History Headscratchers / TheProducers

*** Judging by the opening number "Opening Night" in the musical/movie musical, a lot of theatre patrons got their amusement from watching shows fail. "Springtime for Hitler" would be the ultimate failure in theory.

** It's Broadway. Probably figured they were performing in something in their spare time or demonstrating a costume.

* Why didn't Carmen Ghia freak out at seeing Leo and Max's swastikas? The Nazis weren't exactly kind to homosexuals.

** Even if everyone, including the immediate "victims", were in on the plan, it wouldn't change the fact that what Max and Leo did was still illegal. Besides, it's likely the old ladies were sympathetic to Max because of their...''liasons'' with him and not so much out of knowing the details of the scam and being okay with it. Max is pretty well-established (at least in the show and the 2005 movie) to be regularly fleecing them with them being blissfully unaware of it (telling them to make cheques out to "Cash" which they believe to be the title of his new play).

** There are lots of real life movies, mini series and even plays about Hitler and Nazism in general that were succesfull and people went to see them, is just that people do not normally expect them to present Hitler in a good or sympathetic light (his portrayals go from AbsoluteMonster to more of a TragicFigure), even less to be celebrated and glorified like in the movies' musical. And although the part of "springtime" in the title may be indicative is not enough for people to assume that the play was gonna be apologetical of Nazism.

** Necking, groping, tonsil hockey, tongue wrestling, motorboating, hickey-ing...
* [[InnocentInnuendo Innuendo]]

*** Plus, in the old days (when the original was made) people would go to the opening night of ''anything''. Possibly in case it did, in fact, end up a hit, so they could say "I knew it!", possibly 'cause the opening night is just so glamorous... [[{{Hatedom}} The fact that people don't do that anymore is the least of the remake's problems.]] The audience could also have assumed it was a serious, ''negative'' historical play about the "springtime" period of the Third Reich, that is, when it seemed they would really win.

** This is explained in the stage show: the cops found two accounting books, one labelled "Show to the IRS" and the other labelled "NEVER Show to the IRS." Even if the old ladies tried to lie for Max, the evidence was pretty damning.

* At the end of the movie, we see the old ladies crying and applauding in the courtroom gallery. They are obviously ''quite'' sympathetic to Max, and clearly don't want him to be punished. So if Max's investors were so loyal and all-forgiving...then why was the money situation such a problem to begin with? If he explained the situation to each of them (and instructed them to keep quiet), you'd think they would be willing to make all the necessary cover-ups.

*** Also Leo could hide the extra money in the books. Just because the IRS wouldn't investigate a flop doesn't mean they could afford for someone to come along and realise they had oversold (just as Leo does at the beginning).

*** Also Leo could hide the extra money in the books. Just because the IRS woldn't investigate a flop doesn't mean they could aford for someone to come along and realise they had oversold (just as Leo does at the beggining).

** To avoid having Leo rat on him.

* Ok...Max found the script, raised the 2 Million from the Old Ladies, and Hired the director. So.....what exactly did he need Leo for again (other than the original idea)?

** After taking over at the last second due to Franz's broken leg, Roger ruins "Springtime For Hitler" in Franz's mind due to his dishonorable portrayal of Hitler. Yet in the song, all the backup dancers and singers are responding to and accompanying Roger's antics like nothing's out of the ordinary. So how big a change actually did happen because Roger plays Hitler instead of Franz?
*** Possibly quite big, as mood in a prewritten play can be flipped on its head by simply how you say the lines.
*** I'm guessing most of the choreography would've remained the same, except if Franz had stayed, Hitler would've been played much more seriously and not quite so gay.

** Necking, groping, tonsil hockey, tongue wrestling, motorboating, hickey-ing...

* What the hell was going on behind the sofa in the "That Face" number if Leo and Ulla waited until marriage to have sex? Dry-humping? RuleOfFunny is the most obvious solution, but give me your best shot.

*** I'm guessing most of the choreography would've remained the same, except if Franz had stayed, Hitler would've been played much more seriously and not quite so gay.

*** Possibly quite big, as mood in a prewritten play can be flipped on its head by simply how you say the lines.

*** Also, they might have been expecting it to be what it unintentionally turned out to be (an over the top parody/sendup of Nazisim).

*** Possibly quite big, as mood in a prewritten play cna be flipped on its head by simply how you say the lines.