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What’s the Story?

Reviewed by Hollis Griffin

A slapstick comedy-musical starring Gene Wilder, THE PRODUCERS features two con artist/Broadway producers who plot to swindle old women into financing the most awful musical ever staged. Their ultimate goal is to have the musical bomb, pocket all of the receipts, and then disappear to a beach in Rio de Janeiro. To make this dream a reality, Max Bialystock (Zero Mostel) and Leo Bloom choose an offensive Nazi love story penned by a German madman, and select a no-talent gay director in order to ensure that the musical flops. The result is "Springtime for Hitler," an absurd musical extravaganza that features scantily clad Bavarian women and a dancing chorus comprised of Nazi soldiers.

Is It Any Good?

4

There are moments of this movie that are so bizarre that they are nothing short of hilarious. Nevertheless, appreciating this humor requires that viewers be able to identify the parodic quality of the staged musical. The film allows many opportunities for families to discuss the stereotyped portrayals of various characters, for example, the play's gay director and Bialystock's seemingly, Swedish sex kitten secretary. The moral implications of deceiving others and the potential fallout of going after a quick buck are also good discussion points.

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