Top 250 MoviesMost Popular MoviesTop 250 TV ShowsMost Popular TV ShowsMost Popular Video GamesMost Popular Music VideosMost Popular Podcasts
    Release CalendarBrowse Movies by GenreTop Box OfficeShowtimes & TicketsMovie NewsIndia Movie Spotlight
    What's on TV & StreamingBrowse TV Shows by GenreTV NewsIndia TV Spotlight
    What to WatchLatest TrailersIMDb OriginalsIMDb PicksIMDb Podcasts
    OscarsBest Picture WinnersBest Picture WinnersSundance Film FestivalIndependent Spirit AwardsBlack History MonthSXSWSTARmeter AwardsAwards CentralFestival CentralAll Events
    Born TodayMost Popular CelebsMost Popular CelebsCelebrity News
    Help CenterContributor ZonePolls
For Industry Professionals
  • All
  • Titles
  • TV Episodes
  • Celebs
  • Companies
  • Keywords
  • Advanced Search
Watchlist
Sign In
Sign In
New Customer? Create account
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
IMDbPro

To Be or Not to Be

  • 19831983
  • PGPG
  • 1h 47m
IMDb RATING
6.8/10
11K
YOUR RATING
To Be or Not to Be (1983)
Official Trailer
Play trailer3:22
1 Video
38 Photos
ComedyDramaWar
At the onset of WW2, a Polish actor's family and the Polish Resistance help the troupe of a theatre escape Poland and the invading Nazis.At the onset of WW2, a Polish actor's family and the Polish Resistance help the troupe of a theatre escape Poland and the invading Nazis.At the onset of WW2, a Polish actor's family and the Polish Resistance help the troupe of a theatre escape Poland and the invading Nazis.
IMDb RATING
6.8/10
11K
YOUR RATING
    • Alan Johnson
  • Writers
    • Thomas Meehan(screenplay)
    • Ronny Graham(screenplay)
    • Edwin Justus Mayer(1942 screenplay)
  • Stars
    • Mel Brooks
    • Anne Bancroft
    • Ronny Graham
    • Alan Johnson
  • Writers
    • Thomas Meehan(screenplay)
    • Ronny Graham(screenplay)
    • Edwin Justus Mayer(1942 screenplay)
  • Stars
    • Mel Brooks
    • Anne Bancroft
    • Ronny Graham
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 48User reviews
    • 35Critic reviews
    • 61Metascore
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Nominated for 1 Oscar

    Videos1

    To Be or Not to Be
    Trailer 3:22
    Watch To Be or Not to Be

    Photos38

    Mel Brooks in To Be or Not to Be (1983)
    Anne Bancroft in To Be or Not to Be (1983)
    Mel Brooks in To Be or Not to Be (1983)
    Tim Matheson in To Be or Not to Be (1983)
    Mel Brooks and Anne Bancroft in To Be or Not to Be (1983)
    To Be or Not to Be (1983)
    Mel Brooks and Anne Bancroft in To Be or Not to Be (1983)
    To Be or Not to Be (1983)
    Mel Brooks in To Be or Not to Be (1983)
    Mel Brooks in To Be or Not to Be (1983)
    Anne Bancroft and Tim Matheson in To Be or Not to Be (1983)
    Mel Brooks and Anne Bancroft in To Be or Not to Be (1983)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Mel Brooks
    Mel Brooks
    • Dr. Frederick Bronski
    Anne Bancroft
    Anne Bancroft
    • Anna Bronski
    Ronny Graham
    Ronny Graham
    • Sondheim
    Estelle Reiner
    Estelle Reiner
    • Gruba
    Zale Kessler
    • Bieler
    Jack Riley
    Jack Riley
    • Dobish
    Lewis J. Stadlen
    Lewis J. Stadlen
    • Lupinsky
    George Gaynes
    George Gaynes
    • Ravitch
    George Wyner
    George Wyner
    • Ratkowski
    James 'Gypsy' Haake
    • Sasha
    • (as James Haake)
    Scamp
    • Mutki
    Christopher Lloyd
    Christopher Lloyd
    • Capt. Schultz
    José Ferrer
    José Ferrer
    • Prof. Siletski
    • (as Jose Ferrer)
    Charles Durning
    Charles Durning
    • Col. Erhardt
    Tim Matheson
    Tim Matheson
    • Lt. Andre Sobinski
    Earl Boen
    Earl Boen
    • Dr. Boyarski
    Ivor Barry
    Ivor Barry
    • General Hobbs
    William Glover
    • Major Cunningham
      • Alan Johnson
    • Writers
      • Thomas Meehan(screenplay)
      • Ronny Graham(screenplay)
      • Edwin Justus Mayer(1942 screenplay)
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    More like this

    The Twelve Chairs
    6.4
    The Twelve Chairs
    Silent Movie
    6.7
    Silent Movie
    High Anxiety
    6.6
    High Anxiety
    History of the World: Part I
    6.8
    History of the World: Part I
    To Be or Not to Be
    8.2
    To Be or Not to Be
    Life Stinks
    5.9
    Life Stinks
    The Producers
    7.5
    The Producers
    Young Frankenstein
    8.0
    Young Frankenstein
    The Adventure of Sherlock Holmes' Smarter Brother
    6.0
    The Adventure of Sherlock Holmes' Smarter Brother
    Dracula: Dead and Loving It
    5.8
    Dracula: Dead and Loving It
    Robin Hood: Men in Tights
    6.7
    Robin Hood: Men in Tights
    The Producers
    6.3
    The Producers

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Mel Brooks has said this is his favorite of his Brooksfilms movies.
    • Goofs
      When the Polish squadron of the RAF finishes singing; Jose Ferrer takes off his glasses. His glasses have flexible temples (ear pieces), that wrap around the ear. About one minute later he puts on glasses that no longer have the flexible temples; but instead have fixed type (the type that is common since the war ended) that just have a slight bend in them.
    • Quotes

      Frederick Bronski: Let's face it, sweetheart: without jews, fags and gypsies there is no theatre.

    • Crazy credits
      At the end of the movie, each cast member comes and takes a bow, as they would for a stage play, while their names are on the screen.
    • Connections
      Featured in An Audience with Mel Brooks (1983)
    • Soundtracks
      Ladies
      Music & Lyrics by Mel Brooks and Ronny Graham

      Performed by Mel Brooks (uncredited)

    User reviews48

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    10/10
    Definitely meant "to Be"...
    I haven't seen the Ernst Lubitsch original of this gem but if I had, I might have been prejudiced in my decision of this being one of the finer films that Mel Brooks has been in.

    Though not written by or directed by Mel, he and wife Anne Bancroft take center stage as Frederick and Anna Bronski, Poland's most famous acting family. When the Nazi war machine overtakes Warsaw, they and their acting troupe use every actor's trick in the book to escape and make their way to England.

    All this, of course, while Anna becomes smitten with an American pilot (Matheson) who helps them both to freedom. In the meantime, there are threats from a devious doctor (Ferrer), a lecherous Nazi colonel (Durning) and a command for the troupe to perform for the Nazi Army with Hitler in the audience.

    There are so many classic moments here that to list them would be a dis-service to the movie. Let me just say that I enjoyed this whole film from opening to closing and even the closing had some doozies.

    The Nazis are seen as complete buffoons and the exchanges between Durning and his head officer (Lloyd) are classic. In fact, I can see why Durning was nominated for an Oscar for his role here; not just anyone could have pulled it off as well as he.

    Everyone here has a good scene or two, including Mel's regulars (Graham, Wyner, Riley) and the dialogue even manages to get the proper sentiment and tension out of the proper scenes. A great effort by all involved.

    Purists of the Jack Benny original may disagree, but this "To Be or Not to Be" is the "to Be" for me!

    Ten stars. Mazeltov!
    helpful•41
    12
    • Mister-6
    • Feb 9, 2000

    FAQ2

    • What year does the story take place?
    • Were gay folks like Sascha really rounded up and sent to Nazi concentration camps?

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • December 16, 1983 (United States)
      • United States
      • English
      • Polish
    • Also known as
    • Filming locations
      • Mayfield Senior School - 500 Bellefontaine Street, Pasadena, California, USA
    • Production companies
      • Brooksfilms
      • Twentieth Century Fox
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • 1 hour 47 minutes
      • Color
      • Dolby

    Related news

    Contribute to this page

    Suggest an edit or add missing content
    To Be or Not to Be (1983)
    Top Gap
    By what name was To Be or Not to Be (1983) officially released in India in English?
    Answer
    • See more gaps
    • Learn more about contributing
    Edit page

    More to explore

    Recently viewed

    Please enable browser cookies to use this feature. Learn more.
    Get the IMDb App
    • Get the IMDb App
    • Help
    • Site Index
    • IMDbPro
    • Box Office Mojo
    • IMDb Developer
    • Press Room
    • Advertising
    • Jobs
    • Conditions of Use
    • Privacy Policy
    • Your Ads Privacy Choices
    IMDb, an Amazon company

    © 1990-2023 by IMDb.com, Inc.