Nearly nude chorus girls wear huge pretzel and sausage headdresses. Broadway producer Max Bialystock slips the Times critic a C-note with his tickets. Little old ladies tap dance — with walkers.
Mel Brooks’ tribute to bad taste, “The Producers,” is back. The 1968 film satire, about a broke producer and a meek accountant who plot to make a pile of dough by overfinancing a theatrical turkey (the infamous “Springtime for Hitler”), has been transformed into a lavish stage production.
It opened Thursday at the Cadillac Palace Theatre, but reviews won’t appear until after the official Feb. 18 press night. It runs through Feb. 25 before moving to New York for an April 19 Broadway debut. The entire Chicago run is virtually sold out.
We attended the first preview performance to gather a few clues for those who will see the evolving musical in the next few weeks. How alike — or different — are the legendary film and the new musical? Without giving away the ending (which is new) and other key surprises, we offer selective comparisons.
Running time: The movie–90 minutes. The musical–2 hours, 45 minutes, but subject to change as the show evolves in previews.
The budget: The movie–Just over $1 million, according to Maurice Yacower’s book, “Method in Madness: The Comic Art of Mel Brooks.” The musical–An estimated $10.5 million.
The director: The movie–Mel Brooks. The musical–Broadway choreography phenom Susan Stroman, 2000 Tony Award winner for the musical “Contact” and director and choreographer of the current Broadway hit revival of “The Music Man.” She is also the show’s choreographer.
The writers: The movie–Brooks won an Academy Award in 1968 for the screenplay. The musical–Brooks co-wrote the stage version with Thomas (“Annie”) Meehan, and also wrote music and lyrics for the musicals’ numbers.
The schemers: The movie–The late Zero Mostel is the movie’s overweight, overwrought, over-the-hill producer Max Bialystock. Gene Wilder is his neurotic, nebbishy accountant, Leo Bloom. The musical–Bialystock is Nathan Lane, who won a Tony for his performance as Pseudolus in “A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum” — a role originated by Mostel. Film actor and Tony-winner Matthew Broderick is Bloom.
The bare-bones story line: The movie–Bialystock and Bloom find a terrible script, and then its terrible author, a terrible director and a terrible actor to play the lead in “Springtime for Hitler.” The producers amass 25,000 percent of the show’s cost in investments from little old ladies, and plot to disappear with the cash after the show flops. The musical–It sticks close to the movie’s plot.
The opening scene: The movie–It’s set in Max’s dingy office, where he’s collecting a few “checkies” from amorous old ladies. The musical–It takes place on 44th Street in front of New York’s Shubert Theater.
The musical numbers: The movie–There are three: “Springtime for Hitler,” “Prisoners of Love” and “Love Power.” The musical–The first two, written by Brooks, are reprised. There are an additional 15 new tunes by Brooks.
The little old ladies: The movie–Bialystock procures theatrical investments from little old ladies by romancing them around town and on his office couch, where he is jumped by perky senior, Estelle (“Let’s fool around!”) Winwood. Known to Max as “Hold Me, Touch Me,” she engages him in games such as The Contessa and The Chauffeur. The musical–Max and “Hold Me, Touch Me” consider new games, including The Debutante and The Bricklayer and The Rabbi and The Contortionist.
Bloom’s secret: The movie–Accountant Bloom is unbearably timid, sometimes unhinged and dependent for comfort on a scrap of blue blankie. The musical–Still timid and unhinged (his classic “I’m hysterical!” movie scene is replayed). And his blue blankie is still in his pocket. But Broderick’s Bloom declares he has always had a secret wish in a production number.
The “crazy Kraut”: The movie–“Springtime for Hitler” playwright Franz Liebkind, always in German helmet, is a neo-Nazi nutcase, deeply devoted to Der Fuehrer, Deutschland and his pigeons. The musical–Still a neo-Nazi nutcase.
Ulla: The movie–Bialystock’s movie secretary is a Swedish sexpot with bad English and bouncing breasts. The musical–Her part has been fleshed out.
L.S.D.: The movie–Dick Shawn’s flaky flower-power character, Lorenzo St. DuBois, gets cast as the movie’s Hitler. The musical–L.S.D. has been dumped. Max finds his Hitler right under his nose, then has to replace him suddenly with another equally outrageous candidate (whose identity we don’t want to give away).
Cross-dressing: The movie–“Springtime for Hitler” director Roger DeBris (so inept that all his shows “close on the first day of rehearsals,” says Max) makes his entrance wearing a gown that’s purplish, lacy and low-cut. The musical–DeBris (Gary Beach) also enters in evening gown, but it’s black and glittery — and so low cut, his falsies peep out.
Carmen Ghia: The movie–This mincing assistant to DeBris introduces himself to Max and Leo as the director’s “private secretary.” The musical–Carmen (played by Roger Bart, who won a Tony as Snoopy in “You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown”) refers to himself as the director’s “common-law associate.”
“Springtime for Hitler”: The movie–The title tune for Bialystock and Bloom’s flop-turned-hit lasts just under four minutes. It features Broadway chorines, with pretzels and beer steins covering their breasts, and kickline dancers dressed as stormtroopers who form a moving swastika, shot from above, Busby Berkeley style. The musical–Number has been retained. Brooks and Stroman have added six minutes or so.
Critical cash: The movie–At the opening of “Springtime for Hitler,” Max hands an astonished New York Times critic his ticket wrapped in a $100 bill, figuring it will guarantee a lousy review. “Play ball! There’s more where that came from,” he tells the critic. The musical–He repeats that bribe.
Funny lines: The musical–A slew of the movie’s best are in the musical, including Max’s “Do you know who I used to be?” and “I’m wearing a cardboard belt!” and Bloom’s “Where do you keep your wallet?” to director DeBris, resplendent in sparkling long dress.
Bialystock’s head coverings: The movie–Mostel’s Max is notable for the long strands of graying hair he combs over his bald head. Dressed up, he wears a petite fedora that perches on top of his head. The musical–Out on the town, Lane’s Max (who has more hair) pairs a more suave broad-brimmed fedora with long black cape, lined with white satin.
“Prisoners of Love”: The movie–The final number in the movie, it plays over shots of Bloom selling shares of a musical to other prison inmates, then floats over the closing credits. The musical–Reprised for the end of the musical, it figures in a far glitzier conclusion.
