It’s all subjective, of course, but for my money, Mel Brooks’ 1968 show biz comedy The Producers is one of the top five funny films ever made. And the manic stage version which arrived in 2001 is one of a handful of truly funny musical comedies. Released for production by regional theaters in the last few years, the show is difficult to get right. Calibrating the brazenly … [Read more...]
A fine bromance is at heart of ‘The Producers’
Among the many comic inspirations of Mel Brooks, one of the most enduring is the bromance between down-on-his luck theatrical producer Max Bialystock and his starstruck, gullible accountant Leo Bloom. Together, they hatch a scheme to find a surefire flop play, oversell stock in the production, then close the show quickly and pocket the excess investment money. First seen in … [Read more...]