Double Feature: The Producers
There’s no business like show business - and that is the backdrop to the original and remake of The Producers (1967 and 2005 respectively), the first as the premiere feature from writer / director Mel Brooks and the later remake produced after a successful Broadway re-interpretation. Made at significantly different points in his career, the films mark two points on an arc of Brooks’ oeuvre, the first that began his journey with film comedies and the second that celebrated his transition to the Broadway stage. Similar to his other early comedy efforts, The Producers (1967) is an unconventional story, hosts interesting characters (including a playwright that is dedicated to Hitler), and memorable one liners, but lacks smooth camera work and tight editing. The Producers (2005) remake, directed by Susan Stroman, and based upon the Broadway show that opened in 2001, has a much tighter plot, which became necessary in order to fit in all the musical song and dance numbers. Overall, the two films maintain the same basic plot structure, but are very different in their final product.
Opening scenes often set the tone for the rest of the film, introducing characters, building up the main conflict, and establishing the production’s aesthetic. With this in mind, the opening to the original film is rambling, with either loose writing or undefined improvisation by the actors, along with choppy edits, causing the audience to be hyper-aware of the camera cuts. Additionally, Zero Mostel continuously glances toward the camera for no apparent reason, and Gene Wilder barely sells a mental breakdown of his character the accountant (involving a precious blue blanket that he can’t be parted with). All in all, a rough beginning for a film and a challenge for the remake to revamp. Even with Nathan Lane doing his best Mostel impression and Matthew Broderick attempting to sell the same breakdown, the writers wisely tighten the script, delivering the important beats for the plot and then (mercilessly) moves on with the story.
When reviewing the two films, it is only natural to compare the actors who inhabit the same roles. Zero Mostel is a larger than life character and his natural broad strokes brought the role of Max to life. Nathan Lane is doing his best impression of Zero, but he still imbues his own brand of zany. For Gene Wilder’s first starring role in a film, he garnered a nomination for Best Supporting Actor at the Oscars. As the film opens, he brings a naivete to Leo Bloom that blossoms into glee for their illegal scheme, and finally resolves in his courtroom speech where he recognizes how Max has opened up his life. Matthew Broderick brings a much more boy-ish quality to his Leo and has the advantage of musical numbers to express more of his character’s narrative arc. There isn’t much comparison to the original Ulla and Uma Thurman’s iteration - the former’s role was played for laughs as a 60s gogo dancing airhead secretary, whereas the Ulla from the Broadway and 2005 adaptation had to be fleshed out to be more consequential to the story. Finally, one gem of a character from the original film is that of Andreas Voutsinas who plays Carmen Ghia, the director’s assistant. Everything from the man’s exquisite beard, to the makeup, to his body posture and attitude is pure delicious weird energy that demands the viewer’s attention. Unfortunately, Roger Bart simply can’t match Voutsinas’ style, suave, and sass.
The initial film doesn’t come packaged as a musical, but music plays an important role throughout the movie - most notably the grand opening night performance (that includes scantily clad women in various accoutrements pasted over their privates, including pretzels, beer foam, and black birds). The highlight of this sequence is a homage to Busby Berkeley with an overhead shot of the dancers circling in a swastika formation. Other musical numbers include the hippy audition scene for Hitler (which doesn’t quite age well, but was also supposed to be bad by 1960s standards), Max and Leo’s joyful and drunk jukebox singing when they think their scheme is going smoothly, as well as the new musical they produce in jail called “Prisoners of Love.” The Broadway show and the film adaptation tightens the script, finds natural moments for songs that not only moves the plot forward, but also give the characters moments to shine. Matthew Broderick is given set pieces that highlights his boyish charm and he jumps around the stage during “I Wanna Be a Producer” with zeal that is contagious. While the final act has significant changes, allowing the dynamic duo to become real successful Broadway producers, Brooks still builds in time to transform Wilder’s monologue honoring Max into a touching song (‘Til Him).
Overall, The Producers was a tantalizing and subversive idea that miraculously made it to screen and kick-started Brooks’ career. While the original film has some rough edges, there are moments envisioned by his writing and delivered by the actors (“You are the audience. I am the writer. I outrank you!”) that demonstrated the grand potential of Brooks’ talent; moments that preview the both sophisticated and low brow comedy that he consistently delivered throughout the rest of his career. The remake truly improves upon the original, inserting a tighter script with fun songs and enthusiastic Broadway energy.
