The Producers (2005)

After putting together another Broadway flop, down-on-his-luck producer Max Bialystock teams up with timid accountant Leo Bloom in a get-rich-quick scheme to put on the world's worst show.

Director:

Susan Stroman

Writers:

Mel Brooks (screenplay), Thomas Meehan (screenplay)

Stars:

Nathan Lane, Matthew Broderick, Uma Thurman

Nominated for 4 Golden Globes. Another 1 win & 13 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Nathan Lane	...	Max Bialystock
Matthew Broderick	...	Leo Bloom
Uma Thurman	...	Ulla
Will Ferrell	...	Franz Liebkind
Gary Beach	...	Roger DeBris
Roger Bart	...	Carmen Ghia
Eileen Essell	...	Hold Me-Touch Me
Michael McKean	...	Prison Trustee
David Huddleston	...	Judge
Debra Monk	...	Lick Me-Bite Me
Andrea Martin	...	Kiss Me-Feel Me
Jon Lovitz	...	Mr. Marks
Bryn Dowling	...	Usherette / Girl with Pearls / Little Old Lady / Bavarian Peasant
Meg Gillentine	...	Usherette / Girl with Pearls / Little Old Lady / Tapping Brown Shirt
Kevin Ligon	...	Workman / Little Old Lady

Storyline

New York, 1959. Max Bialystock was once the king of Broadway, but now all his shows close on opening night. Things turn around when he's visited by the neurotic accountant Leo Bloom, who proposes a scheme tailor-made for producers who can only make flops: raise far more money than you need, then make sure the show is despised. No one will be interested in it, so you can pocket the surplus. To this end, they produce a musical called Springtime for Hitler written by escaped Nazi Franz Liebken. Then they get the insanely flamboyant Roger De Bris to direct. Finally, they hire as a lead actress the loopy Swedish bombshell Ulla (whose last name has over 15 syllables). As opening night draws near, what can go wrong? Well, there's no accounting for taste...

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Plot Keywords:

scheme | opening night | accountant | swedish | money | 

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Genres:

Comedy | Musical

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for sexual humor and references

Details

Official Sites:

Gaumont Columbia Tristar [France] Sony Pictures [United States]

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

25 December 2005 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Producers: The Movie Musical

Filming Locations:

116th Street and Amsterdam Avenue, New York City, New York, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$45,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

$154,590 (USA) (16 December 2005)

Gross:

$19,377,727 (USA) (17 February 2006)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Universal Pictures, Columbia Pictures Corporation, Brooksfilms

Technical Specs

Runtime:

134 min

Sound Mix:

DTS Dolby Digital SDDS

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Being the first major film shot in the new Steiner Studios in Brooklyn, NY, the crew had to endure the completion of construction. The studio was only 90% complete when they moved in and there were still leaks in the roof. The crew made suggestions such as expanding make-up rooms. The suggestions were acted upon and the crew finished with resounding success in the new stage.

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Goofs

During the 'Heil Myself' number, the characters sing the line "If you're looking for a war, here's World War Two!" and make the hand gestures for 'W' 'W' '2'. The lead tenor (John Barrowman) is in a hurry to replace his hat and does the hand gestures incorrectly: 'V' 'W' '2'.

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Quotes

Leo Bloom: We might have a position for you.
Max Bialystock: As a matter of fact, we might have several positions for you.

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Crazy Credits

Showgirls from Bloom's dream sequence during the accounting office number dance around some of the closing credits.

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Connections

Referenced in Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Villains (2002)

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Soundtracks

Goodbye!
Music and Lyrics by Mel Brooks
Performed by Matthew Broderick, Uma Thurman, Will Ferrell, Gary Beach,
Roger Bart, Roger's Production Team, Nathan Lane, Accountants, Samba Band, Ray Wills,
, Marilyn Sokol, Michael McKean, Sing Sing Convicts, Stormtroopers, Jon Lovitz,
, Girls In Pearls and Mel Brooks

User Reviews

Am I missing Something?

My father adored the original Zero Mostel/Gene Wilder version of The Producers, he used to watch it regularly when I was growing up and that rubbed off on me. When I first saw Mel Brooks 'The Producers' I thought it was a stage play adapted into a movie not the other way round that it became. While I never saw the Broadway revival of 'The Producers' I did 'try' to watch the 2005 version of the 'Producers' on DVD. If you have never seen the original 1968 version and have only seen the 2005 version then of course the 2005 version is going to be funny. If you have seen the original, then you notice just how little effort the actors made other than giving pale imitation of the Zero Mostel/Gene Wilder blue print that makes the 2005 version look like an overacted summer pantomime. I could only go 15 minutes before turning it off in disgust.