Max Bialystock (Nathan Lane) has just suffered another in a long line of failures. So when accountant Leo Bloom (Matthew Broderick) comes to do the books, and notices that he collected more money than he put out, he's not too anxious to worry about such details.
But when Leo makes the comment that it's actually easier to come up with deductions and make money on a losing production than it would be to do so on a success, Max perks right up, and decides that perhaps it's time that he and Leo go into business.
While Leo may be an accountant, you see, he's always wanted to be a Broadway producer, so the timing is perfect. Max just needs to convince Leo that it's worth the effort.
Unfortunately (for Max), Leo is a bit of a straight arrow, and he isn't quite ready to give up his day job of counting for a big firm. At least, he wasn't. By the time he gets back to the office and start into a new tune about the showgirls and other benefits of being a producer, he's convinced, so he heads right back to see Max, who hasn't moved from the Central Park fountain where he left him.
First up is to raise the money. But before they can do that, they meet Ulla (Uma Thurman), who appropriately makes her entrance just as they say that nothing will come between them - so you know that she will do so eventually. And once she sings and dances, they give her the job. Rather, they give her a job, since they don't even have a script yet. For now, she can work around the office.
Before Max goes to his little old ladies (with pet names such as Hold Me-Touch Me, Lick Me-Bite Me and Kiss Me-Feel Me), they decide to pick a script, and after sorting through what appear to be hundreds, they settle on the unlikely title of Springtime for Hitler. Now they just need to secure the rights to the show and make sure that they can put on the worst show in history.
A quick trip to the rooftop home of Franz Liebkind (Will Ferrell), and a swearing of allegiance to Adolf Hitler (along with a quick dance) gets them the ability to put on the show. On the way home, Max and Leo stop at the penthouse of Roger DeBris (Gary Beach), director extraordinaire (meaning really bad) and his motley crew of Village People look-alikes.
With the bad script and bad director secured, Max settles into the business of milking the little old ladies for the money, and sure enough, he comes away with $2 million! Then they can settle into the process of making the show happen. After figuring out the combination to the safe (which was challenging because Ulla painted the whole office white, including the dial to the safe), they make it all happen.
Of course, the show turns into a huge hit, which is the worst possible news. As Max is arrested for fraud, Leo and Ulla flee the country to vacation in Rio. But they can't stay away, and return to try to save Max. Unfortunately, this just gets Leo in jail, too. But the two of them are pardoned for good behavior, and they then put on a prison-themed show, complete with a new script from Franz (which presumably does well).
Overall, the original movie was better, and I'd imagine the Broadway version was too. This was just so-so, and I really had to fast-forward several parts to get through it.
Rated PG-13 for sexual humor and references.
