The Producers

THE PRODUCERS (1967) - Mel Brooks' first feature film starts with the funniest opening credits sequence I've ever seen - a monetarily motivated rendezvous between a serial Broadway failure and a sexually insatiable octogenarian - and then proceeds to get even more hilarious as it progresses. The fabulous Zero Mostel somehow manages to chew scenery for breakfast, lunch and dinner while never overshadowing any of the other players (whose performances are all also appropriately broad, to be honest). Interestingly, were it not for a little known film by the name of THE GRADUATE (1967) casting while this film was going into production, we would have had Dustin Hoffman as the starry-eyed Nazi playwright. So Dustin went on to fame in another picture; Kenneth Mars ended up with a juicy role in just his second feature film; and Mel got to skewer the Third Reich and win an Academy Award for writing while doing it. Sometimes things just work out.

**Greatest of all Time - GOAT - Best comedies.** Easily my number one. This film can be rewatched over and over again - always just as hilarious and timeless.