To Be or Not to Be

December. 16,1983      PG
Rating:
6.8
Trailer Synopsis Cast

A bad Polish actor is just trying to make a living when Poland is invaded by the Germans in World War II. His wife has the habit of entertaining young Polish officers while he's on stage, which is also a source of depression to him. When one of her officers comes back on a Secret Mission, the actor takes charge and comes up with a plan for them to escape.

Mel Brooks as  Dr. Frederick Bronski
Anne Bancroft as  Anna Bronski
Tim Matheson as  Lt. Andre Sobinski
Charles Durning as  Col. Erhardt
José Ferrer as  Prof. Siletski
George Gaynes as  Ravitch
Christopher Lloyd as  Capt. Schultz
George Wyner as  Ratkowski
Lewis J. Stadlen as  Lupinsky
Jack Riley as  Dobish

Similar titles

Catch-22
Prime Video
Catch-22
A bombardier in World War II tries desperately to escape the insanity of the war. However, sometimes insanity is the only sane way to cope with a crazy situation.
Catch-22 1970
Tea with Mussolini
Tea with Mussolini
In 1930s fascist Italy, adolescent Luca just lost his mother. His father, a callous businessman, sends him to be taken care of by British expatriate Mary Wallace. Mary and her cultured friends - including artist Arabella, young widow Elsa, and archaeologist Georgie - keep a watchful eye over the boy. But the women's cultivated lives take a dramatic turn when Allied forces declare war on Mussolini.
Tea with Mussolini 1999
Superhero Movie
Freevee
Superhero Movie
The team behind Scary Movie takes on the comic book genre in this tale of Rick Riker, a nerdy teen imbued with superpowers by a radioactive dragonfly. And because every hero needs a nemesis, enter Lou Landers, aka the villainously goofy Hourglass.
Superhero Movie 2008
Spun
Prime Video
Spun
Over the course of three days Ross, a college dropout addicted to crystal-meth, encounters a variety of oddball folks - including a stripper named Nikki and her boyfriend, the local meth producer, The Cook - but all he really wants to do is hook up with his old girlfriend, Amy.
Spun 2003
Mad Money
Prime Video
Mad Money
Three female employees of the Federal Reserve plot to steal money that is about to be destroyed.
Mad Money 2008
Heaven Can Wait
Prime Video
Heaven Can Wait
Joe Pendleton is a quarterback preparing to lead his team to the superbowl when he is almost killed in an accident. An overanxious angel plucks him to heaven only to discover that he wasn't ready to die, and that his body has been cremated. A new body must be found, and that of a recently-murdered millionaire is chosen. His wife and accountant—the murderers—are confused by this development, as he buys the L.A. Rams in order to once again quarterback them into the Superbowl.
Heaven Can Wait 1978
Believe It or Else
Believe It or Else
In this Ripley's Believe It or Not! parody, some of the supposed curiosities we are shown are a man who daily drinks fifty quarts of milk, the world's loudest hog caller, a human basketball, a new giant telescope showing life on Mars, and a man who saws people in half.
Believe It or Else 1939
The Mighty Navy
The Mighty Navy
Newly inducted into the U.S. Navy, Popeye is on a training ship, but his seat-of-the-pants ways don't fit in with modern equipment.
The Mighty Navy 1941
Undercover Brother
Prime Video
Undercover Brother
An Afro-American organization, the B.R.O.T.H.E.R.H.O.O.D., is in permanent fight against a white organization "The Man" defending the values of the black people in North America. When the Afro-American candidate Gen. Warren Boutwell behaves strangely in his presidential campaign, Undercover Brother is hired to work undercover for "The Man" and find what happened with the potential candidate.
Undercover Brother 2002
Bedknobs and Broomsticks
Disney+
Bedknobs and Broomsticks
Three children evacuated from London during World War II are forced to stay with an eccentric spinster. The children's initial fears disappear when they find out she is in fact a trainee witch.
Bedknobs and Broomsticks 1971

You May Also Like

A Good Little Devil
A Good Little Devil
One of the comtesse de Ségur's most popular works,it tells the tale of an orphan ,Charles,mistreated by his wicked old cousin Madame Mac Miche;nevertheless,Charles has many friends including sweet blind young Juliette and her sister Marianne, Mac Miche's maid ,Betty,her boyfriend Donald ,and even the judge. (by dbdumonteil)
A Good Little Devil 1983
Miracles of Thursday
Miracles of Thursday
In Fontecilla, a Spanish village in decline, the mayor and other illustrious citizens hatch a crazy plan to revitalize tourism.
Miracles of Thursday 1957
Brain Divided
Brain Divided
Brain Divided is the story of an ordinary guy who meets a not-so-ordinary girl, but his brain cells can't agree on how to go about winning her over which leads to conflict and comedy!
Brain Divided 2013
High Anxiety
Max
High Anxiety
A psychiatrist with intense acrophobia (fear of heights) goes to work for a mental institution run by doctors who appear to be crazier than their patients, and have secrets that they are willing to commit murder to keep.
High Anxiety 1977
Rock & Rule
Prime Video
Rock & Rule
A malevolent rock star kidnaps a female singer to force her to participate in the summoning of a demon and her band must help her stop him.
Rock & Rule 1983
Return to Cabin by the Lake
Return to Cabin by the Lake
Murderous screenwriter Stanley Caldwell, who incidentally is thought to be dead, returns to the scenes of his crimes.
Return to Cabin by the Lake 2001
This Gun for Hire
This Gun for Hire
Sadistic killer-for-hire Philip Raven becomes enraged when his latest job is paid off in marked bills. Vowing to track down his double-crossing boss, nightclub executive Gates, Raven sits beside Gates' lovely new employee, Ellen, on a train out of town. Although Ellen is engaged to marry the police lieutenant who's hunting down Raven, she decides to try and set the misguided hit man straight as he hides from the cops and plots his revenge.
This Gun for Hire 1942
Life Stinks
Max
Life Stinks
A rich businessman makes a bet he can survive on the streets of a rough Los Angeles neighborhood for 30 days completely penniless. During his stay he discovers another side of life and falls in love with a homeless woman.
Life Stinks 1991
Cry Freedom
Prime Video
Cry Freedom
A dramatic story, based on actual events, about the friendship between two men struggling against apartheid in South Africa in the 1970s. Donald Woods is a white liberal journalist in South Africa who begins to follow the activities of Stephen Biko, a courageous and outspoken black anti-apartheid activist.
Cry Freedom 1987
History of the World: Part I
History of the World: Part I
An uproarious version of history that proves nothing is sacred – not even the Roman Empire, the French Revolution and the Spanish Inquisition.
History of the World: Part I 1981

Reviews

ThiefHott
1983/12/16

Too much of everything

... more
Solemplex
1983/12/17

To me, this movie is perfection.

... more
Philippa
1983/12/18

All of these films share one commonality, that being a kind of emotional center that humanizes a cast of monsters.

... more
Fleur
1983/12/19

Actress is magnificent and exudes a hypnotic screen presence in this affecting drama.

... more
S.R. Hunt
1983/12/20

As a theater nerd, and a Mel Brooks fan, I was intrigued when I saw this movie on Netflix streaming. I added it to my list and forgot about it. One night, I couldn't find anything to watch, so I decided to stop procrastinating and finally watch the movie. And I was not disappointed. It's not as outrageous as "Blazing Saddles" or "Spaceballs". It's more along the lines of "Young Frankenstein" or "the Producers" where the story is just as important as the jokes. To be honest, I didn't know this was a remake until I saw people saying it was one online. So, I won't compare it to that film. I'm actually shocked that people don't mention this movie when talking about World War II movies. They always focus on the ones about Jewish people, like "Boy in the Striped Pajamas" and "Diary of Anne Frank", not that that's a bad thing, I mean Jewish people were one of the bigger targets. But this one brings up the fact that it wasn't just Jewish people being hauled off to concentration camps. One character is homosexual, and Mel Brooks's character mentions gypsies being taken too. And I appreciate that. The comedy is brilliant. Some jokes are a hit and miss for the causal viewer, but if you know a little bit about theater or World War II, then you should get most of the jokes. In fact, I can see where Brooks got the idea for some of the songs in "the Producers" Broadway show, like "Heil Myself", "It's Bad Luck to Say Good Luck", and a few others. Also, I started laughing my butt off when Christopher Lloyd entered the film. "Back to the Future" is my favorite movie of all time, and Christopher Lloyd's character is one of my favorites. I didn't even know he was in this movie until I saw his name in the opening credits. But as soon as he entered, I was giggling like a maniac. Overall, if you enjoy Mel Brooks, theater, or World War II movies, definitely give this a watch.

... more
rowmorg
1983/12/21

This is a very funny movie, we had heartfelt laughs throughout. It's just great to see the Nazis sent up in style. If only Hollywood could manage it about the US Nazis of today! Yes, Anne Bancroft is a brilliant actress (and, of course, she has no breasts). She and Mel Brooks carry this picture off superbly and the whole production has such brio and good cheer that you can only give it an eight for sheer entertainment. I don't care who made an earlier picture (even if it's Ernst Lubitsch and Jack Benny in 1942) this is an original, and is definitely collectible (if the DVD ever comes out). We have been watching Euro art movies that paralyse you to the fingertips with boredom, and this picture lights up your life and gives you a kick in the pants like few others do. To hell with Euro art movies about bondage and lesbianism, let Mel Brooks reign supreme!

... more
kb2uoe
1983/12/22

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.

... more
MovieAddict2016
1983/12/23

A rather lackluster affair with a great cast but almost no humor at all! Brooks fans expecting his usual slapstick schtick might be disappointed (I was) -- since he didn't direct this one it's basically just Brooks playing a character in a semi-comedy, but it's not very funny at all.There are some OK performances from a top-notch cast and some clever ideas but ultimately they really don't amount to much at all. I expected to at least be entertained but I found myself...well...bored!Overall, only for die-hard Brooks fans, but chances are they'll be disappointed.2/5

... more