Caffeinated Clint
Am I excited about this one? Well, the stageshow has been performing in my backyard for more years than Paris has been legal – and yet, I still haven’t seen it. If anything drags me to put my cheeks on seats for the film though it’s Uma Thurman’s spunky storks. Oh, and that fine cast. Um. Yes. Indeed. This sounds pretty sweet actually…
The Producers
By Uncle Jay
Well, I attended a test screening to what is sure to be a big contender at this year’s Academy Awards. I witnessed the film adaptation of the Broadway Musical version of Mel Brooks’ "The Producers."
Now, I am not a huge fan of Musicals, I like a few but they are not my cup of tea. So before I get into this, let me just say that I’m a huge Mel Brooks fan and I hold the 1968 movie in very high regard. Also, I have never seen the Broadway musical.
I loved every minute of "The Producers"…so much fun.
Max Bialystock (the always terrific Nathan Lane) is a broke and dishonest Broadway Producer. His new play "Funny Boy" has opened up to horrible reviews, and we witness this in a funny number called ‘Opening Night’ explaining how it sucked, and it closes the same night it opens. (I was told that right after this scene in the Broadway Musical, there is a song entitled ‘The King of Broadway’…this is not present in the film).
Leo Bloom (Matthew Broderick) is a very meek and nervous accountant who has come to Max’s office to do his books. Lane and Broderick work beautifully together and play off each other nicely, as we get into these guys and the plot of the story (the audience roared with laughter through this whole scene). Leo hints to Max that he can actually make more money from a flop than he would a hit…by raising more money than needed and producing a surefire dud…which would lead to its immediate close, and the extra money is for the keeping. Max loves this idea and wants Leo to help him, and ‘We Can Do It’…is the song that defines it.
However, Leo has second thoughts, and realizes that he can’t succumb to such crookedness. ‘Unhappy’ is the tune here showing Leo’s work place of a bunch of accountants unhappily slaving for Mr. Marks (Jon Lovitz). Leo then goes into ‘I Want to be a Producer’ and in a great dream sequence the office becomes a dance stage, the filing cabinets becomes a staircase for Leo and the dancers, followed by a dance stage of Leo’s name in lights. A really nice scene for Broderick.
Crooked or not, this is Leo’s chance to be a producer and he goes for it. Now, they need the worst play and the worst director. Through countless hours of reading countless plays, Max finds the golden ticket. A ridiculously written play entitled "Springtime for Hitler," a gay romp about Der Führer and his wife…"a guaranteed-to-close-in-one-night beauty." The first step is to contact its author, Franz Liebkind.
They find Franz (played with utmost hilarity by Will Ferrell) living on a rooftop with his pet pigeons wearing a German helmet. Franz will not sign anything until Max and Leo submit themselves to the Nazi party and understand the true essence of his play. Without further of due, we have Ferrell giving us ‘Der Guten Tag Hop-Clop’. Ferrell pays great homage (in my opinion) to Kenneth Mars’ Franz from the ’68 original. The pigeons are really funny, too.
Now for the worst director and here’s when it really gets great. Max visits an old director friend of his that he considers the worst in the biz. Roger De Bris (a fantastic Gary Beach) is a flam gay actor/director who surprisingly needs some arm-pulling to get his talents. He along with his assistant/lover Carmen Ghia (a very funny Roger Bart) and his gay crew insist that they "Keep it Gay", a scene that kept the audience rolling in their seats.
Alright, now it’s Uma time. Max and Leo are encountered by Ulla, a fresh off the boat Swedish bombshell who wants to be an actress. Max and Leo fall for the beautiful Ulla and are instantly won over with her "If You Got It, Flaunt It" number. Uma is absolutely gorgeous…and tackles this role and goes for it…she will silence all naysayers that stated she does not belong here. Thurman captures the ditsy-ness of the 1968 Ulla, but she dances (I’m sure there was a stand in for a few of those moves) and sings (I’m sure someone took care of those high notes) and looks good doing it, like the Broadway Ulla….and then there’s that Uma spark we all love, and that’s present too…making this Ulla, all Uma. The Best Supporting Actress category for this year will hold a spot for her (especially after snubbing her twice for "Kill Bill").
Max needs the dough though, and how does he get it? By wooing little old ladies of course and collecting "checkies" from them. This is a very well done scene in which Lane sings ‘Along Came Bialy’ which has these old ladies dancing with walkers in a park, ("SCTV" alumni Andrea Martin among them).
So now, we have the money, the play, the director and a cast member. Now, we need Hitler. The audition for Hitler is a nightmare for Roger. One hopeful asks "Have You Ever Heard the German Band?", and this grasps the attention of Franz, who is present at the audition. But Franz is insulted by his rendition, and shows him how it’s really done…and walla, we have our Hitler.
Leo and Ulla start to develop chemistry and Broderick and Thurman present us "That Face"…this is one of those moments where we can actually see a resurrection of that cinema magic of the musicals of yesteryear. The singing, the dancing, the lighting…the magic. They shine in this scene.
Opening night and the Producers are ready for disaster and to make it even more certain they say the forbidden words. "It’s Bad Luck to Say Good Luck on Op’ning Night", and Max insures this by yelling it to every cast and crew member as he places a ladder for them to walk under. And it starts when Franz breaks his leg and Roger is forced to take over the role of Hitler.
The "Springtime for Hitler" scene is remarkably done. It’s well choreographed and produced. Gary Beach is a joy and to seem him ooze out on screen as a flamboyantly gay Hitler is a guaranteed laugh every time you’ll think of it. As you know, the play surprisingly becomes a hit and Max and Leo are in trouble.
Max gets caught and goes to prison, while Leo skips town to Rio with Ulla and lives life fantastic. In prison, Max gets a letter from Leo telling him how much he’s enjoying life and that he’s thinking fondly of him…which triggers ‘Betrayed’ a remarkable tune which is superbly done by Nathan Lane (this may grant him an Oscar nod).
Feeling guilty, Leo comes back at Max’s trial and speaks on his behalf, ”Til Him’ tells this story and the judge (played by David Huddleson) send Leo and Max to prison. In prison, Max and Leo meet up with Franz, who is in there for trying to kill them for the butchery of his play, and decide to put together another play using the inmates. They are released and "Prisoner of Love" becomes a Broadway smash…and everyone lives happily ever after.
Also, Mel Brooks himself makes an appearance at the final scene, where he tells the audience the movie is over "Go Home." This instantly reminded me of "Ferris Bueller’s Day Off" where Matthew Broderick tells the audience the same thing. Is there a connection?!
I’m leaving out some minor details but that’s the gist of it. The audience response was ALL AROUND APPLAUSE AND CHEERS…AS IF IT WERE THE BROADWAY SHOW ITSELF!!! I mean applause after every musical number. I laughed a lot, applauded as well and I can’t wait to see it again, and this is from someone who doesn’t care for musicals all that much!
I think this will snag some major nods…but Uma Thurman and Gary Beach deserve major consideration, and I do believe they’ll get in. Even Ferrell, he was fuckin’ hilarious! Best Sound is a shoe-in. Brooks may very well snag another Oscar for this material, this time for Adapted Screenplay, in which he’ll share with Tom Meehan.
I kind of rushed through this review to get it out as soon as possible, but I think the point is across. The film opens up December 21st! Make sure you catch it.
****, one of the best of the year!!
