Producers, The (1968) [Directed by Mel Brooks]

Rating: 10/10 (5 December 2002)

I've glanced at a few reviews posted by others on IMDB, and it appears to be general opinion that the comedy in this film is dated and the movie itself is over-rated (`forgive the pun,' as stated by Andreas Voutsinas). But whoever thinks this film isn't funny must be joking, because in my opinion The Producers is Mel Brook's second finest film (next only to Young Frankenstein). Comic legend Peter Sellers himself once stated that this is `the ultimate film,' and he is most definitely correct. I mean, what else could you expect out of Gene Wilder and Zero Mostel, an Academy Award-winning script, and a play entitled `Springtime for Hitler?' Simply put, this movie is comic genius. Built solidly upon the concept of pounding irony into the ground until it is no longer ironical, Mel Brooks' story is about two producers (one of which is inspired by a real person he knew at 16) who concoct a scheme to raise more money than needed to make a Broadway flop and -- after the play closes on opening night -- keeping the rest of the dough and cooking the account books. The irony aspect REALLY becomes evident when the play -- Springtime for Hitler -- becomes a runaway hit, and they must blow up the theater in order to keep it from being a success. I found it a sheer delight to watch Zero and Gene fumble about attempting to do exactly the opposite of ordinary (casually throwing about lines like, `I picked the wrong play, the wrong director, the wrong cast; where did I go right?'). This entire movie could have very easily been a total disaster, but with such fantastic casting and brilliant dialogue, it truly deserves to be called one of the funniest films ever made. It also must be noted that the newly released Special Edition DVD -- with remastered picture and 5.1 Surround Sound -- has a must-see documentary with stories that are almost as funny as the movie itself (`She refused to wear swastikas on her t**s, so we replaced 'em with black eagles').
Grade: A