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To Be or Not to Be (1942)
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Overview
User Rating:
Director:
Writers:
Release Date:
6 March 1942 (USA)
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Plot:
During the Nazi occupation of Poland, an acting troupe becomes embroiled in a Polish soldier's efforts to track down a German spy. full summary | add synopsis
Plot Keywords:
Nazi
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Actor
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WWII
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Polish Resistance
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Blitzkrieg
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Awards:
Nominated for Oscar.
Another 2 wins
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NewsDesk:
(5 articles)
Jude Law ... You Are the Father
(From TMZ. 11 October 2009, 8:08 AM, PDT)
Curio: 10 Cents for Carole
(From FilmExperience. 7 October 2009, 11:00 AM, PDT)
(From TMZ. 11 October 2009, 8:08 AM, PDT)
Curio: 10 Cents for Carole
(From FilmExperience. 7 October 2009, 11:00 AM, PDT)
User Comments:
Classic Satirical Comedy That Gets Even Better As It Goes Along
more (65 total)
Cast
(Complete credited cast) | Carole Lombard | ... | Maria Tura |
 | Jack Benny | ... | Joseph Tura |
 | Robert Stack | ... | Lieut. Stanislav Sobinski |
 | Felix Bressart | ... | Greenberg |
| Lionel Atwill | ... | Rawitch |
| Stanley Ridges | ... | Professor Siletsky |
| Sig Ruman | ... | Col. Ehrhardt |
| Tom Dugan | ... | Bronski |
| Charles Halton | ... | Producer Dobosh |
| George Lynn | ... | Actor-Adjutant |
| Henry Victor | ... | Capt. Schultz |
| Maude Eburne | ... | Anna |
| Halliwell Hobbes | ... | Gen. Armstrong |
| Miles Mander | ... | Major Cunningham |
Additional Details
Parents Guide:
Runtime:
99 min
Country:
Color:
Aspect Ratio:
1.37 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Mono (Western Electric Mirrophonic Recording)
Certification:
Canada:PG (video rating) |
South Korea:12 (2003) |
Finland:S |
Sweden:15 |
USA:Approved (PCA #7834) |
West Germany:12
Company:
Fun Stuff
Trivia:
Premiere voted this movie as one of "The 50 Greatest Comedies Of All Time" in 2006.
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Goofs:
Crew or equipment visible: During the flight to Warsaw, the wire holding the obviously model airplane is visible.
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Quotes:
Josef Tura:
It's unbelievable! Unbelievable! I come home to find a man in the same boat with me and my wife says to me, "What does it matter?"
Lieutenant Stanislav Sobinski: But, Mr. Tura, it's the 'zero hour'.
Maria Tura: You certainly don't want me to waste a lot of time giving you a long explanation.
Josef Tura: No, but I think a husband is entitled to an inkling.
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Lieutenant Stanislav Sobinski: But, Mr. Tura, it's the 'zero hour'.
Maria Tura: You certainly don't want me to waste a lot of time giving you a long explanation.
Josef Tura: No, but I think a husband is entitled to an inkling.
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Movie Connections:
Featured in The 100 Greatest War Films (2005) (TV)
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Soundtrack:
German National Anthem (Das Lied der Deutschen)
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FAQ
This FAQ is empty. Add the first question.more (65 total)
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Beneath all the one-liners and amusing gags, this classic comedy has an undertone of satire that is quite effective. Jack Benny plays his role with just the right amount of exaggeration for it to work perfectly, and he, Carole Lombard, and the rest of the cast help Ernst Lubitsch to tell a lively yet worthwhile tale. There are a few slow spots early in the movie, but after it hits its stride, everything fits together well.
Very few film-makers can make something like this succeed, because they take themselves too seriously. Lubitsch does not, and as a result this film provides a caricatured but relatively insightful portrayal of the Nazis, with a light-hearted yet appreciative look at those who opposed them in the occupied countries. The right kind of lighter touch can sometimes be more effective in commenting on important issues than the heavy, emotionally laden harangues that are all too common.
While providing good entertainment, this movie also brings out the Nazis' inherent insecurity, pettiness, and short-sightedness, while also demonstrating their growing capacity for destroying the innocent. For example, the wonderful character actor Sig Ruman is greatly entertaining as a Nazi bureaucrat, yet he also cleverly brings out the pathetic side of such persons.
Aside from a couple of good gags, it starts off just a little slowly. A lot of time is spent on Robert Stack's character, who is (through no fault of Stack's) not very interesting. Likewise, the subplot involving him and Lombard takes up a lot more time than it was worth. Other than that, though, it moves briskly, with many entertaining scenes while it develops the story. As the pace picks up, the members of Benny's acting troupe get some fine moments of their own, Benny himself has some fine scenes with several other characters, and everything builds up nicely towards a good finale.