It’s 1969 and Mel Brooks’ ‘The Producers’, was nominated for an Academy Award. He was up against Stanley Kubrick’s 2001. Mel Brooks thought he didn’t stand a chance. Then, Frank Sinatra announced Mel Brooks, as the winner of the Best Original Screenplay. Peter Sellars fell in love with the movie and printed double page ad’s in multiple newspapers declaring that,
“The Producers is the funniest film ever made.”
The Story
The premise of The Producers is both brilliant and outrageous, and it likely couldn’t be made in today’s climate. Max Bialystock (played by Zero Mostel) and Leo Bloom (portrayed by Gene Wilder) are an unlikely duo who come together to devise a fraudulent scheme. Their goal is to raise more money than necessary to produce a Broadway play that is intentionally so terrible that it will close after the opening night.
The real comedic highlight is the screenplay itself, titled “Springtime for Hitler,” written by ex-soldier Franz Liebkind (played by Kenneth Mars). The screenplay is essentially a love letter to Hitler, and interestingly, “Liebkind” translates to “love child.” With what is considered the worst script ever written, Bialystock and Bloom set out to find the worst director and cast to accompany it. That’s the gist of the story without giving away any spoilers.
I first watched The Producers when I was 8 years old. I was going through our huge pile of VHS recordings (oh those were the days) looking for something to waste a Saturday afternoon with. Anytime I wanted to watch something, I would have to scour through random unlabelled tapes, it took forever. But this is how I stumbled on The Producers. I just thought, ‘what on earth is this?’. It’s not exactly appropriate for an 8-year-old, but still the performances alone had me gripped. The strength of the Idea, on its own is funny enough to begin with and the theme stays consistent throughout the narrative and doesn’t veer off course. The strong comedic premise and sticking with the story is a consistent strength of a Mel Brooks screenplay. It’s not a film about nothing with characters making jokes, the entire theme is funny. Space balls, Men in Tights, Blazing Saddles and Young Frankenstein all have a clear strong theme and we don’t go into sub-plots and other character arcs like we might see in a Woody Allen movie or the sub-plot of Jay and Silent Bob that appear in pretty much every Kevin Smith movie.
Bialystock and Bloom’s Sub Plot friendship
The common conscensus on the internet is that a story should have sub-plots. A sub plot another story within the main story. You tend to find that a love interest is a common sub-plot within a book or movie. Or it could be the development of a friendship or relationship that runs in and out of the main story. The producers have very little sub plot. The relationship between Bialystock and Bloom is the only sub plot we have. It has a beginning; Bloom is scared of Bialystock, it has a middle; through working together they become friends, towards the end they fall out after things go bad and then at the end Bloom makes a heart-warming speech about Bialystock explaining all he has learned from their journey together. and successful.
In addition to its unique and absurd plot, the script and performances are exceptional. Zero Mostel and Gene Wilder portray contrasting characters: Bialystock, the grandiose figure, is sharp-witted, streetwise, charming, and manipulative, while Bloom is an introverted accountant.
A Well Structured First Act
In the first 15 minutes of the film, the characters are established through a series of bewildering dramatic turns, all within a single scene. It begins with Bloom walking in and catching Bialystock entertaining one of his “old lady friends,” who invest in his productions for “one last thrill.” Bloom becomes so hysterical that he pulls out his “blankie” and starts sucking his thumb. Meanwhile, Bialystock jumps up and down above him as Bloom teeters on the edge of a mental collapse.
The first Act tells you everything you need to know. We learn about the characters personalities and motivations: Bialystock used to be a big Broadway producer and now he’s a failure who wears a cardboard belt. Bloom, with his hysterical antics shows us he is a delicate and sensitive type that has a sheltered life. Bialystock wants money and success, and Bloom, by going along with Bialystock, will finally ‘be somebody’. It’s a beautifully set up premise and it’s fun to see these unlikely characters teaming up. Bloom, under Bialystocks wing, blossoms sand becomes less uptight and more open to life.
On top of a well-crafted first act. There is tons of fun throughout the movie. Here, I will mention a few of those favourite moments.
Franz Liebkind (Every scene)
There is not a moment that Franz is on screen that isn’t funny. He is intense; he looks like he left the German army yesterday and remains fully dressed in military regalia. His passion for the “Fuhrer” is similar to the love for a childhood sweetheart. He is very about his play and treats everyone around him like they are also in the army. It’s as if he never left the war.
Favourite quote:
Hitler. There was a painter. He could paint an entire apartment in one afternoon. Two coats! – Franz Liebkind
The Music
The songs and lyrics of the musical ‘Springtime For Hitler’ composed and written by Mel Brooks, is fantastic. What makes it funnier is how it’s choreographed with stormtroopers dressed in leather, goosestepping in sync whilst singing:
‘Springtime for Hitler and Germany
Deutschland is happy and gay
We’re marching to a faster pace
Look out! Here comes the master race‘
Another great song is “Love Power,” performed by Lorenzo St. Dubois (Dick Shawn), also known as L.S.D. This song parodies the style of the 1960s psychedelic rock scene. It begins by singing about the power of love, but then takes a darker turn as it reflects on the less pleasant side of reality. The lyrics are hilarious! Here’s one of my favourite verses from the song.
And I give a flower to the big fat cop
He takes his club and he beats me up
I give a flower to the garbage man
He stuffs my girl in the garbage can.And I give it to the landlord, when the rent comes ’round
He throws it in the toilet and he flush it down
It goes into the sewer with the yuck running through her
And it runs into the river that we drink
Hey world, you stink!– Love Power, Mel Brooks, The Producers.
Oh, I almost forgot to mention that Hitler plays the blues on the piano while strategising. Also, Hitler high-fiving Goebbels always makes me chuckle.
Is this the funniest comedy ever made? Well after 56 years we are still talking about it so it must have something right?
To summarise the points raised: Mel Brooks starts out with a strong comedic theme that stays consistently on track. The script is original and dynamic, twisting and turning through the first act, allowing a lot of characterisation. This characterisation supports the motivation for both protagonists to begin a scheme that will turn their lives around. The supporting actors are equally as hilarious, Lorenzo St Dubois and Franz Liebkind especially. The whole cast is funny including other characters i havent mentioned: The director and his assistant, the old ladies, the drunk guy in the bar and the list could go on here. The music is genius and making the decision to turn this into a broadway play, a play within a play, was a genius move. For me, the broadway musical will never come close to the original movie, which is most probably, the funniest movie ever made.
