The Producers (2005)

User Rating:

6.5/10   

Director:

Susan Stroman

Writers (WGA):

Mel Brooks (screenplay) and
Thomas Meehan (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

25 December 2005 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Musical

Plot:

After putting together another Broadway flop, down-on-his-luck producer Max Bialystock teams up with timid accountant Leo Bloom in a get-rich-quick scheme to put on the world's worst show.

Plot Keywords:

Opening Night | Accountant | Nazi | Billboard | Based On Adaptation

Awards:

Nominated for 4 Golden Globes. Another 4 nominations

Cast

Nathan Lane	...	Max Bialystock
Matthew Broderick	...	Leo Bloom
Uma Thurman	...	Ulla
Will Ferrell	...	Franz Liebkind
Gary Beach	...	Roger DeBris
Roger Bart	...	Carmen Ghia
Eileen Essell	...	Hold Me-Touch Me
Michael McKean	...	Prison Trustee
David Huddleston	...	Judge
Debra Monk	...	Lick Me-Bite Me
Andrea Martin	...	Kiss Me-Feel Me
Jon Lovitz	...	Mr. Marks
Bryn Dowling	...	Usherette / Girl With Pearls / Little Old Lady / Bavarian Peasant
Meg Gillentine	...	Usherette / Girl With Pearls / Little Old Lady / Tapping Brown Shirt
Kevin Ligon	...	Workman / Little Old Lady

Also Known As:

The Producers: The Movie Musical (USA) (working title)

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for sexual humor and references.

Runtime:

134 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

USA:PG-13 (Certificate #42240) | UK:12A | Australia:M | Ireland:12A | Singapore:PG | Argentina:13 | Brazil:12 | Switzerland:10 (canton of Vaud) | Switzerland:10 (canton of Geneva) | Norway:A | Sweden:7 | Malaysia:U | Iceland:L | Finland:K-3 | Canada:PG (Ontario) | Portugal:M/12 | Germany:6 | South Korea:12

Filming Locations:

116th Street and Amsterdam Avenue, New York City, New York, USA

Company:

Universal Pictures

Trivia:

Matthew Broderick wore an earplug in one ear where Nathan Lane yells "Never put your own money in the show!" up close. (Source: DVD commentary)

Goofs:

Errors made by characters (possibly deliberate errors by the filmmakers): During the jail song and dance scene, the prisoner in the white shirt (singlet) standing behind the piano lip syncs almost every word when the statement from the Governor is read out aloud.

Quotes:

[Roger De Bris enters the room]
Leo Bloom: Max... He's wearing a dress!
Max Bialystock: No kidding!

Movie Connections:

References Blazing Saddles (1974)

Soundtrack:

I Wanna Be a Producer

Avoid no matter what.

There are only two possible explanations for the large number of rave reviews on this movie:

1. There are far more shallow, easily-amused people than I realized. Or, 2. The makers of this drivel persuaded and/or paid large numbers of supporters to post positive comments.

This movie simply stinks. I didn't smile once. I liked the original very much, but I found most of Mel's later stuff to be embarrassing more than amusing. But this isn't even funny. I tried to be really fair and not compare this to the original, but failed miserably. The reason the original worked was because Zero Mostel and Gene Wilder had personality traits that meshed with and enhanced the script. No such thing here; Matthew Broderick has no discernible personality and is just as bad here as he was in "The Stepford Wives", another remake that never should have happened. He should have quit after "Ferris Bueller's Day Off". Wil Ferrell is just as not-funny as I would expect. I just adore Uma Thurman, but she can't sing and is going to waste here.

The musical numbers go on and on ad nauseum and are dead-boring other than "Springtime for Hitler in Germany".

If you've not seen the original, then go find it and watch it instead of this uninspired drivel. If you have seen the original, then get it and watch it again. It's a bit dated, but it still works.