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...

---

Plot Keywords:

scheme | opening night | accountant | swedish | nazi | 

---

Genres:

Comedy | Musical

---

Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for sexual humor and references

Details

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 USA:

$154,590, 18 December 2005, Limited Release

Gross USA:

$19,377,727, 19 February 2006

Company Credits

Production Co:

Universal Pictures, Columbia Pictures, Brooksfilms

Technical Specs

Runtime:

134 min

Sound Mix:

DTS Dolby Digital SDDS

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.39 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The screech of the black cat who is thrown by Bialystock (Nathan Lane) into the theater, the voices of the laughing pigeons, and the voice of the Stormtrooper who sings, "Don't be stupid, be a shmartie, come on join the Nazi Party" in the song "Springtime for Hitler" were provided by Mel Brooks, two roles he also recorded for the Broadway show, and one (the Stormtrooper) that he did in The Producers (1967). It's also a line from the 1983 single "To Be Or Not To Be - Hitler Rap".

---

Goofs

When Leo is pouring oil on Ulla's back, the woman playing Ulla is not Uma Thurman, and is obviously wearing a wig.

---

Quotes

Roger De Bris: Oh and Max darling we LOVED Funny Boy, didn't we Carmen?
Carmen Ghia: Oh WORSHIPPED it! Uh... To be or not to be...
Roger De Bris: You mean a lot to me!
Roger De Bris: Show stoppah!
Carmen Ghia: FABULOUS!
Max Bialystock: ...Right.

---

Crazy Credits

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

---

Connections

Version of The Producers (1967)

---

Soundtracks

We Can Do It
Music and Lyrics by Mel Brooks
Performed by Nathan Lane and Matthew Broderick

User Reviews

It's Springtime For Hitler Again!

First, there was Mel Brooks' clever movie "The Producers." That got adapted into a Tony-winning stage musical. Then the musical became adapted into a movie. This hilarious spectacle is sure to please! Nathan Lane and Matthew Broderick return as Max Bialystock and Leo Bloom, the same roles they made famous on Broadway. Lane is a riot, channeling Zero Mostel's bombastic character. Meanwhile, Broderick surprises as he does a decent take on Gene Wilder's original hysterical act. Will Ferrell scores laughs as Nazi playwright Franz Liebkind, and Uma Thurman puts in a good song and dance as Swedish sexpot Ulla. The movie perfectly catches the style of the old-fashioned musical, with a large serving of slapstick. This snappy production is sure to be a hit with everyone!