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IMDbPro

To Be or Not to Be

  • 19421942
  • PassedPassed
  • 1h 39m
IMDb RATING
8.2/10
36K
YOUR RATING
To Be or Not to Be (1942)
  • Comedy
  • Romance
  • War
During the Nazi occupation of Poland, an acting troupe becomes embroiled in a Polish soldier's efforts to track down a German spy.During the Nazi occupation of Poland, an acting troupe becomes embroiled in a Polish soldier's efforts to track down a German spy.During the Nazi occupation of Poland, an acting troupe becomes embroiled in a Polish soldier's efforts to track down a German spy.
IMDb RATING
8.2/10
36K
YOUR RATING
  • Director
    • Ernst Lubitsch
  • Writers
    • Melchior Lengyel(original story)
    • Edwin Justus Mayer(screenplay)
    • Ernst Lubitsch(original story)
  • Stars
    • Carole Lombard
    • Jack Benny
    • Robert Stack
Top credits
  • Director
    • Ernst Lubitsch
  • Writers
    • Melchior Lengyel(original story)
    • Edwin Justus Mayer(screenplay)
    • Ernst Lubitsch(original story)
  • Stars
    • Carole Lombard
    • Jack Benny
    • Robert Stack
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 157User reviews
    • 83Critic reviews
    • 86Metascore
  • See production, box office & company info
  • See more at IMDbPro
  • Top rated movie #229
    • Nominated for 1 Oscar
      • 2 wins & 2 nominations total

    Photos257

    Carole Lombard, Peter Caldwell, Alec Craig, Maude Eburne, James Finlayson, Miles Mander, and Frank Reicher in To Be or Not to Be (1942)
    Jack Benny, Paul Barrett, Felix Bressart, Tom Dugan, James Gillette, Charles Halton, Maurice Murphy, and Gene Rizzi in To Be or Not to Be (1942)
    Jack Benny, Carole Lombard, Paul Barrett, James Gillette, and Charles Halton in To Be or Not to Be (1942)
    Tom Dugan, Charles Halton, and Stanley Ridges in To Be or Not to Be (1942)
    Jack Benny and Carole Lombard in To Be or Not to Be (1942)
    Tom Dugan in To Be or Not to Be (1942)
    Jack Benny and Carole Lombard in To Be or Not to Be (1942)
    Jack Benny and Carole Lombard in To Be or Not to Be (1942)
    Jack Benny and Carole Lombard in To Be or Not to Be (1942)
    To Be or Not to Be (1942)
    To Be or Not to Be (1942)
    Carole Lombard in To Be or Not to Be (1942)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Carole Lombard
    Carole Lombard
    • Maria Tura
    Jack Benny
    Jack Benny
    • Joseph Tura
    Robert Stack
    Robert Stack
    • Lieutenant Stanislav Sobinski
    Felix Bressart
    Felix Bressart
    • Greenberg
    Lionel Atwill
    Lionel Atwill
    • Rawitch
    Stanley Ridges
    Stanley Ridges
    • Professor Siletsky
    Sig Ruman
    Sig Ruman
    • Colonel Ehrhardt
    Tom Dugan
    Tom Dugan
    • Bronski
    Charles Halton
    Charles Halton
    • Producer Jan Dobosz
    George Lynn
    George Lynn
    • Actor-Adjutant
    Henry Victor
    Henry Victor
    • Captain Schultz
    Maude Eburne
    Maude Eburne
    • Anna
    Halliwell Hobbes
    Halliwell Hobbes
    • General Armstrong
    Miles Mander
    Miles Mander
    • Major Cunningham
    Rudolph Anders
    Rudolph Anders
    • Gestapo Sergeant at Desk at Top of Hotel Stairs
    • (uncredited)
    Paul Barrett
    • Polish RAF Pilot
    • (uncredited)
    Sven Hugo Borg
    Sven Hugo Borg
    • German Soldier
    • (uncredited)
    Danny Borzage
    • Member of Audience at Performance of Hamlet
    • (uncredited)
    • Director
      • Ernst Lubitsch
    • Writers
      • Melchior Lengyel(original story)
      • Edwin Justus Mayer(screenplay)
      • Ernst Lubitsch(original story) (uncredited)
    • All cast & crew
    • See more cast details at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      When Jack Benny's father went to see this movie, he was outraged at the sight of his son in a Nazi uniform in the first scene and even stormed out of the theater. Jack convinced his father that it was satire, and he agreed to sit through all of it. His father ended up loving the film so much he saw it forty-six times.
    • Goofs
      Although having Maria Tura give the cue line "To be or not to be" to the men in the audience she wishes to meet in her dressing room is a very funny premise of the film, it actually would be highly impractical for Maria to think she would have time to meet backstage. Hamlet's "To be or not to be" soliloquy is only about 3-4 minutes long and Ophelia has the very next line in the play (in fact Hamlet announces her entrance at the end of his soliloquy), which would barely give Maria any time to meet men in her dressing room.
    • Quotes

      Joseph Tura: [disguised as Professor Siletsky - speaking about Maria Tura] Her husband is that great, great Polish actor, Josef Tura. You've probably heard of him.

      Colonel Ehrhardt: Oh, yes. As a matter of fact I saw him on the stage when I was in Warsaw once before the war.

      Joseph Tura: Really?

      Colonel Ehrhardt: What he did to Shakespeare we are now doing to Poland.

    • Alternate versions
      In Poland, a brief introduction was edited in. Polish actor Kazimierz Rudzki assured the audience that the movie was done with best intentions by their "American friends". At the time the movie screened in Poland, many people still lived in trauma from the events of World War II; few could find comedy in the German invasion of Poland, instead finding the movie in poor taste, offensive, or hard to swallow.
    • Connections
      Featured in Showbiz Goes to War (1982)
    • Soundtracks
      Polonaise in A major, Op. 40, No. 1, 'Military'
      (1838) (uncredited)

      Written by Frédéric Chopin

      Orchestral arrangement by Aleksandr Glazunov

      Heard during the opening and closing credits

    User reviews157

    Review
    Top review
    9/10
    A controversial classic that was actually made in 1941
    This movie was made before while the US was still playin' both ends against the middle. Makin' huge profits while staying "neutral" The film was not allowed to be released until after, the US entered the war.

    Easily the best of the screen versions. The cast is tight and the timing is impeccable. You can really tell that the cast believed in the film. Since America had not taken a formal stance at the time this went into production the producers, cast, and crew were really making something revolutionary and controversial. So much so that the making of this movie was not even mentioned on the Jack Benny radio program. Which is a major deal for those familiar with Old Time Radio, Jack's film career provided excellent material for comedy writers on the radio show, but also the radio show was an excellent opportunity to promote a movie. It is doubtful that this was a missed opportunity, what is more likely is that his sponsor or perhaps the network did not want to advocate a position.

    This movie is wonderful for so many reasons. Not only is it hilarious, there is suspense, intrigue, and history. Another poster, mentions the Nazi's jumping out of the plane at the order of a radio transmission by Hitler. The thing to remember here is that the Nazi army was seen as an unstoppable war machine, so efficient, that soldiers would commit suicide if asked. This was less humor than it was to evoke fear of fascism.

    Everyone remembers Bob Hope and his travels during WWII, well Jack Benny and Carole Lombard were no slouches either. After all they made this movie. Carole died in a plane crash along with her mother and twenty others returning from a war bond rally before the film was released. Jack went where few if any cameras or radio transmitters could reach. He could be found in the most remote parts of the world entertaining the troops. Not to take anything from Bob, he went there as well, he just had more photo ops.

    Bottom line watch this movie--twice, maybe more, the dialogue is so quick and witty there is a good chance you might miss it the first time, them again it is worth at least to looks.
    helpful•117
    72
    • IamWilliamBlake
    • Aug 15, 2003

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • March 6, 1942 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Languages
      • English
      • German
    • Also known as
      • Sein oder Nichtsein
    • Production company
      • Romaine Film Corporation
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $3,270,000
    • Gross worldwide
      • $4,578,000
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 39 minutes
    • Color
      • Black and White
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.37 : 1

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