To Be or Not to Be
December. 16,1983 PGA 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.
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Reviews
Too much of everything
To me, this movie is perfection.
All of these films share one commonality, that being a kind of emotional center that humanizes a cast of monsters.
Actress is magnificent and exudes a hypnotic screen presence in this affecting drama.
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.
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!
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.
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