So ... can we laugh about everything?

Rating: 9/10 (13 March 2012)

On that question, one of the most notorious politically incorrect French comedians, Pierre Desproges provided the most overused answer: "Yes, but not with everybody." In other words, the most racist joke has to make a non-racist person laugh without creating a bond with a racist one. See? The distance between the content of his joke and its author must be evident. A bit oppressive isn't it? Or maybe we can all agree that humor essentially depends on the intelligence of the listener.
With all its racism, sexism and inner vulgarity, the intelligence of "The Producers" is that it works on a self-reflexive way as each joke might get the two sorts of reaction that the infamous "Springtime for Hitler" inspired on the stage audience: a slack-jawed shock or cheerful applauds. But that's what the "not with anyone" means in my opinion, you trust the intelligence of the viewer enough to believe he can see behind the laughs where your opinions lies, and that making fun of something is also part of a subtle exercise of self-derision.
Was it really necessary to show Max Bialystock (Zero Mostel) and Leo Bloom (Gene Wilder) removing the Nazi armband, putting it in the trashcan and spitting on it. Maybe as a reminder of the Nazi's barbarity but I thought that bit sinned by underestimating our capability to read between the lines. Anyway, apart from that moment, "The Producers" remains one of the funniest films ever made carried by the incredible Mostel and Wilder duo, "The Producers" outshines whatever defined humor in the sappy 60's : it's outrageous, irreverent, naughty and so blatantly amoral that calling it 'politically incorrect' is the understatement of the century.
"The Producers" pulverizes all the barriers of good taste with a daringness that flirts with genius in its incredible mix between a chaotic hysteria and a perfect comical timing. The scene where Leo Bloom frenetically screams "I'm hysterical" before Max throws water on him and then shouts "I'm hysterical and I'm wet!", the whole scene punctuated with so many unintelligible noises is some of the funniest pieces of comical acting ever made and maybe a landmark in comedy. When the water comes out of the fountain after Leo Bloom decides to have "everything that's in the movies" feels like exultation, an orgasmic liberation from every principle ruled by the movies through a hilarious hymn for selfishness and greed.
The selfish and greedy one is Max, influenced by his new accountant and future accomplice, he decides to raise money to produce a flop in order to make the greatest benefit. The most likely play to flop, is a musical comedy about Hitler, a "love-letter to Hitler" written by a manic Nazi nostalgic wonderfully played by Kenneth Mars. And to be sure the play will fail; they take the worst director of all the showbiz, Roger De Bris, played by Christopher Hewett. It's a real delight to see Otto from "Malcolm in the Middle" and "Mr. Belvedere" in such hilarious performances, "The Producers" is served by a wonderful gallery of supporting performances where everyone has a moment to shine, even Ulla, the sexy Swedish receptionist whose name rhymed with Oh-lalaaaaa.
Asking how they got away with calling a woman a 'toy' is pointless because the real question is how they got away with the infamous "Springtime for Hitler" and this swastika choreography that concludes it with Hitler's picture? Well, I feel that there are two reasons: right and wrong.
Right first: by ridiculing even the most atrocious aspect of human history, you stop turning it into a sort of sanctified taboo. Humor becomes the true barometer of freedom of speech and if we can make fun of God, politics and sex, why should there be barriers even in the 'dark side'. As Mel Brooks said, the 'movie rose below vulgarity' it's so deliberately crude and vulgar that it never cease to mix the amazement with the enjoyment. The spirit of Mel Brooks is what differentiates mean-spirited propaganda and true slapstick, to the Donald Duck fans, between "Commando Duck" a bad cartoon with no other purpose than mocking the Japanese culture and the masterpiece "Der Fuerher's Face".
Now, what was the bad reason that spared an accusation of bad taste : because only Jewish people could have made fun of Nazis and even of Jewish people with such audacity, without being accused of anti-Semitism. After all, the portrayal of Max's greed exploits some stereotypes that even the Nazis used in their propaganda, if you don't take them into perspective. Many would discuss this argument but didn't Sacha Boren Cohen invoke his own ethnic background to justify the Anti-Semitism displayed in "Borat" as a running joke.
While I understand that never a gentle director would have dared to make such a movie, I totally disapprove the setting of racial barriers in humor, with its tacit rule to make fun only of our own ethnic background. It politicizes comedy and set rules when the very purpose of humor is to be deprived from anything except the capability to make people laugh. There's no way to avoid critics because the line between being offensive and funny will always be uncertain, but that's the subversion of humor. Many comedians were labeled as racist when they mocked some communities, as if the translation of "yes, but not with anyone" became "not by anyone" which distorts the very principles of humor.
"Can we laugh about everything?" I guess the answer is in the question, if we laugh, then it's funny. If we're intelligent enough to get it, then we can make a difference between insults and jokes, between mockery and mean-spiritedness, and to those who can't, I recommend "The Producers" as the greatest fertilizer to grow a sense of humor in the field of their constipated minds.