Speaking of the musical version of The Producers: Rumor has it that every song that was in the show was at least filmed for the movie, though I'm wondering if that includes the little ditty that the cast sings at the end following their bows. In any case, rumor further has it that all the songs will be on the CD (which is scheduled to hit stores November 22, a month before the film is released) but that a few of the preview screenings now being done have omitted one or another, just to see if shorter is better. One might assume that if any number is trimmed before release, it will be untrimmed for the DVD release.
It is also being reported that Will Ferrell, who plays Nazi playwright Frank Liebkind, has recorded a longer, more elaborate version of his big (but short in the film) number, "Der Guten Tag Hop-Clop."
There will also be a new song which Mr. Melvin Brooks has written to run under the closing credits. It's called "There's Nothing Like a Show on Broadway." As most of you may know, when a musical is transferred to the screen, there's usually a new song or two. Maybe once upon a time, this was done for creative reasons but the main idea since around the late forties has been to see if they can snag an Academy Award, or at least a nomination for Best Song. Pre-existing songs are not eligible; only ones written directly for the screen.
So that's why in the movie of Guys and Dolls, we got "Pet Me, Poppa" instead of "A Bushel and a Peck." It's why in the film of Music Man, we got "Being in Love" instead of "My White Knight." It's why we got "I Move On" in Chicago and "Let Me Dance For You" and "Surprise, Surprise" in A Chorus Line and about half the songs in "Grease" and "Best Little Whorehouse in Texas" and did anyone ever write one of these that was as good as the rest of the score? The only one I can think of that might qualify is "Mean Green Mother from Outer Space" in the movie version of Little Shop of Horrors.
I am told that there is only one case where a Broadway musical was transferred to the screen with its score intact — no songs cut, no songs added. Anyone want to guess what it is? I'm asking because I want to see if it's happened more than once. I can only think of the one.