Review of The Producers (1968) by Craig T — 29 Mar 2011

Mel Brooks has made some of the best comedies of all time. He sits behind the camera and orchestrates meticulously like he's taking part in comedic symphonies. Several of his best works star Gene Wilder and this one includes both of these talented goofballs, as well as Zero Mostel in perhaps his best performance. Brooks combines his talents with these two comedic geniuses and the results are historically sidesplitting.

Mostel is a down and out producer who has succumb to conning little old ladies out of a little dough to get by. Wilder, an accountant that becomes his unlikely partner has the golden idea that Mostel pounces on. The partners figure that if they produce a sure failure, they can earn as much money as an all time winner (or more). After picking an awful script (the infamous "Springtime for Hitler") and an equally awful director, the stage it set...for disaster!

Even as a young boy, I loved watching the first 15 minutes of The Producers. Wilder catches Mostel playing "hold me touch me" with one of his little old ladies and the two share some priceless screen time together as one yells and the other cowers into a fit of hysterics. Wilder earned himself an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor while Brooks took home some gold for Original Screenplay. I still love this film; even more now in my 30's and I feel I can now fully appreciate the Mostel and Wilder duo. This is a true match, a real dream team. This is one of the Brooks finest films that I put on the same shelf as Young Frankenstein and Blazing Saddles and yet is a standalone picture that should be seen at all costs. All three sit on the shelf like a fine wine, only growing more appreciated as the years go by. The Producers is a hit. (A).