To Be or Not to Be (1983)
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63% of critics liked it
(16 reviews) -
71% of users liked it
(2,880 ratings)
Mel Brooks and his real-life wife Anne Bancroft play Frederick and Anna Bronski, musical comedy stars in 1939 Poland. The highlight of the Bronskis' act is Frederick's imitation of Adolf Hitler, but he is forced to eliminate this turn for fear of offending the Nazis. Meanwhile, Anna enters… More Mel Brooks and his real-life wife Anne Bancroft play Frederick and Anna Bronski, musical comedy stars in 1939 Poland. The highlight of the Bronskis' act is Frederick's imitation of Adolf Hitler, but he is forced to eliminate this turn for fear of offending the Nazis. Meanwhile, Anna enters into a harmless flirtation with Polish bomber pilot Andre Sobinski (Tim Matheson). The pilot's nightly signal to visit Anna in her dressing room is "To Be or Not to Be," spoken by Bronski during the Shakespearean portion of his act. When the Germans march into Warsaw, the Bronskis and the rest of their troupe are forced into hiding (notably the homosexual Lupinski, played by Lewis J. Stadlen, who is forced to endure the humiliation of wearing a pink star). Flying for the Polish resistance in England, Sobinski asks kindly Professor Seletzky (Jose Ferrer) to deliver his "To Be or Not to Be" message to Anna. When Seletzky doesn't seem to recognize the name of Anne Bronski, Warsaw's biggest star, Sobinski suspects that something is amiss. Sure enough, Seletzky is a Nazi spy, heading to Warsaw to help Col. "Concentration Camp" Ehrhardt (Oscar-nominated Charles Durning) destroy the underground movement. Parachuting into Poland, Sobinski enlists the aid of the Bronski troupe to foil the Nazis. What follows is an uproarious series of disguises and deceptions, capped by Bronski's impersonation of Der Fuhrer. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Directed By
- Alan Johnson
- Written By
- Thomas Meehan, RONNY GRAHAM, Melchior Lengyel, Ernst Lubitsch, Edwin Justus Mayer
- Genres
- Drama, Comedy
PG,
- In Theaters
- Dec 16, 1983 Wide
Critic Reviews
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Variety Staff, Variety
Bancroft's sustained delights are not matched by Brooks, who seems to be trying too hard.
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, Time Out
Johnson may not quite have Lubitsch's lightness of touch, but he puts an excellent cast through their paces with great verve, and the charm is as potent as ever.
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Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times
Brooks combines a backstage musical with a wartime romance and comes up with an eclectic comedy that races off into several directions, usually successfully.
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Vincent Canby, New York Times
Ssmashingly funny.
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Dave Kehr, Chicago Reader
I can't remember another film that took so little care with the details of ambience: the cruddy sets and flat, underworked sound track drain any sense of life from the project.
See more critic ratings and reviews on Rotten Tomatoes
Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)
Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)
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Cast
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Mel Brooks
as Frederick Bronski
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Anne Bancroft
as Anna Bronski
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Charles Durning
as Col. Erhardt
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Tim Matheson
as Lt. Andre Sobinski
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Christopher Lloyd
as Capt. Schultz
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José Ferrer
as Prof. Siletski
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George Gaynes
as Ravitch
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George Wyner
as Ratkowski
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Jack Riley
as Dobish
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Lewis J. Stadlen
as Lupinski
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RONNY GRAHAM
as Sondheim
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Ivor Barry
as Gen. Hobbs
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Scott Beach
as Narrator
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Earl Boen
as Dr. Boyarski
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Henry Brandon
as Nazi Officer
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Max Brooks
as Her Son
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George Caldwell
as Gestapo Guard
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Paddi Edwards
as Pub Waitress
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John Francis
as British Intelligence Aide
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James Haake and Scamp
as Sasha and Mutki
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Henry Kaiser
as Gestapo Officer
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Zale Kessler
as Bieler
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Ron Kuhlman
as Polish Flier
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Curt Lowens
as Airport Officer
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Eda Reiss Merin
as Frightened Jewish Woman
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Wolf Muser
as Desk Sergeant
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John Otrin
as Polish Flier
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Estelle Reiner
as Gruba
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Tucker Smith
as Klotskis Klown
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Ron Diamond
as Pub Bartender
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Spencer Henderson
as Klotskis Klown
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Terence Marsh
as Startled British Officer
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Leeyan Granger
as Lady
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Phil Adams
as Airport Sentry
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Ian Bruce
as Klotskis Klown
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William Glover
as Maj. Cunningham
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Blane Savage
as Polish Flier
- Robin Haynes
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John McKinney
as Elite Guard Officer
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Raymond Skipp
as RAF Flight Sergeant
- James 'Gypsy' Haake
