Poland 1939. Germany is poised and ready to take control of Poland, but the company of actors at the Bronski Theatre in Warsaw are not worried. They are too busy doing a show. Frederick (Brooks) is a well-known actor, "He's world-famous in Poland
Frederick and Anna are kicked out of their home to make the Gestapo headquarters. The company have restrictions placed on their acting: no gypsies, no mocking Germans, and no Jews/homosexuals (which eliminates many of their troupe). Professor Siletski (Ferrer) the voice of Polish freedom, turns out to be a German spy, who now has information about the Polish underground, which he will be giving to the head of the Gestapo, Col. Erhardt (Durning). Sobinski returns to Poland to help the Bronskis stop Siletski.
The plot is not as straightforward as it seems. There are many twists and turns, and when you think you've figured it out, something else happens to put the actors in deeper than ever. Brooks is always funny in bit parts in his film, but he manages to carry this film without a hitch. And as Bronski he gets to play many characters, most of them are high ranking Nazi officials. The supporting cast are hilarious, and many have appeared in other Brooks films. And it was nice to see Bancroft (Brooks wife) onscreen with Brooks. Its over the top, but hey that works here!
This is a remake of Ernst Lubitsch's 1942 film To Be or Not to Be.
Dude, it's quotable: there are lots of little comments that are memorable, but a good portion of the jokes work on a visual field
Rent it once: Brooks didn't write or direct this film, but I think it stands up better than some of his later works which have been seen more, despite not being the commercial success that many of his other films have been.
Frederick and Anna are kicked out of their home to make the Gestapo headquarters. The company have restrictions placed on their acting: no gypsies, no mocking Germans, and no Jews/homosexuals (which eliminates many of their troupe). Professor Siletski (Ferrer) the voice of Polish freedom, turns out to be a German spy, who now has information about the Polish underground, which he will be giving to the head of the Gestapo, Col. Erhardt (Durning). Sobinski returns to Poland to help the Bronskis stop Siletski.
The plot is not as straightforward as it seems. There are many twists and turns, and when you think you've figured it out, something else happens to put the actors in deeper than ever. Brooks is always funny in bit parts in his film, but he manages to carry this film without a hitch. And as Bronski he gets to play many characters, most of them are high ranking Nazi officials. The supporting cast are hilarious, and many have appeared in other Brooks films. And it was nice to see Bancroft (Brooks wife) onscreen with Brooks. Its over the top, but hey that works here!
This is a remake of Ernst Lubitsch's 1942 film To Be or Not to Be.
Dude, it's quotable: there are lots of little comments that are memorable, but a good portion of the jokes work on a visual field
Rent it once: Brooks didn't write or direct this film, but I think it stands up better than some of his later works which have been seen more, despite not being the commercial success that many of his other films have been.
To Be Or Not to Be (1983) 107 minutes
Director: Alan Johnson
Starring: Mel Brooks as Frederick Bronski
Anne Bancroft as Anna Bronski
Tim Matheson as Lt. Andre Sobinski
Charles Durning as Col. Erhardt
Christopher Lloyd as Capt. Schultz
Jose Ferrer as Professor Siletski
Ronny Graham as Sondheim
Estelle Reiner as Gruba
Zale Kessler as Bieler
Jack Riley as Dobish
Lewis J. Stadlen as Lupinsky
George Gaynes as Ravitch
George Wyner as Ratkowski
James Haake as Sasha
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