The Producers

Max Bialystock, a once-successful Broadway producer, finds himself in a downward spiral of failure. He struggles to maintain a hand-to-mouth existence while indulging in relationships with wealthy elderly women to fund his next unproduced play.

Bialystock meets Leo Bloom, a nervous accountant, who arrives to audit the books of his last play. During this encounter, Bloom discovers a significant overcharge in the accounts, and Bialystock persuades him to help hide this small fraud to avoid prison.

Realizing that producing a flop could benefit him financially, Bialystock convinces Bloom that they can profit from a guaranteed failure. They plan to oversell shares of a new play and flee the country with the leftover funds, setting the stage for their dubious venture.

After sifting through numerous terrible plays, Max and Leo settle on 'Springtime for Hitler,' a misguided musical written by an ex-Nazi. They believe its absurd premise will ensure it is a flop, and they charm the playwright into signing over the stage rights.

To further ensure the play's failure, they hire flamboyant director Roger De Bris, known for his productions that close on the very first day of rehearsal. This decision is part of their larger scheme to create a strictly dismal production.

The role of Hitler goes to Lorenzo St. DuBois, a carefree hippie who accidentally walks into the audition. His lack of seriousness about the role is deemed ideal by Max and Leo, as they believe he will contribute to the play's failure.

Bialystock embarks on the outrageous move of selling 25,000% of the play to eager investors, particularly targeting his elderly female clientele. With this massive overselling, they begin to envision their escape to Rio De Janeiro.

The much-anticipated opening night of 'Springtime for Hitler' unfolds. Despite Max's efforts to secure negative reviews, the audience misinterprets the production as a satire, much to the shock of both Max and Leo.

Instead of the expected backlash, the audience finds the performance laughably entertaining. As members rave about the show, Max and Leo realize their plan is derailing as the production gains unexpected accolades.

Franz Liebkind, the playwright, becomes enraged by L.S.D.'s interpretation of Hitler. In his fury, he storms onto the stage to confront the audience, but his outburst is interpreted as part of the performance, further endearing the show to viewers.

Despite all plans for failure, 'Springtime for Hitler' is declared a smash hit. This realization shocks Max and Leo, as it means their investors will expect a financial return they cannot fulfill.

Max and Leo are confronted by a deeply humiliated Franz, who accuses them of betraying his trust and breaking the 'Siegfried Oath'. In the heat of the moment, the trio reconciles and decides to take drastic measures.

In a final act of desperation, Max, Leo, and Franz band together to blow up the theater to end their disastrous production. The explosion results in their arrest, leading them to face serious charges.

At their trial, despite Leo's emotional testimony about Max's character, they are found 'incredibly guilty'. Their efforts to escape justice unraveled spectacularly, leading to their inevitable conviction.

Now imprisoned, Max, Leo, and Franz find a way to continue producing plays. They jokingly call their latest venture 'Prisoners of Love' while Leo continues to engage in over-selling shares to fellow inmates and the prison staff.