Played to perfection by its cast.

Rating: 7/10 (21 July 2013)

Mel Brooks's irresistible zany style was already in full bloom for this theatrical directing debut, a gleeful concoction about a hard luck Broadway producer, Max Bialystock (multiple Tony award winner Zero Mostel) who cons old ladies out of their money by agreeing to play games with them. Into his life comes a meek accountant, Leo Bloom (Gene Wilder) who's supposed to go over the producers' books. Leo casually ventures the idea that one could make a lot of money selling well over 100% of a play which would be sure to flop. So the two of them think that they've found their surefire flop in "Springtime for Hitler", an invention by disgruntled ex-Nazi Franz Liebkind (Kenneth Mars). Of course, their plan goes seriously awry when the play is tweaked by its no-talent director, Roger De Bris (Christopher Hewett) and then performed for laughs by hammy star "L.S.D." (Dick Shawn), and the audience ends up loving it!
This viewer personally didn't find the movie to always be terribly funny but there are most certainly very good moments throughout. The cast is so utterly enthusiastic that they do win you over. Mostel and Wilder are a great comedy team, especially in their introductory scenes; Leo is afraid of having Max jump on him and, much like Linus from the Peanuts comic strip, is attached to a blue blanket that he carries around with him! Mostel is a true force of nature as the slimy Max, while Wilder, who of course would go on to do other great things for Brooks, showed here his unmatched ability to completely flip out in a comic way. The other actors are fun, too; Mars is a riot as the unhinged Franz, especially towards the end when he, Leo, and Max make their last ditch effort to salvage their scheme. Lee Meredith is smoking hot as Ulla, the Swedish bombshell hired as a secretary who thinks that "going to work" means go go dancing. Viewers will also delight in the appearances by Renee Taylor (as Eva Braun), William Hickey as the drunk, and Barney Martin as Goring.
The songs, not surprisingly, are catchy, with L.S.D.'s audition performance a standout. Brooks fans will know that his voice can be heard dubbed into the "Springtime for Hitler" number.
This movie didn't do so well at first but amazingly found a supporter in comedy star Peter Sellers, and his endorsement would motivate people to revisit it and give it a fresh evaluation. 46 years later, it's now also extremely well known for inspiring a very successful Broadway musical, itself filmed in 2005.
It's must viewing for all those eager to see the beginnings of Brooks's film career, a couple of years before he hit his biggest peak with his spoofs "Blazing Saddles" and "Young Frankenstein".
Seven out of 10.