly in the third act after the show has opened. Later transformed into a Broadway musical and a 2005 film-adaptation of that show. ** from ****