Did we really need this movie?
Adapting a film from a musical that was adapted from a film is essentially the same thing as making a novelization of a movie based on a novel. There is already an excellent film version of The Producers, and while I tip my hat to the outstanding stage show crafted by Mel Brooks and company, I wonder if maybe we could have left it at that.
Is the creation of this new musical film any different than a remake of Monty Python and the Holy Grail based on the successful stage adaptation Spamalot!? Does anyone want to see that? I, for one, would cry - and then go say "Ni" to a whole truckload of old ladies.
While we're on the topic of old ladies, it should be conceded that there are certain scenes of this film that work better on the big screen than they did onstage. A battalion of grannies trooping through central park is one; the lament of an accounting firm is another. That's about it though. Matthew Broderick and Nathan Lane (reprising their Broadway roles of Max and Leo) are obviously capable of working on camera as well as on the stage (even though Broderick often times moves and talks like a whiny, pre-pubescent girl), but there is not enough change in the Broadway book to give them the chance to adapt their performances to this new medium. And, sure, Will Ferrell is funny as hell, but not a whole lot funnier than anyone would be in the role of the Nazi playwright. Mel Brooks' work has always been all about the writing - hell, he even made a funny movie starring Rick Moranis, Bill Pullman, and Joan Rivers. That might have been the greatest accomplishment of the 1900s.
If you haven't seen the original version of this film (which you should) or the stage adaptation, you might really love this redux. Even if you have seen one of the earlier dubs, there is still a good chance that it would be good for some good laughs. The story revolves around a pair of Broadway producers (Lane and Broderick) who realize that they can make more money off of a flop than a smash. They round up the worst play, the worst director (Gary Beach), and a pretty terrible cast that all culminate in a performance of Springtime for Hitler that ends up being (...wait for it...) A SMASH HIT! The dynamic duo then end up in jail (along with Ferrell), and upon their release they become the most successful producers in New York.
The casting is quite good. I was especially surprised by Uma Thurman's performance as the Swedish bombshell, Ulla, and equally impressed with Gary Beach and Roger Bart's portrayal of a flamingly gay couple. The musical numbers are hit and miss - "Keep it Gay" is almost as funny as "Springtime for Hitler", but none of the other songs really stand out as amazing. Unlike other musicals such as Fiddler on the Roof, Sound of Music, and even RENT, most of the song and dance in this film feels awkward in the confines of celluloid. This is especially true with most of the solos and duets, which left me feeling somewhat awkward - as did many of the over-the-top gags that just aren't as funny on film as they are in a packed live theatre.
This film has been nominated for four Golden Globe's, but will likely lose all of them with the exception of "Best Original Song". I don't anticipate any nominations from the Academy either (aside from the song category), but I've been surprised before.
If you did see this show on the stage, it might be worth checking out just to see Lane and Broderick in the roles they made famous. Just be prepared to leave saying, "It worked better live". I have to wonder what this film would have looked like had Brooks himself directed it, but the tragic death of his wife understandably has been the focus of his past year. Nevertheless, the man is a comic genius, and his commentary on race, religion, sexuality, and life in general has been poignant and hysterical for the past fifty years, and even this film has its gems.
Go see it, especially if you haven't seen the stage show, and see how it works for you. I could have done with a little less singing and a little bit more of that classic, Mel Brooks wit.
THE VERDICT: B