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The Producers

Play trailer Poster for The Producers 1968 1h 28m Comedy Play Trailer Watchlist
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92% Tomatometer 76 Reviews 85% Popcornmeter 50,000+ Ratings
Down-and-out producer Max Bialystock (Zero Mostel), who was once the toast of Broadway, trades sexual favors with old ladies for cash contributions. Max's new accountant Leo Bloom (Gene Wilder), offhandedly muses that if Max found investors for a new production that turned into a flop, he could legally keep all the extra money. The duo begins to put together the worst play possible, titled "Springtime for Hitler", with a terrible director and a hippie-freak star.
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The Producers

The Producers

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Critics Consensus

A hilarious satire of the business side of Hollywood, The Producers is one of Mel Brooks' finest, as well as funniest films, featuring standout performances by Gene Wilder and Zero Mostel.

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Critics Reviews

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Peter Bradshaw Guardian 08/01/2018
5/5
Each time I've watched it - and I've watched it many times - Mel Brooks' The Producers has felt horribly pertinent to the present moment. Go to Full Review TIME Magazine 08/12/2008
The Producers has many things going for it -- notably a wild, ad-lib energy that explodes in a series of sight gags and punch lines. Go to Full Review Variety Staff Variety 08/12/2008
Mel Brooks has turned a funny idea into a slapstick film, thanks to the performers, particularly Zero Mostel. Go to Full Review Noah Berlatsky Everything is Horrible (Substack) 6d
50 years later...its belief in the anti-fascism of the American public comes across as quaintly cheerful. Its cynical portrayal of capitalist complicity, though, retains a queasy rightness Go to Full Review Joseph Tomastik Loud and Clear Reviews 10/05/2024
3/5
The film is far more consistently entertaining in the second half than in the first half, but a lot of the laughs come more from the ideas of what we’re seeing rather than their deliveries. Go to Full Review John Ferguson Radio Times 08/30/2024
5/5
While the gags flow freely throughout, it's the jaw-dropping numbers from Springtime for Hitler that cement the film's place in cinema history. Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Spencer P. @s_plewe May 31 The Producers, Mel Brooks' directorial debut, is an unapologetically silly satire of Broadway that takes great risks with hilarious results! See more Ben W @Username618 Apr 25 So, note to self/ just to be clear... Springtime for Hitler as a joke targets musicals, saying you can make a musical about anything, they are so insincere. So. As ever, with parody, don't kill the host. Seem to remember it was ok. The pauses are purposeful. See more Luca D. @JoeCamel7 Mar 18 Not a huge fan of comedies, and the first couple minutes of this movie feel very forced and not funny, but as the movie progresses it actually gets really funny and I was laughing out loud. The script for the movie is pretty basic, it's not that long of a movie and the performances really carry the movie. See more Chris H @RT60525826 Feb 26 Wildly funny and full of brilliant performances. An intriguing concept is mined to its fullest and every minute is a joy, even though some of it makes you cringe. There's a brilliant moment (among many) where the play, Springtime for Hitler, opens on Broadway and the audience stares open mouthed; before the camera had cut to the audience, I was already doing that myself. It really is that tasteless and I wonder if the censors might disapprove these days, but of course it's all deliberate and makes its point. Remember too that Mel Brooks, Zero Mostel and Gene Wilder are/were all Jewish. See more Austin S. @IAMAVERICK Feb 12 Favorite movie of all time... See more MariofanAlex445 @RT47678067 Feb 4 Mel is a GENIUS. See more Read all reviews
The Producers

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Cast & Crew

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Mel Brooks

Director

Zero Mostel

Max Bialystock

Gene Wilder

Leo Bloom

Dick Shawn

Lorenzo St. DuBois

Kenneth Mars

Franz Liebkind

Estelle Winwood

"Hold Me, Touch Me" Old Lady

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The Producers

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Movie Info

Synopsis Down-and-out producer Max Bialystock (Zero Mostel), who was once the toast of Broadway, trades sexual favors with old ladies for cash contributions. Max's new accountant Leo Bloom (Gene Wilder), offhandedly muses that if Max found investors for a new production that turned into a flop, he could legally keep all the extra money. The duo begins to put together the worst play possible, titled "Springtime for Hitler", with a terrible director and a hippie-freak star.
Director
Mel Brooks
Producer
Sidney Glazier
Screenwriter
Mel Brooks
Production Co
Crossbow Productions, AVCO Embassy Pictures
Genre
Comedy
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Mar 18, 1968, Wide
Release Date (Streaming)
Jan 7, 2014
Box Office (Gross USA)
$111.9K
Runtime
1h 28m
Sound Mix
Mono
Aspect Ratio
Flat (1.85:1)