Bottom line watch this movie twice, maybe more, the dialogue is so quick and witty there is a good chance you might miss it the first time, them again it is worth at least to looks. Though the original story for the film was mostly lubitsch s, the project that. From ernst lubitsch s experiences in sophien gymnasium high school theater, he decided to leave school at the age of 16 and pursue a career on the stage. To be or not to be 1942 is berlin germanyborn director ernst lubitschs sophisticated screwball masterpiece, with satirical comedy, romance, and suspense. Bachelor pilot stanislav robert stack on a secret mission back from england, discovered by actor joseph jack benny snoozing in his apartment in occupied warsaw, his actress wife maria carole lombard returning with dramatic news of a suspected traitor, in ernst lubitsch s to be or not. But the movie is a comedy, centered on a theatre troupe that is about to. Ernst lubitschs to be or not to be, starring jack benny and carole lombard, is a topnotch world war 2 satire taking place during the holocaust. New to this familiar cinematic world is a life or death tension that takes the typically playful lubitsch touch and makes the whole approach quite touchy indeed. In 1941, lubitsch signed a three year contract with paramount pictures. To be or not to be is a 1942 american black comedy film directed by ernst lubitsch and starring carole lombard, jack benny, robert stack, felix bressart. Lubitsch manages to brilliantly balance political satire, romance, slapstick, and urgent wartime suspense in a comic highwire act that has never been equaled. Want to watch to be or not to be in the comfort of your own home. Find movie and film award information for to be or not to be 1942 ernst lubitsch on allmovie. Mel brooks remake is not bad, but the original is simply killer.
What he shows us is an illusion, but an illusion created from a refined consciousness of what the world is, with the aim of creating delight. Brooks stars as the leader of a theatre troupe in warsaw at the time of the nazi invasion. Lubitsch next directed that uncertain feeling 1941, a remake of his 1925 film kiss me again. Lubitsch trailer ufficiale sottotitolato in italiano hd duration. He left germany in the early 1920s for hollywood, and found great success crafting a personal brand with a number of hit screwball comedies and musicals. Notice how the exchange gives at once too much and too little information. Made during world war ii by german expatriate ernst lubitsch, the film features antifascist themes that never overwhelm the characters, and it allows star jack benny to fashion a. To be or not to be is certainly not the first film to poke film at the nazis during wartime, or indeed the most famous, with chaplins the great dictator still being as one of the most audacious films of the time. As nervy as it is hilarious, this screwball masterpiece from ernst lubitsch stars jack benny and, in her final screen appearance, carole lombard as hu. To be or not to be film by lubitsch 1942 britannica. Directed by ernst lubitsch, it is set in germanoccupied warsaw during world war ii.
Carole lombard and robert stack in to be or not to be 1942 jack benny and carole. To be or not to be is a 1942 american black comedy film directed by ernst lubitsch and starring carole lombard, jack benny, robert stack, felix bressart, lionel atwill, stanley ridges and sig ruman. To be or not to be 1942 is berlin germanyborn director ernst lubitsch s sophisticated screwball masterpiece, with satirical comedy, romance, and suspense. To be or not to be is a 1942 american comedy film directed by ernst lubitsch and starring carole lombard, jack benny, robert stack, felix bressart, lionel atwill, stanley ridges and sig ruman. The gunfighter a short film by eric kissack narrated by nick offerman duration. Ernst lubitschs to be or not to be is a black comedy about a polish. Jack benny and ernst lubitsch share a laugh on the set of to be or not to be lubitsch himself was born to a jewish family in berlin. Josef tura and his wife maria are leading players in a theater company in poland.
Finding a streaming service to buy, rent, download, or view the ernst lubitsch directed movie via subscription can be confusing. This movie is hilarious, it has a great cast and a good director, and the. Not to take anything from bob, he went there as well, he just had more photo ops. The biggest fun, of course, is how lubitsch takes the pi out of hitlers blind, fanatic followers. To be or not to be, a 1942 wartime comedy directed by the great ernst lubitsch and adapted from a story by melchior lengyel the synopsis. Jack benny is my favorite old time radio personality and i have listened to the bulk, if not all, of his surviving radio shows of the 19321955 period, including the 194142 ones that covered this particular films making and promotion. The script was developed both by lubitsch and hungarian writer melchior lengyel, whose original story was the basis for lubitschs previous film ninotchka 1939. To be or not to be 1942 passed 1h 39min comedy, war 6 march 1942 usa during the nazi occupation of poland, an acting troupe becomes embroiled in a polish soldiers efforts to track down a german spy. Richard brody on ernst lubitsch s to be or not to be 1942. The controversial antiwar comedy about espionage and politics from producer alexander korda marked by incisive black humor was a bold. By all accounts, lubitsch never considered anyone but jack benny for the role of joseph tura in to be or not to be. But that touch will not be repressed, and working with writer edwin justus mayer, lubitsch maintains the comedy for which he is. Ernst lubitsch carole lombard, jack benny, robert stack, felix bressart, lionel atwill.
To be or not to be mel brooks takes a side step from his usual burlesque to remake the classic that starred jack benny and carole lombard in her last gig. To be or not to be is a hollywood film of the boldest black humor, which went into production soon after the u. There was no remote corner of life that it did not illumine. He had to compromise with his father and keep the account books for the family tailor business while he acted in cabarets and music halls at night. Lubitsch, of course, would never be so strident as to say so out loud. Every now and then you find a movie that you can watch over and over without getting tired or bored, for me to be or not to be is one of those films. Ernst lubitsch s to be or not to be perhaps the most controversial element of to be or not to be isnt necessarily the humor although lines like what. The controversial antiwar comedy about espionage and politics from producer alexander korda marked by incisive black humor was a bold cinematic work during the world war ii years that skewered and lampooned the tyrannical leader adolf hitler, the nazis and the third reich, while still being completely entertaining in its story of. In warsaw at the beginning of wwii, maria tura and her husband joseph perform antinazi plays with their theater troupe until they are forced to switch to shakespeares hamlet. Directed by ernst lubitsch 1942 united states as nervy as it is hilarious, this screwball masterpiece from ernst lubitsch stars jack benny and, in her final screen appearance, carole lombard as husbandandwife thespians in nazioccupied warsaw who become caught up in a dangerous spy plot. To be or not to be, american screwball comedy film, released in 1942, that was carole lombards last film.
To be or not to be vintage movie poster 1940s carole. In to be or not to be, he achieved this even in the face of the darkest of shadows. Movies were still relatively new back then and audiences were unaccustomed to them sorting through the political rubble of peoples lives, especially in ways that fashioned comedy out of seemingly unfathomable. Richard brody on ernst lubitschs to be or not to be 1942. The plot concerns a troupe of actors in nazi occupied warsaw who use their abilities at disguise and acting to fool the occupying troops.
To be or not to be 1942 ernst lubitsch awards allmovie. Start watching with your public library card or university login. To be or not to be 1942 directed by ernst lubitsch. Ernst lubitsch directs the 1942 political satire classic to be or not to be, which marked the final screen appearance of comedienne carole lombard. Victor built a national company printing and selling theatrical movie advertising that were targeted to restaurants and local theaters. Jewishness is simply not something that can be claimed or affirmed in the world of this movie, nor in the world of its making. I dont believe the nazis have ever been mocked better than in this comedy masterpiece and i only hope old adolf has seen it, too. Ernst lubitsch directed this 1942 film from his own story about a troupe of polish actors stranded in the nazioccupied warsaw of world war ii.
But first he had another commitment to fulfill with united artists. Lubitsch manages to brilliantly balance political satire, romance, slapstick, and wartime suspense in a comic highwire act that has never been equaled. To be or not to be remains one example of a wartime propaganda film that retains its freshness and entertainment value outside its original historical context. To be or not to be 1942 ernst lubitsch watch online. As mild as the hollywood response to the third reich may have been in the days and years before the second world war, two movies. I imagine that its impossible to fully understand the critical and public lambasting ernst lubitsch s to be or not to be received after its release unless you lived through wwii. Lubitsch followed with a film that has become one of his best regarded comedies, to be or not to be, a witty, dark and insightful film about a troupe of actors in. A charming and delightful little comedy from ernst lubitsch set in the nazi occupied warsaw which makes fun of nazis better than any other satire, honors actors who. Ernst lubitsch s to be or not to be is a black comedy about a polish theater companyled by joseph and maria tura jack benny and carole lombardthat turns to espionage after being shut down by. Strangelove 1964, mel brooks the producers 1967 and. Ernst lubitsch held the film in high regard as one of his best pieces of work. Yet, tellingly, to be or not to be must be roundabout in making that claim, so much so that it would be wrong to even call it a claim. To be or not to be 1942 full movie basically nautanki. To be or not to be 1942 movie clip i love my slippers.
To be or not to be is a hollywood film of the boldest black humor, which went into production. In warsaw at the beginning of wwii, maria tura and husband joseph perform antinazi plays with their theater troupe until they are forced to switch to shakespeares hamlet. The films comedic skewering of nazis was particularly controversial at a time when the war was ongoing. Watch to be or not to be 1942 full movie free online. To be or not to be by ernst lubitsch carole lombard, jack. Ernst lubitsch s to be or not to be, starring jack benny and carole lombard, is a topnotch world war 2 satire taking place during the holocaust. To be or not to be 1942 cast and crew credits, including actors, actresses, directors, writers and more. However, whilst chaplin sweetened that bitter pill with heavy doses of slapstick, a dash of sentimentality and a strongly worded.
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