Mel Brooks is a goddamn genius

This is Mel Brooks with a busty lady. GENIUS!! I don't know what movie this is though.

"The Producers" is a film that saved my sanity when my husband was overseas. And to this day, the kids very much enjoy the movie. Of course, they haven't seen all the movie. But, the parts they have seen, well!!! It was a gay old time had by all.

This is Max Bialystok. He is a swindler and a schmoozer.

This is Leo Bloom, an accountant who is unhappy.

Bloom has dreams of becoming a producer and having lunch at Sardie's every day.

He is also Max Bialystok's account. Max pounces on Leo, drawing him into a scheme to make a million dollars by producing a Broadway play. But, it must be a flop, an absolute disaster. Leo agrees! And their off!!!

Max raises the seed money by swindling old ladies. GENIUS!!

The look for a horrible play and even worse playwright. They find a playwright who loves Hitler. The playwright is nuts but undeniably earnest. He has written a musical called "Springtime for Hitler" as a loving tribute to his hero. Max becomes excited, people will be so offended at the play they will turn away and the play will be a flop. It's all coming together.

Uma Thurman joins the fun as German eye candy, singing and talking in broken English with heavy German accent. She becomes Leo's girlfriend. The most genius part of this character is towards the very end, when she is singing one of the last songs. Her accent, just briefly, every so slightly . . . . fades . . . just for a second though (wink wink).

Max and Leo consult a choreographer and costume designer to add flair to Spring Time for Hitler." The man above is his common law

assssssssssssssssssssiiiiiissssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssstant.

Sometimes, Pancake and I hiss our essess when we are being silly.

again GENIUS!!!

This is the costume designer, he ponders the whole thing, he stops, looks ill. He is having a stroke . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . of GENIUS!!! He has visions of the play, everyone decked out in feathers and tiaras. He vows to keep it gay, keep it gay, KEEP IT GAY!!

Genius!!

My daughter laughs at this shot. "That man is silly wearing a dress! "

again, GENIUS!!!

At the end of this scene everyone breaks out into a conga line.

And at my house, at random times I will yelp--CONGA!!! and Pancake and I will Conga. oh yes, we conga at the house of Hall. GENIUS!!!

The crazy yet earnest playwright was to play the lead role, but he broke his leg. The flaming gay choreographer takes his place.

And so, the play that was to be serious, lapses into satire and dammit, it's a hit!!

This causes trouble for our heroes.

They get jail time. And naturally produce a musical in there. The ending is quite good. I loved it all, really I loved this film.

And to think I never really wanted to watch it. Two years before I saw it, I saw a PBS documentary on the making of the cast recording of the Broadway play. I learned the basic plot lines there. I did purchase the cd and really loved it. So, I thought, no need to see the film, after all I had heard the music so many times.

I was so very very very very very very very very wrong.

Mel Brooks is a genius on so many levels I can't bring myself to list them all.

Just know, that man, is a goddamn genius.

Now you, you reader of Mrs. Hall, tell me what your favorite Mel Brooks film is.

and always, keep it gay, keep it gay, KEEP IT GAY!!!!

CONGA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!