One of the Best Films of All Time (Spoilers included)

Rating: 9/10 (21 November 2002)

I will make no bones by saying this is one of my favorite films of all time. It's brilliant, ingenious and pokes fun at something that wasn't funny. I'll repeat that to make a point: IT'S ABOUT SOMETHING THAT IS NOT SUPPOSED TO BE FUNNY. Ya gotta ask yourself, why did the audience find it funny?
When this film came out, I was no where near an age to see it. I actually saw it for the first time in the 1980's and I laughed my butt off.
The films premise is easy -- a once great Broadway Theater producer is now barely able to get a show together and has resorted to bilking little old ladies out of their money to finance the small theater plays he still can do.
In walks a meek but nervous accountant who discovers a slight financial error that, if done on a larger scale could make millions for the ones doing it. Of course the has been producer jumps on the idea and enlists the meek accountant to help. Just one problem, what could be the most tasteless, horrid play one can do that would upset theater-patrons, major critics and anyone who would get a whiff of it? A theater play that would close in one night so the Producer and Accountant can keep the millions of dollars they got by over extending the profits from investors?!?!
The play they find is "Springtime For Hitler" and it fits the bill. How horrid, who could sit though a glorification of Hitler and his life?!?! Not only were they going to produce this play, they needed the worse people to stage it. They sign the worse choreographer/director and the worse actors. In their minds, there is no way this can do anything but flop.
Everything is in place but what happens, instead of offending folks, this becomes a comedic triumph! The toast of broadway! Which means, the Producer and the Accountant committed fraud because they financed the picture with investors that they promised over 100% of the play. Their scheme backfires and they know they will go to jail.
This film is so brilliant on all levels! Considering it was done in the 60's, it holds up wonderfully today with striking parallels (Remember the dot.com industry and the greed of Corporate CEO's???) And what about Hitler...how can that be funny to anyone?!?!?
The Producers -- It's about greed, its about women being seen as nothing but objects, its about the young not knowing history and playing it for a joke not knowing that's even more destructive than Hitler could ever be, its about comedy, its about homosexuality, its about the mind of a criminal and how jail as supposed to rehabilitate etc., etc., -- it has much to offend many, but it also reflects time. The best part of the film to me is even after they are convicted and in jail...and they promise they "will never do it again"...then you see them in prison...doing it again!!! Brilliant.
I find that younger people who see this movie for the first time hate it. I find that folks feel there's nothing funny about Hitler, and there ISN'T which is THE point of the film. How can something so horrible be so funny to audiences when it WASN'T MEANT TO BE -- but it DID. There is social commentary there, and very much of it. The writing is superb, many many references there. I really feel sorry for those who miss out on all of these elements.
"The Producers" was done in a time when I feel "films were films" very layered themes and elements not just dependent upon film production values. The Broadway play is a darn good updated version, but this film is "The King". Zero Mostel, Gene Wilder - the best.
You're missing out on one of the greatest film comedies of all time in not ever seeing this one.