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Nathan Lane, Matthew Broderick, Uma Thurman, Will Ferrell, Gary Beach ... see more see more... , Roger Bart , Eileen Essell , David Huddleston , Michael McKean , Debra Monk , Andrea Martin , Jon Lovitz , Susann Fletcher , John Barrowman

After transforming his first motion picture into a smash Broadway musical, Mel Brooks brings the story of two would-be theatrical moguls turned con men back to the screen in this musical comedy. Max B... read more read more...ialystock (Nathan Lane) was once one of Broadway's most successful producers, but a string of flops has thrown his career into a tailspin, and now he struggles to raise the cash to stage new shows by playing gigolo to lonely old ladies. While going over his books, accountant Leo Bloom (Matthew Broderick) notices that Bialystock raised more money than he spent for one show, and points out that if one raised enough money for a show that closed in one night, you could make more off a flop than a hit. This strikes Bialystock as a brilliant scheme, and he decides to give it a try, persuading Bloom to join him in staging the world's greatest flop. After discovering a truly vile script -- "Springtime for Hitler," a musical set in the Third Reich written by neo-Nazi pigeon fancier Franz Liebkind (Will Ferrell) -- and giving a key role to the secretary Ulla (Uma Thurman), a drop-dead gorgeous blonde with only a tenuous understanding of the English language, Bialystock and Bloom are certain they have the disaster they need for their plan to work. But the scheme unexpectedly goes wrong when "Springtime for Hitler" becomes a "so bad it's good" hit. Mel Brooks co-wrote the screenplay for The Producers as well as producing it, but directorial chores were handed over to Susan Stroman, who also directed the Broadway show; Nathan Lane and Matthew Broderick also repeated their roles from the Broadway production. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

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63% liked it

262,154 ratings

Critics

51% liked it

150 critics

PG-13, 2 hr. 14 min.

Directed by: Susan Stroman

Release Date: December 16, 2005

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DVD Release Date: May 16, 2006

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Flixster Reviews (11,774)

  • hunterjt13
    December 13, 2011
    hunterjt13
    A Broadway producer and his accountant team up to make a flop as part of a get-rich-quick scheme ... set to music.
    All the problems - the over-acting, the kitsch - that plagued the original production are on full display here, and added to those is some really bad music. I highl... read morey doubt that the discerning viewer will be singing "Unhappy" and "We Can Do It" in the shower the next day, even though some of the original music is kinda catchy.
    There are moments when it seems like Matthew Broderick is doing a Gene Wilder impersonation, but I was impressed by his voice; I knew he was on Broadway and could sing, but he's much better than an actor who can act through a song. He's actually got some pipes.
    I also liked the changes in the third act, which give the story a more cohesive structure.
    Overall, this is a poor effort, a film that should not have been made.
  • cosmo313
    September 11, 2011
    cosmo313
    This is a movie based on a play based on a movie about a play. Also, this film, like the play within it, and the play it was based on, is a musical. This is probably the greatest difference between this and the 1968 film.

    There are other differences sure, but this being a music... read moreal is the most noticable change. It has its moments, and the musical numbers are well done, but, and I hate comparing it, but it's just not as good as the original. For one thing, the tone is all wrong. The entire film is done as camp. Sure, while that can be fun, it lessens the impact of the material, and it's also not shocking like it should be. Also, I think that, at 135 minutes, this could have been tightened up just a bit. At least it's not 3+ hours like many musicals.

    Some of the performances are actually not too bad though. Lane is pretty good, Thurman and Ferrell are entertaining, and I liked the brief appearances of Lovitz and Huddleston. Broderick has his moments, but he's rather underwhelming.

    I didn't hate this, but it does have some issues like I've addressed. It's not boring, but it just feels rather draggy at times. I'm a little torn on the rating. On one hand it's not totally worth recommending overall, but on the other, it's got some good moments, so take it or leave it, and see it if you want or feel you need to. As for that tricky rating: how about 3.25. I think that works okay, or "thumbs sideways".
  • phubbs1
    July 31, 2011
    phubbs1
    Hmmmmmm so very very tricky to decide here, what can I say.....I enjoyed this film as a film on its own and when not compared to the original, as a stand alone farce its a great piece of comedy but of course it so difficult not to think and look back to the original material.

    To... read more be honest this is a classic example of a remake that, in terms of the movie, didn't succeed in doing anything other than show you should never try to remake a classic. Of course because of the flick there was a big renewed interest in the forgotten classic and a very popular theatre show which is all good as its perfect for the theatre in every sense but the actual film is a poor imitation.

    There are certain parts in this film I loved, mainly anything to do with Nathan Lane who is a superb comedy actor with fantastic ability in facial and physical comedy, some of his leers and chubby prat falls are brilliant and really compete with Mostels first performance. On the other hand there are some truly awful moments of...plagiarism basically where the same funny lines or sequence has been attempted from the original and it just bombs hard :( some scenes simply cannot be replicated from the genius of Wilder and Mostel.

    A huge issue with me was the casting of Broderick who is so so so so weak an actor I just don't understand how he gets work, is it all simply down to 'Ferris Bueller'!!? Terrible actor and he really shows it here with a dreadful performance that lets the whole film down badly. Sure he can sing alittle, move well and he does look the part but he just isn't a strong enough character for comedy, he's too shy and reserved and a bad partner to Lanes terrific comb over sleaze.
    To be honest some of the casting is poor in this film accept for Lane, Beach and Bart all of which were inspired choices. Thurman and Ferrell were totally out of place and show why it can be a bad decision to cast big names when lesser known folk would work so much better, also Lovitz could of been used in a better role instead of the extra unneeded sequence he was in. Where was Dom Deluise that's what I wanna know, the perfect film for him.

    The film looks fantastic I gotta say, well it basically looks like a stage performance that's just been filmed really, not a bad thing as the colour and razzle dazzle is all very well directed and comes up peachy on your screen. Lots of musical numbers and extra padding to fill out the length which is again nice but also loses some of the originals charm, the charm of 'less is more' and this new film really does go overboard when it didn't have to. Obviously the film was meant to be a precursor to the real theatre production (a prequel hehe to see how it would fare) which is fine but I don't know why they went down the musical route with the film instead of sticking to the better farcical comedic angle, I just felt allot of the essence was lost trying to craft the film into something else when they still could of done the theatre show and kept the film like the original.

    Last thoughts are positive for the film as its nice to see musicals back on the big screen looking as lush as this but as a remake its nowhere near as good as its forebearer, quite a poor copy in places but it does have its highlights which can make you forgive. If your seeing this for the first time then I strongly recommend the original of course.
  • murphmann93
    June 24, 2011
    murphmann93
    Quite funny!
  • fb100002359227440
    June 22, 2011
    fb100002359227440
    A good entertaining, full of great effects and coreography, but is better the original The Producers.
  • purplemegan
    April 14, 2011
    purplemegan
    This movie was a lot weirder than I expected it. It was a little too much for me. It was entirely too long, that's for sure.
  • MeetMeinMontauk
    August 30, 2010
    MeetMeinMontauk
    "Wait, that's not my life. Somebody else's life is flashing before my eyes." Hah!
    I'm sorry, I was thoroughly entertained. Matthew Broderick's expression kept me laughing the whole time and of course the lyrics were phenomenal, the choreography was pretty good (I thought!) and I ... read moreloved the acting although Ms. Uma Thurman's accent slipped a few times, but oh well. The main thing is that Lane and Broderick were fantastic together. Such great stage presence.
  • rjayhutchinson
    July 30, 2010
    rjayhutchinson
    Odd, to say the least. Though clocking in at a reasonable 129 minutes, this film felt like it took an eternity to complete. I have few problems with this film, but those problems are big enough that I can't bear to give it more than 2 1/2 stars.
  • bbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbb1
    June 24, 2010
    bbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbb1
    C+
  • kenstachnik
    July 15, 2009
    kenstachnik
    Unnecessary

View All The Producers Reviews

Critic Reviews

Ty Burr
December 31, 2005
Ty Burr, Boston Globe

Not so much a film as an awkwardly framed souvenir of the Broadway hit musical, The Producers needs a live audience like a candle needs oxygen. Full Review

Steven Rea
December 27, 2005
Steven Rea, Philadelphia Inquirer

The jokes are in its tackiness, and gauchery, and raspberry-inducing send-up of Broadway traditions. On that level, the movie works fine -- and is a whole lot cheaper for the ticket buyer.

Roger Moore
December 27, 2005
Roger Moore, Orlando Sentinel

Nathan Lane, Matthew Broderick and Gary Beach have their singing, dancing and kvetching in the Broadway smash The Producers immortalized on film. Full Review

Amy Biancolli
December 27, 2005
Amy Biancolli, Houston Chronicle

... a kitschy celebration of all things Mel. Full Review

Terry Lawson
December 27, 2005
Terry Lawson, Detroit Free Press

There are bad movies, there are terrible, misguided mistakes and there are unbearable and embarrassing ordeals. The Producers: The Movie Musical is all of those. Full Review

Robert Denerstein
December 27, 2005
Robert Denerstein, Denver Rocky Mountain News

On film, Lane and Broderick are stuck in manic overdrive, like a couple of guys who have been assigned the impossible task of reviving vaudeville.

Lisa Kennedy
December 27, 2005
Lisa Kennedy, Denver Post

It may not be great, but it is a movie. Full Review

Bill Muller
December 27, 2005
Bill Muller, Arizona Republic

[T]he most recent Producers is a clone of a clone, and what it adds in song and dance it loses in brevity and, as is so often the case, wit. Full Review

Philip Wuntch
December 24, 2005
Philip Wuntch, Dallas Morning News

Ms. Stroman's efforts to open up the play lack imagination, and all the musical numbers probably worked better on stage. Full Review

Bruce Newman
December 23, 2005
Bruce Newman, San Jose Mercury News

... to have seen either the original movie, or Lane and Broderick on Broadway (I saw both) is to be reminded what a lamentable knockoff this is.

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Facts

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    • Carmen Ghia: (With Roger Du Bris) Thank you!
    • Carmen Ghia: Ocifers!
    • Roger De Bris: What are you doing you Neo Nazi Nitwit. Your show's a hit.
    • Franz Liebkind: Who Cares? You made a fool out of Hitler.
    • Roger De Bris: (With Carmen Ghia) He didn't need our help!
    • Ulla: Why Bloom go so far camera right?
    • Ulla: God bless America.
    • Max Bialystock: God bless Sweden.
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The Producers Trivia

  • Which Broadway musical, written by Mel Brooks, recently enjoyed another 'Springtime' with the advent of a movie remakes?  Answer »
  • In the originals of which of pair of remakes did Gene Wilder star?  Answer »
  • In 'The Producers', Max declares that he has worked very hard, so he is going to buy himself a toy. What does he get himself?  Answer »
  • What movie did the following actors and actress star in. Will Ferrel, Nathan Lane, Matthew Broderick and Uma Thurman.  Answer »
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