Sat. Dec. 31-movie minute

The "Produce" Section: Jim and I went to see The Producers starring Nathan Lane and Matthew Broderick. We were both unsure if we would like the film because neither one of us much cared for Rent. The Producers was a very pleasant surprise. I never saw the original or the Broadway play. The original starred Zero Mostel as Max Bialystock (played by Nathan Lane in the new version) and Gene Wilder starred as Leo Bloom (played by Matthew Broderick in the new version). Watching Broderick in the role I could see Gene Wilder playing the role as it's kind of a crazy/funny role. The film was really good; very laugh out loud funny in a number of places. Broderick and Lane played their roles on the stage as well as did two other characters in the film. Gary Beach who plays director Roger De Bris, a man who likes to dress up as a woman, is a stitch. He also ends up playing Hitler in the play within the movie. The other actor who played the same role on Broadway is Roger Bart. Bart is probably most familiar as the creepy George Williams on Desperate Housewives. From Bart's first scene to final scene he was absolutely hysterical. Bart plays Carmen Ghia, the common law assistant to Roger De Bris. Bart alone is worth seeing this film as he really hams it up in a good way. He's very very very funny in this role. Jim laughed out loud many times (always a good sign). It was the raucous, "this is very very funny" laugh that lets me know he thinks what he's watching is truly funny. Will Ferrell was also very good as playwright Franz Liebkind. The premise is as follows: Two men, Broderick as an accountant who wants to be a producer, and Lane a washed up producer, figure out that a flop on Broadway can net them a handsome profit. They decide to stage the most offensive and unlikely to be a hit play and it ends up winning rave reviews. Lane and especially Broderick are really good and Broderick is really underrated as a comic actor. I still have a crush on Lane, however, it looks like he's put on a few extra pounds. It's alright though because it was good for the character he plays; a sleazy producer. It may have been better on the stage but then I wouldn't know. With me, and I believe with Jim, it scores!!!!

paul