Does the Film, The Producers, 2005, Have Elements of Comedy? Let’s Find Out
A Critique of The Producers, 2005.
The Producers is a 2005 musical comedy film that received mixed reviews from critics and audiences. Whereas many film elements have been used in The Producers, comedy is one of the most pronounced elements. The storyline revolved around an accountant who resigned from his job, Leo Bloom, and became a Broadway producer. The former accountant partners up with Max Bialystock, a failed producer. To Leo, the two can make as much money as they want as long as they make the show terrible. They search for the worst script ever written, the worst actors and actresses, and the worst director. However, to their shock, the show praising Hitler became successful after the audience confused it for satire. The partners get into trouble with the authorities as they attempt to evade taxes and are arrested. After a few years, they are released and become successful Broadway Producers.
Application of the genre “comedy” in the film
The main element of comedy in the film is humor. Humor can be defined as a mood that brings out comedy and laughter. Thus, a comedy film is a humorous film. In such a discussion, one must consider two things. The first is that humor can make people laugh out loud. The second is that humor unites and solidifies the story/plot. In the case of The Producers, humor was used for the latter rather than the former.
Many scenes make audiences laugh from the movie. One such scene is when Leo and Max first read the musical Springtime for Hitler by the ex-Nazi, Franz Liebkind (Will Ferrell). In the scene, Leo and Max are shocked by the script, which is described as the worst. However, they cannot outrightly tell Franz their opinions; they need the terrible script to create a dud. Still, in the same scene, Franz tries to show the audience his disturbing patriotism toward Hitler in a humorous way.
There was a lot of debate on whether children under 18 can be allowed to watch the film as sexual jokes and profanity are inappropriate for children that young. Within the concept of humor, the film uses sexual jokes to bring out the story. One scene that can be chosen to showcase the sex jokes is Max’s scene with an older woman who gives him money. Max is unashamed by the fact that he is using his boy to get money. Even though Leo blames him for what Leo terms “prostitution,” Max is comfortable and goes on making jokes about how he has always preferred elderly women, anyway.
Does the film fit in the comedy genre?
First, as mentioned, it incorporates the most significant element in comedy, humor. Despite some arguing that the film employs cheap humor, it does fit into the comedy genre. Regardless of the quality of humor presented, it is only fair to admit that it is under the said genre. Similarly, the storyline adheres to comedy qualifications by having a perfect ending. Happy endings are critical in comedy. Indeed, some stories have humor but are not considered comedies. The main reason could be the amount of humor in the stories and their ending.
An example of another film can be given to explain the concept further. The film, Horrible Bosses, has been highly praised for being a comedy. Despite the characters going through several challenges in an attempt to make their lives extraordinary, the film ends with them having better and happier families and more money in their banks. Returning to the film under review, The Producers, it ends with some show of brotherhood and the three friends, Leo, Max, and Franz becoming great Broadway producers. Arguably, the thing with comedy is that the comic comes from the different ways the characters try to solve a problem they have identified as crucial. In the same breath, the film also creates humor through body language and not just dialogue. The characters use their body language to hint at and suggest more humorous messages.
Conclusion
The film The Producers can be termed humorous and fits into the requirements of the genre of comedy. Regarding humor, the film dispenses it in several ways; it does so through language and dialogue and expressions and body language. Since the story revolves around two failed producers trying to create a failed show and pass it as a dud, it automatically stands out as a funny film. There have been debates on the quality of humor used in the movie, with some critics stating that even though it is weird, the humor is cheap and vulgar.
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