This is extraneous for anyone who's seen the original film or show, presumably leaving everyone else to wonder what all the fuss has been about.
The Producers (2005)
Tomatometer
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Reviews Counted:148
Fresh:75
Rotten:73
Average Rating:5.8/10
Consensus: Despite the rich source material, The Producers has a stale, stagy feel more suited to the theater than the big screen.
Theatrical Release:26-12-2005
Synopsis: This remake of Mel Brooks' 1968 film features Nathan Lane and Matthew Broderick in the roles that they originated in the smash Broadway adaptation of the original film. Broadway producer Max... This remake of Mel Brooks' 1968 film features Nathan Lane and Matthew Broderick in the roles that they originated in the smash Broadway adaptation of the original film. Broadway producer Max Bialystock (Lane) is famous for his spectacular opening night flops. Leopold Bloom (Broderick) is an uptight accountant who virtually discovers gold while reviewing Max's books. When Leo realizes that you can actually make more money with a flop than with a hit, the two team up and begin a search for both the worst script and the worst director they can find to ensure failure. The script selection seems easy when the duo stumble upon SPRINGTIME FOR HITLER, an homage to the Fuhrer penned by Franz Liebkind (Will Ferrell), a German sympathetic to the Nazi cause. Convinced that the script will incite outrage, the duo needs a bad director to seal the deal. Campy director Roger DeBris (Gary Beach) and his assistant (Roger Bart) fit the bill perfectly. But when their scheme fails, Max and Leo find themselves with the worst possible outcome: a hit. To make matters worse, Franz is just a little peeved that Hitler was depicted disrespectfully--and he has a gun. Will Max and Leo survive the playwright's wrath? Will they go to jail for cooking the books? And will Leo ever submit to the advances of sexy Swedish receptionist/actress Ulla (Uma Thurman)? Directed by stage director Susan Stroman, making her feature film directorial debut, this riotous romp features lots of laughs from the major players, as well as brief appearances by Jon Lovitz, Michael McKean, and Richard Kind. Lane and Broderick make it easy to understand why the show was an unprecedented hit on Broadway, and Ferrell is a scene-stealer as Liebkind. [More]
Starring: Nathan Lane, Matthew Broderick, Uma Thurman, Will Ferrell
Starring: Nathan Lane, Matthew Broderick, Uma Thurman, Will Ferrell, Andrea Martin, Gary Beach, Roger Bart
Director: Susan Stroman
Director: Susan Stroman
Studio: Universal Pictures
Reviews for The Producers
By the end you're asking yourself if they went to any trouble at all or simply took a film camera to a performance of the musical itself
It's a treat to see Broderick and Lane reprising their roles - both actors are extremely funny and display impressive singing and dancing skills.
Despite a certain manic energy, the comic schtick between Lane and Broderick feels as stale as last year's croissants; you can tell they've done these jokes a thousand times.
The original was far funnier and somehow managed to cut to the chase with less of a song and dance.
Be prepared to laugh from the opening credits through the closing credits.
The play is everything in this uneven movie, which is alternately groan-inducing and side-splitting.
Confirmed my original opinion that the musical version of The Producers was a flash-in-the-pan success that won't be remembered ten years from now.
Director Stroman (who also choreographed the film) has also paid tribute to the theatre by casting such stage stars as Brent Barrett, Debra Monk, Karen Ziemba and Andrea Martin.
The real reason to see this film is the addition of the musical numbers -- catchy and clever songs, written in the style of classic 1950s Broadway musicals.
Stage director Susan Stroman brings it all in, including the high spirits and naughty fun, though a few more dancers in some of the musical numbers might have filled the screen better.
Shows such affinity for the stage that it barely qualifies as a movie.
Is it better than the stage version? Not necessarily. But this is a faithful rendition that should succeed in bringing a delightful old-fashioned crowd-pleaser to a new audience.
It's a broad, slightly naughty comedy in musical form from the skewed, if not a little twisted, comic genius Mel Brooks.
Not great, but still funnier than most other comedies released in 2005.
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