Ernst lubitschs 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. To be or not to be 1942 ernst lubitsch awards allmovie. But with the great cast assembled here charles durning is particularly great in his role, its certainly worth a look. 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. To be or not to be is a hollywood film of the boldest black humor, which went into production soon after the u. 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. To be or not to be is a 1942 american black comedy film directed by ernst lubitsch and. Find movie and film award information for to be or not to be 1942 ernst lubitsch on allmovie. Melchior lengyel original story, edwin justus mayer. Lubitsch manages to brilliantly balance political satire, romance, slapstick, and urgent wartime suspense in a comic highwire act that has never been equaled.
Ernst lubitschs sparkling satire blends urbane wit, romance, and geopolitical intrigue into one practically perfect package. 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. During the nazi occupation of poland, an acting troupe becomes embroiled in a polish soldiers efforts to track down a german spy. To be or not to be by ernst lubitsch carole lombard, jack. Jewishness is simply not something that can be claimed or affirmed in the world of this movie, nor in the world of its making. Topics jack benny, carole lombard, ernst lubitsch, poland, war time, comedy, nazism. The screenplay was written by ronny graham and thomas meehan, based on the original story by melchior lengyel, ernst lubitsch and edwin justus mayer. The title of the movie is based on the to be or not to be. To be or not to be 1942 directed by ernst lubitsch. 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. Its a 1942 war time comedy classic that uses shakespeares soliquy as an excuse me cue to sneak out of.
What they dont know is that they are writing each other. However, to be or not to be the film this evening is a remastered version of a. 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. Edwin justus mayer worked on many screenplays but he is remembered now for his work with ernst lubitsch. Tout sur to be or not to be carole lombard jack benny, dvd zone 2 et toute lactualite en dvd et bluray. A farcical comedy, to be or not to be is a fun and outlandish spoof of world war ii. Ernst lubitschs to be or not to be 1942 teaser trailer. Achetez to be or not to be 1942 import a petit prix.
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. It is an art of notwhat is not shown, what is not heard, what is not said. 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. 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 has been available for many years on dvd and it was always a film which called for a commentary. The right kind of lighter touch can sometimes be more effective in commenting on important issues than the heavy, emotionally laden. The anarchist film archive presents to be or not to be 1942 ernst lubitsch, watch online now. To be or not to be is a 1983 comedydrama film directed by alan johnson, produced by mel brooks with howard jeffrey as executive producer and irene walzer as associate producer. Now we can learn about jack benny, carole lombard, ernst lubitsch and all the components that came together. He worked with lubitsch on the scripts for to be or not to be 1942 and a royal scandal 1945.
Le film to be or not to be 1998 vostfr film complet. However, they both have pen pals that they write to. A royal scandal 1945 did poorly at the box office, but is considered by many as one of lubitschs finest films. But that touch will not be repressed, and working with writer edwin justus mayer, lubitsch maintains the comedy for which he is. It was adapted by lubitsch uncredited and edwin justus. Mel brooks to be or not to be is entertaining, but the best version is ernst lubitsch s 1942 film with jack benny and carole lombard. Notice how the exchange gives at once too much and too little information. In to be or not to be, he achieved this even in the face of the darkest of shadows. There was no remote corner of life that it did not illumine. Lubitsch, of course, would never be so strident as to say so out loud. Terms of activation by activating, you agree that you want to enable cloud technology to access your xfinity stream subscription on additional supported devices like computers and tablets, as well as the tv connected to your settop dvr via comcasts network. 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 1942 ernst lubitsch watch online. Awed by her beauty, they meet again at the ball and quietly leave together.
Set amidst the backdrop of the nazi occupation of poland, a small theater company attempts to stop the nazi. To be or not to be is an american comedy drama about an acting troupe in world war ii poland that uses their skills to fool the nazis. Comedy virtuosos carole lombard and jack benny star as married shakespearean actors in world war iiera poland who put their theatrical skills to use to foil a nazi spy. To be or not to be 1942 movie clip while hes still. To be or not to be, that is the question are probably the bestknown lines in english literature, hamlets greatest soliloquy s. Lubitsch does not, and as a result this film provides a caricatured but relatively insightful portrayal of the nazis, with a lighthearted yet appreciative look at those who opposed them in the occupied countries. Ernst lubitsch carole lombard, jack benny, robert stack, felix bressart, lionel atwill. Read the help section of your browser carefully to learn more about how to activate the private mode. Warsaw stage star maria tura carole lombard with dresser maude eburne, receives a note from a fan, hammy husband joseph jack benny beginning his soliloquy, handsome lieutenant stanislav robert stack paying his first visit, in ernst lubitschs to be or not to be, 1942. Watch shop around the corner online 1940 movie yidio.
Mel brooks remake is not bad, but the original is simply killer. Of human bondage the 1934 film was the first film to bring real critical success to its star bette davis, her overthetop, theatrical performance was passed over for a. Lubitsch did not receive screen credit for his writing, and grover jones, who was credited with the adaptation, did not contribute significantly. To be or not to be film by lubitsch 1942 britannica. The plot concerns a troupe of actors in nazioccupied warsaw who use their abilities at disguise and acting to fool the occupying troops. To be or not to be, american screwball comedy film, released in 1942, that was carole lombards last film. Directed by ernst lubitsch, it is set in germanoccupied warsaw during world war ii. Finding a streaming service to buy, rent, download, or view the ernst lubitsch directed movie via subscription can be confusing. 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. My hero ernst lubitsch by adam thirlwell hes my hero because of two films he made. Ernst lubitsch jack benny carole lombard robert stack to be or not to be 1942 the great dictator charlie chaplin paulette goddard many national socialists felt that these two films made during ww2 gave false information to americans about adolf hitler and national socialist germany. The films comedic skewering of nazis was particularly controversial at a time when the war was ongoing. To be or not to be 19420306 tt0035446 usa english, german 99 min nominated for 1 oscar. To be or not to be 1942 synopsis in world war ii poland, the elaborately egotistical theatrical couple joseph and maria tura jack benny and carole lombard head a company that is forced by their occupiers to switch from antinazi propaganda to shakespeare, allowing maria to dally backstage with the young pilot sobinski robert stack while joseph hams it up as hamlet hence the title.
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. My hero ernst lubitsch by adam thirlwell books the. Like a magician, lubitsch focuses us on one thing, but, if we are as knowing as his heroes are, we should be perceiving something else. Shop around the corner is about a man and woman who work together at a gift shop. Expand your home video library from a huge online selection of movies at. You can continue visiting our website although, the navigation may not be optimal and some utilities may not work properly, affecting the quality and speed of the service provided. To be or not to be is a hollywood film of the boldest black humor, which went into production right before the u.
Une troupe repete une piece antinazie et joue hamlet. In her room, her husband, about whom she has neglected to inform leo, comes in and challenges leo to a duel. The biggest fun, of course, is how lubitsch takes the pi out of hitlers blind, fanatic followers. 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. They dislike each other and cant seem to get along. Want to watch to be or not to be in the comfort of your own home.
The film is now available in a first rate print with a first rate commentary. To be or not to be directed by ernst lubitsch video on demand. The film was adapted from a story by melchior lengyel and was produced and directed by ernst lubitsch. 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.
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