10 Most Controversial Comedies Of All Time

Just two decades after World War II, Mel Brooks made his directorial debut with The Producers, which contains a fictional Broadway show called Springtime For Hitler, which contains such tactful lyrics as "We're marching to a faster pace / Look out, here comes the master race."

It's the very definition of a "too soon" joke.

Indeed, much of The Producers is tasteless, vulgar, awkward, and cringe-worthy. And that's exactly what makes it so damn funny.

Although Brooks would court controversy many times over the course of his career, his work on The Producers provided him a righteous platform like no other. Amidst the ample criticism he received for making light of the atrocities of World War II, Brooks offered this thoughtful explanation:

"Rhetoric does not get you anywhere, because Hitler and Mussolini are just as good at rhetoric. But if you can bring these people down with comedy, they stand no chance."

Whether or not you agree that these events could or should be played for laughs, you have to admit the impetus for Brooks' production. And the fact that The Producers has been re-adapted several times over for modern audiences proves that he was onto something. With any luck, his bold debut will continue to offend audiences for decades to come.