A lot of times when it comes to classic movies, I already know the story going in. The Producers has been re-made so many times, in so many forms, that the plot is pretty well known. The set-up of a Broadway producer and a neurotic accountant plotting to put on the biggest flop in history, so as to reap the profits, is about as wacky as it comes; yet it seems to work. Part of the reason why it works so well is because of the campy 1968 setting. My biggest issue with most remakes is that without the original era as a background, something always gets lost in translation.

The decade is such an important backdrop largely due to the cast of supporting characters. While the conniving Max Bialystock and the über-nervous Leo Bloom could really exist in any time, Ulla, Carmen Ghia, Roger De Bris, and Lorenzo St. DuBois could not. Nor could the entirely preposterous plot and costumes for Springtime for Hitler, the sure-fire flop Bialystock and Bloom dream up.

Ulla is a typical ‘60s ditz: all glitz and sexuality, and no real intelligence or helpfulness. She is Bialystock’s secretary and eye candy with her blonde bouffant, bell-sleeved mini dress, vinyl raincoat, and zebra & mesh bikini. Meanwhile, Carmen Ghia is a proto-typical beatnik, with his all-black clothing and a gold magnifying glass pendant. Director Roger De Bris takes on the flamboyant persona, mixing several patterns and textures with his silk ascots. Lastly, Lorenzo St. DuBois (L.S.D.), the unlikely star of Springtime for Hitler, is a true flower power hippie with his fur boots and homemade soup can necklace.

This kooky cast of characters has to be seen to be believed, as do the vinyl Go-Go boots and mini skirts that constitute the Springtime for Hitler costumes. While the movie is completely unbelievable and silly, the ‘60s setting makes it all the more charming and an undeniable classic.

Shop It:

• Mod Yellow Mini Skirt
• Gold Lamé Trench Coat
• Shoulder-Dusting Lucite Earrings
• White Gladiator Go-Go Boots
• Bright Pink Knit Wool Dress