To Be or Not to Be (1942)
Reference View | Change View
- Passed
- 1h 39min
- Comedy, Romance
- 06 Mar 1942 (USA)
- Movie
During the German occupation of Poland, an acting troupe becomes embroiled in a Polish soldier's efforts to track down a German spy.
Director:
Writers:
Stars:
Awards:
- Nominated for 1 Oscar. Another 5 wins & 1 nomination.
- See more »
Photos and Videos
Cast verified as complete
| Carole Lombard | ... |
Maria Tura
|
|
| Jack Benny | ... |
Joseph Tura
|
|
| Robert Stack | ... |
Lieutenant Stanislav Sobinski
|
|
| Felix Bressart | ... |
Greenberg
|
|
| Lionel Atwill | ... |
Rawitch
|
|
| Stanley Ridges | ... |
Professor Siletsky
|
|
| Sig Ruman | ... |
Colonel Ehrhardt
|
|
| Tom Dugan | ... |
Bronski
|
|
| Charles Halton | ... |
Producer Jan Dobosz
|
|
| George Lynn | ... |
Actor-Adjutant
|
|
| Henry Victor | ... |
Captain Schultz
|
|
| Maude Eburne | ... |
Anna
|
|
| Halliwell Hobbes | ... |
General Armstrong
|
|
| Miles Mander | ... |
Major Cunningham
|
|
| Rest of cast listed alphabetically: | |||
| Rudolph Anders | ... |
Gestapo Sergeant at Desk at Top of Hotel Stairs (uncredited)
|
|
 |
Paul Barrett | ... |
Polish RAF Pilot (uncredited)
|
| Sven Hugo Borg | ... |
German Soldier (uncredited)
|
|
|
|
Danny Borzage | ... |
Member of Audience at Performance of Hamlet (uncredited)
|
| Buster Brodie | ... |
Townsman (uncredited)
|
|
|
|
Peter Caldwell | ... |
Wilhelm Kunze (uncredited)
|
| Alec Craig | ... |
Scottish Farmer Without Mustache (uncredited)
|
|
| Helmut Dantine | ... |
Co-Pilot (uncredited)
|
|
|
|
Jack Deery | ... |
Member of Audience at Performance of Hamlet (uncredited)
|
| Leslie Denison | ... |
Captain (uncredited)
|
|
| James Finlayson | ... |
Scottish Farmer with Mustache (uncredited)
|
|
| Bess Flowers | ... |
Polish RAF Pilot's Assistant (uncredited)
|
|
|
|
James Gillette | ... |
Polish RAF Pilot (uncredited)
|
| Stuart Hall | ... |
Member of Audience at Performance of Hamlet (uncredited)
|
|
| Leyland Hodgson | ... |
Second Reporter (uncredited)
|
|
|
|
Shep Houghton | ... |
German Soldier (uncredited)
|
| Olaf Hytten | ... |
Polonius in Warsaw (uncredited)
|
|
| Charles Irwin | ... |
Reporter (uncredited)
|
|
| Tiny Jones | ... |
Townswoman (uncredited)
|
|
| John Kellogg | ... |
Polish RAF Flyer (uncredited)
|
|
| Adolf E. Licho | ... |
Prompter (uncredited)
|
|
| Wilbur Mack | ... |
Member of Audience at Performance of Hamlet (uncredited)
|
|
|
|
John Meredith | ... |
English Wireless Operator (uncredited)
|
| Maurice Murphy | ... |
Polish RAF Pilot (uncredited)
|
|
| Richard Neill | ... |
Warsaw Bystander (uncredited)
|
|
| Russ Powell | ... |
Warsaw Bystander (uncredited)
|
|
| Frank Reicher | ... |
Polish Official (uncredited)
|
|
| Otto Reichow | ... |
Co-Pilot (uncredited)
|
|
| Gene Rizzi | ... |
Polish RAF Pilot (uncredited)
|
|
| John Roy | ... |
Member of Audience at Performance of Hamlet (uncredited)
|
|
| Hans Schumm | ... |
Special Investigations Squad (uncredited)
|
|
| Stephen Soldi | ... |
Warsaw Bystander (uncredited)
|
|
|
|
Count Stefenelli | ... |
Member of Audience at Performance of Hamlet (uncredited)
|
| Roland Varno | ... |
Pilot (uncredited)
|
|
| Ernö Verebes | ... |
Stage Manager (uncredited)
|
|
| Dorothy Vernon | ... |
Member of Audience at Performance of Hamlet (uncredited)
|
|
|
|
Armand 'Curly' Wright | ... |
Makeup Man (uncredited)
|
| Wolfgang Zilzer | ... |
Man in Bookstore (uncredited)
|
|
Directed by
| Ernst Lubitsch | ||
Written by
| Melchior Lengyel | ... | (original story) |
| Edwin Justus Mayer | ... | (screenplay) |
| Ernst Lubitsch | ... | (original story) (uncredited) |
Produced by
| Ernst Lubitsch | ... | producer |
Music by
| Werner R. Heymann | ... | (musical score by) |
Cinematography by
| Rudolph Maté | ... | (photographed by) |
Editing by
| Dorothy Spencer | ... | film editor |
Casting By
| Victor Sutker | ||
Production Design by
| Leila Rubin | ... | (production designed by) (as Vincent Korda) |
Set Decoration by
| Julia Heron | ... | (interior decoration) |
Makeup Department
| Gordon Bau | ... | makeup artist |
Production Management
| Walter Mayo | ... | production manager |
Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
| William McGarry | ... | assistant director |
| William Tummel | ... | assistant director |
Art Department
| J. McMillan Johnson | ... | associate art director (as J. MacMillan Johnson) |
| Jack Caffey | ... | props (uncredited) |
Sound Department
| Frank Maher | ... | sound |
Special Effects by
| Lawrence W. Butler | ... | special effects (as Lawrence Butler) |
Costume and Wardrobe Department
| Irene | ... | costumes: Miss Lombard |
| Eugene Joseff | ... | costume jeweller (uncredited) |
Music Department
| Miklós Rózsa | ... | composer: additional music (uncredited) |
| Eugene Zador | ... | orchestrator: Miklós Rózsa (uncredited) |
Additional Crew
| Alexander Korda | ... | presenter |
| Ryszard Ordynski | ... | technical supervisor (as Richard Ordynski) |
| Jacques Berlioz | ... | french voice dubbing: Sig Ruman (uncredited) |
| Jean-Henri Chambois | ... | french voice dubbing: Gene Rizzi (uncredited) |
| Emilio Cigoli | ... | italian narrator (uncredited) |
| Janine Clairjane | ... | french voice dubbing: Carole Lombard (uncredited) |
| Jean Clarieux | ... | french voice dubbing: Tom Dugan (uncredited) |
| Olinto Cristina | ... | italian voice dubbing: Sig Ruman (uncredited) |
| Jean Davy | ... | french narrator (uncredited) |
| Henri Ebstein | ... | french voice dubbing: Miles Mander (uncredited) |
| Fernand Fabre | ... | french voice dubbing: Leyland Hodgon (uncredited) |
| Richard Francoeur | ... | french voice dubbing: Jack Benny (uncredited) |
| Lauro Gazzolo | ... | italian voice dubbing: Charles Halton (uncredited) |
| Camille Guérini | ... | french voice dubbing: Felix Bressart (uncredited) |
| Georges Hubert | ... | french voice dubbing: Lionel Atwill (uncredited) |
| Pino Locchi | ... | italian voice dubbing: Robert Stack (uncredited) |
| Raymond Loyer | ... | french voice dubbing: George Lynn (uncredited) |
| Augusto Marcacci | ... | italian voice dubbing: Jack Benny (uncredited) |
| Albert Montigny | ... | french voice dubbing: Charles Halton (uncredited) |
| Rina Morelli | ... | italian voice dubbing: Carole Lombard (uncredited) |
| Pierre Morin | ... | french voice dubbing: Halliwell Hobbes (uncredited) |
| Luigi Pavese | ... | italian voice dubbing: Lionel Atwill (uncredited) |
| Corrado Racca | ... | italian voice dubbing: Tom Dugan (uncredited) |
| Stefano Sibaldi | ... | italian voice dubbing: Stanley Ridges (uncredited) |
| Aldo Silvani | ... | italian voice dubbing: Felix Bressart (uncredited) |
| Marc Valbel | ... | french voice dubbing: Stanley Ridges (uncredited) |
| Gaetano Verna | ... | italian voice dubbing: Henry Victor (uncredited) |
| Mauro Zambuto | ... | italian voice dubbing: Gene Rizzi (uncredited) |
Production Companies
- Romaine Film Corporation (An Ernst Lubitsch Production)
Distributors
- United Artists (1942) (United States) (theatrical) (released through)
- United Artists (1942) (Canada) (theatrical) (as United Artists Corporation, Ltd.)
- United Artists (1942) (United Kingdom) (theatrical) (as United Artists Corporation, Ltd.)
- United Artists (Australasia) (1942) (Australia) (theatrical)
- Artistas Unidos (1942) (Mexico) (theatrical)
- Los Artistas Unidos de América del Sur (1942) (Argentina) (theatrical)
- Filmimport A/S (1946) (Norway) (theatrical)
- Sonoro Filme (1946) (Portugal) (theatrical)
- AB Kungsfilm (1947) (Sweden) (theatrical)
- Nederland NV (1947) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
- Masterpiece Productions (1948) (United States) (theatrical) (re-release)
- Masterpiece Productions (1950) (United States) (tv)
- Lunaris (1950) (Finland) (theatrical)
- Nederland NV (1957) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
- Yleisradio (YLE) (1959) (Finland) (tv)
- Mainostelevisio (MTV) (1969) (Finland) (tv)
- Warner Home Video (1990) (United States) (VHS)
- Warner Home Video (1998) (United States) (video) (laserdisc)
- Kinowelt Home Entertainment (2000) (Germany) (DVD)
- Warner Home Video (2005) (United States) (DVD)
- Universal Pictures (2007) (Netherlands) (DVD)
- Yleisradio (YLE) (2007) (Finland) (tv)
- Sandrew Metronome Distribution (2009) (Finland) (DVD)
- Teodora Film (2013) (Italy) (theatrical) (re-release: restored version)
- The Criterion Collection (2013) (United States) (DVD)
- Arthaus (2014) (Germany) (Blu-ray) (DVD)
- Summer Classics (2020) (Greece) (theatrical) (re-release)
- HBO Max (2020) (United States) (video) (VOD)
- Filmjuwelen (2021) (Germany) (Blu-ray)
- Filmjuwelen (2021) (Germany) (DVD)
- The Criterion Channel (2021) (United States) (tv) (digital)
- Buksfilm (2024) (Poland) (video) (VOD)
Special Effects
Other Companies
Storyline
| Plot Summary |
Joseph and Maria Tura operate and star in their own theater company in Warsaw. Maria has many admirers including a young lieutenant in the Polish air force, Stanislav Sobinski. When the Germans invade Poland to start World War II, Sobinski and his colleagues flee to England while the Turas find themselves now having to operate under severe restrictions, including shelving a comical play they had written about Adolf Hitler. In England meanwhile, Sobinski and his friends give Professor Siletski - who is about to return to Poland - the names and addresses of their closest relatives so the professor can carry messages for them. When it's learned that Siletski is really a German spy, Sobinski parachutes into Poland and enlists the aid of the Turas and their fellow actors to get that list back. Written by garykmcd |
| Plot Keywords | |
| Taglines | The Picture Everyone Wants To See. See more » |
| Genres | |
| Parents Guide | View content advisory » |
| Certification |
|
Additional Details
| Also Known As |
|
| Runtime |
|
| Official Sites | |
| Country | |
| Language | |
| Color | |
| Aspect Ratio |
|
| Sound Mix |
Did You Know?
| 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. See more » |
| 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. See more » |
| Movie Connections | Featured in Showbiz Goes to War (1982). See more » |
| Soundtracks | Polonaise in A major, Op. 40, No. 1, 'Military' See more » |
| 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. See more » |