To Be or Not to Be

TO BE OR NOT TO BE

Aspect ratio: 1.85:1

Sound format: Dolby Stereo

1939: As the Nazi's invade their homeland, a humble Warsaw theatre troupe stages a daring escape after stumbling on a Gestapo plot to kill members of the Polish resistance.

Whilst the fondly-remembered Ernst Lubitsch original was actually filmed during wartime (1942), at a point when the outcome of the conflict was still uncertain, this updated vehicle for Mel Brooks has no such edge, but Alan Johnson's fast-paced remake at least preserves the elements of comedy and drama which made the earlier film so potent. There aren't many belly laughs to be had from the low-key screenplay (co-written by Thomas Meehan and Ronnie Graham), and the Nazi caricatures are fun without being especially funny (Charles Durning was Oscar-nominated for his role as bumbling Gestapo officer 'Concentration Camp' Erhardt), but the film offers an upbeat mixture of thrills and frivolity, and a superb cast of experienced players take turns stealing the limelight from leading player Brooks (Anne Bancroft has a ball as Brooks' duplicitous wife, easing her marriage blues by encouraging a half-innocent liaison with handsome airman Tim Matheson, who's been assigned by British Intelligence to foil a dastardly plot initiated by double agent Jose Ferrer). As in the original, the movie portrays the Nazi threat in a comic manner whilst constantly reminding viewers of the deadly reality which underpins the narrative, and while the scenario is fast-paced, funny and exciting in equal measure, it's also surprisingly respectful of history. Johnson's unfussy direction keeps things moving along nicely, and production values are efficient throughout.

Actually, when interviewed about this movie, Mel Brooks said it was an homage to Jack Benny. And if you look, the Bronskis live on Kubelsky Street, Benny Kubelsky is Jack Benny's real name. There are many other touches that also show Brooks' love for the original. Anne Bancroft is a true treat. Her comedic talents shine, she was truly a rare actress, and will be missed.

It was well done, with Mel Brooksian flair, and respectful of the original. I won't add comments about the acting, there are so many pros and cons at this point, one more won't make a difference. But if you have some free time, see BOTH of the movies. It's not sacrilege to like them both.

This is one of those movies I grew up with, it having been a key cornerstone of my father's small VHS collection. This is probably the Mel Brooks movie I've seen the most, and like many films from my childhood, I haven't seen it in years. The movie was instantly recognizable and new all at once, and while it is a remake of an Ernst Lubitsch film of the same name from 1942 (a film I've seen once many moons ago and remember little of), I've always seen it as its own creation. It's also the one movie that Brooks has a role in that he didn't direct that I associate with him most fully, having handed off the directing duties to Alan Johnson, the choreographer Brooks had worked with on musical numbers all the way back to The Producers while retaining the producer credit under his Brooksfilms production company.

In Poland in the earliest days of World War II, the Bronski theatrical company tries to keep things moving along, ignoring the world-shattering events happening outside their doors in favor of simply entertaining their audience. Led by the husband and wife acting team, Frederick (Brooks) and Anna (Anne Bancroft, Brooks' wife), they can only keep the world out so long before the Polish Foreign Office sends an official to end their production of a bit called "Naughty Nazis" that pokes fun at Hitler, in order to not offend the German chancellor and give him grounds to invade Poland. Not that Hitler really needed offense because he rolls right over the border shortly thereafter, and the theatrical troupe is suddenly trying to operate under Nazi occupation.

During one of the final performances, a young Polish airman, Lieutenant Andrei Sobinski (Tim Matheson), after having sent dozens of roses to Anna, gets invited backstage and the two begin a very chaste love affair without Frederick's knowledge, brought to a sudden close when Sobinski must flee to England to join the Polish arm of the Royal Air Corps. In England, he discovers that the Voice for a Free Poland, Professor Siletski (Jose Ferrer), is actually a German spy who has collected names from the Polish underground with every intention of giving up those names to the Gestapo once he arrives in Warsaw the next evening. Airdropped into Poland, he finds shelter with Anna, and we have our mixture of dramatic and comic setups. On the one hand there's a ticking clock on finding a way to get the list of names from Siletski, and on the other hand there's Sobinski hiding away from the SS in Frederick's own bed.

The plot develops into a plan to trick Siletski into giving up the list to the actors and then giving useless names to the local SS Colonel Erhardt (Charles Durning). This involves a series of disguises for Frederick that take his acting ability to its furthest, all without an audience, providing Frederick with both opportunity for amusement and pathos as he reflects on the danger he keeps getting himself into and out of. In between all of this is Anna, catching the eye of every German officer and spy and using her appeal to help advance the overall plan. As it makes it to its finale, with the troupe of actors making their way to England using the skills of their pilot friend, there's tension and even a nice Highlight from The Merchant of Venice for Lupinsky.

The movie really is a combination of drama and comedy, but the drama is what holds most firmly. There are definitely funny bits throughout ranging from character-based humor to stuff that edges more into the outrageous, like the announcer at the beginning of the film saying that the rest of the film will be in English instead of Polish with Brooks and Bancroft reacting to the sound or Lupinsky (Lewis J. Stadlen) doing a Star of David over his chest like a Catholic doing a cross. Most of it is a smaller type of comedy, though, and I can see how that would disappoint fans of Brooks' more typical output. The one person who consistently edges into that type of comedy is Durning as Erhardt and Christopher Lloyd as Schultz, the colonel constantly on edge at being found out by higherups that he tells jokes about the Fuhrer, a role for which he was nominated for an Oscar, and Schultz always loyally following orders that Erhardt blames him for going badly.

Where I think the movie succeeds where Brooks more recent output had failed is that its actually a story. Essentially just replicating the original film by Lubitsch while finding room for Brooks and Bancroft to have some fun, it's an enjoyable film with obvious affection for its characters and the ability to find levels of pathos for major and even some minor characters while delivering laughs from time to time as well. On top of the functional story is funny stuff. Wipe away the funny stuff, and you still have something. However, the funny stuff is there and it's nice to have for sure. This may not be Brooks' finest hour on film, but it's a rather delightful take on familiar material.

This remake of Ernst Lubitsch's wartime comedy has often been dismissed as a ham-fisted and unnecessary vanity exercise. This is grossly unfair, as the Brooks' version is in fact a deft and funny comedy that stands up well in comparison to its forebear. Mel Brooks and Anne Bancroft make their own the roles of the Bronskis, a Warsaw theatrical duo ("world famous in Poland")who star in revues at the Bronski theatre. When war breaks out the Bronskis become brood-hens to an ever-growing community of Jewish refugees while staying one step ahead of the Nazis. Brooks and Bancroft are fine in the roles of the battling Bronskis, particularly Mel Brooks who finds a touching level of vulnerability beneath the bombast and bluster of Frederick Bronski. Despite the farcical and improbable plot twists, the narrative is sound and genuine pathos registers throughout the film. Those with fond memories of Jack Benny and Carole Lombard in the lead roles may have boycotted this on first release, but they have denied themselves a rare treat - a sure-footed and genuinely entertaining film.

This is the great Mel Brooks at his best!.

He revisits this classic film and makes it even crazier than the original, adding a lot of new stuff... (there are 3 numbers where Mel dances and sings, there are clowns, jews and a homosexual hairdresser pursued by the evil and stupid nazis.)

All the actors in this movie, and I mean ALL, are just terrific.

I´d like to state that this is not a remake of the Ernst Lubistch classic, (at least that´s my opinion), to me this is a tribute to the great director and his masterpiece.

I´ve watched the Lubistch "To be or not to be" a lot of times for it´s one of my favorite films, and the Mel Brooks version is completely different from the original. It was made the Brooks way, which I really adore.

So watch this film, you´ll have a lot of fun and won´t stop laughing.

Oh, just one more thing...

This is an asking to 20th Century Fox: When you decide to release this movie in DVD, include the absolutely amazing video-clip: "To be or not to be - Hitler Rap" performed by Mel Brooks please!!. I can assure you that a lot of people will buy it just for that.

(9 out of 10)