SHOCKING! DISGUSTING! AND, OH YES, HILARIOUS!!!

Rating: 9/10 (1 July 1999)

One of the saddest things you'll ever learn is perspective. You had to be there to get the full effect. "The Producers" was made in 1968. If you weren't there, you can't imagine what a different world it was. "Anything goes" was definitely not the attitude of the day in the media. This one is a shocker now, it was insane in 1968. Even today it's hard to think of any reason to put a Busby Berkely type song and dance number with Nazi SS troops (men and women) singing about Hitler, while goose-stepping in a rotating swastica (complete with overhead camera shot). Seducing women into investing in their scam is one thing, but you'll cringe when you see Zero Mostel romance the over 90 crowd. Wilder and Mostel were totally brilliant!
"The Producers" provided a view of a very skewed world. You'll get to take a "walk down a sleazy street" you haven't visited before, and you'll laugh the whole way. The creative process of this film was so out of control that the working title was "Springtime for Hitler". The thought of that on the marquee was scary. An alternate title was ultimately used. THANK GOODNESS! FINALLY, IT WOULD BE TOO MUCH......