Review: Nathan Lane Shimmers In 'The Producers'

'The Producers' (PG-13) (out of four popcorns)

First, "The Producers" was a smash movie created by comic genius Mel Brooks. Then it was a Tony-winning Broadway musical created by Mel Brooks. Now, "The Producers" has come full circle to the big screen again, this time with music from the Broadway production.

The movie-musical version of "The Producers" has some rough spots, but nothing can take away from the joy of seeing Nathan Lane sink his teeth into the sheer debauchery and audacity of Max Bialystock -- the character created in the original movie by the incomparable Zero Mostel.

"The Producers" is the story of Bialystock, a fading, down-on-his luck Broadway producer who is swimming in red ink until his temporary accountant, Leo Bloom (Matthew Broderick) -- a meek man with big dreams -- ruminates out loud that an immediate flop could make more money than a hit.

The two look for the worst script in the world and think they have hit pay dirt with "Springtime For Hitler," written by a wacky Nazi loyalist named Franz Liebkind (the incomparable Will Ferrell). Ferrell steals every scene he is in -- even from the veteran scene-stealer, Lane.

Helping their cause is the casting of a Swedish goddess named Ulla (Uma Thurman) to star in their fiasco. Thurman has a ball singing and dancing her way through "The Producers."

Director Susan Stroman has made her name as a choreographer -- specifically for the stage version of "The Producers." Her direction of the movie shows a theatricality that doesn’t always translate well to the screen.

Tellingly, the best parts of the new film are the production numbers, including a "Music Man"-type number with hundreds of little gray-haired ladies with walkers following the pied piper Bialystock down a New York street.

Of course, the showstopper is "Springtime for Hitler," as gorgeous ladies wearing headdresses featuring beer steins and pretzels fawn over the gayest Hitler you have ever seen.

Broderick is a fantastic song-and-dance man, but the mannered performance that was so funny on stage, just comes across as bad acting on the movie screen, and we all know Broderick is not a bad actor.

I also felt that the actors playing the gay entourage of director Roger De Bris (Gary Beach) are so over-the-top that their scenes are borderline offensive. Whether you think it is funny all depends on your sense of humor.

To me, the director seems a bit unsure as to where her actors should be focusing. Most of the time they relate to each other, but there are many moments where they speak directly to the screen. This type of shot is usually used when the character has an aside for the audience, but the effect in “The Producers” is rarely used to speak to the audience.

Despite its faults, "The Producers" is just the kind of fun moviegoers need for the holiday season -- a little song, a little dance, a little hysterical romance.

"The Producers," now playing in limited release, opens nationwide Dec. 25.