"So they call me Concentration Camp Ehrhardt, eh?"

Interweaving numerous threads of prudent humour within ostensibly solemn scenes, German director Ernst Lubitsch jumps energetically at the opportunity to laugh at the Nazis through a storyline which centres on a cast of performers in Poland employing their proficiencies to deceive the Nazi-occupying forces. To Be or Not to Be is full of spontaneous interactions and hardly subdued insinuations, and is perhaps one of the sharpest meta-comedies to materialise from the Hollywood studio system.

Its scenes are crowded with wisecracks and actors playing multiple parts, and Lubitsch makes forceful efforts in breaching the hampering restrictions of the motion picture production code by various carefree techniques. It effortlessly jumps the rails of the perceived impression that the menace of Nazism was beyond lampooning, and incorporates tremendous proportions of amusement and enjoyment. Additionally, it was released just thirty-four days after Carole Lombard tragically died at the age of thirty-three.

More transgressive and surprising than Inglourious Basterds.

Life does not cease to be funny when people die any more than it ceases to be serious when people laugh.
(George Bernard Shaw)

A damn near perfect screwball comedy from Ernst Lubitsch set against the backdrop of World War II in Poland. Carole Lombard and Jack Benny two actors who are married and work together in a theatre troupe. Lombard is magnificent in her role, even though she gets sidelined in some cases for Jack Benny. The humor is sharp and surprisingly modern. There are some heavy sexual innuendos between Carole Lombard and Robert Stack, a young soldier who is infatuated with Lombard. When watching this film, you can see how this influenced such directors as Billy Wilder, Mel Brooks, and various other comedy directors. Lubitsch walks a tightrope in this film, and it's a wonder to behold.

Watched on Criterion Channel to prep for our month of Theatre Movies.

Fun is spelled F-U-N

Peliculon clasico, una joya de la comedia, hilarante y inteligente, de lo mejor que he visto.

I love the Mel Brooks version of the movie. Watched it as a kid as a VHS rental when we rented most of the Mel Brooks movies.

So in the 00's when I learned about the existence of this movie, I bought it on DVD and then several other DVDs with Jack Benny episodes on them.

This viewing was on HBO Max.

The Mel Brooks movie had the benefit of knowing how the war ended when they made the thing. This movie being from 1942 means they made it early in our involvement in the war.

This is a great movie, though I'm more partial to the Brooks version.

Genius Carole Lombard performance.

Quirky movie in Nazi occupied Poland. Theater troop infiltrates the gestapo. Watching a film where a bunch of theater dorks get to make acting seem more important than it really is gets annoying... but nonetheless, it was fun.

2020 Watchlist

This was a delightful farce and clearly in a time where some of the true horrors of Nazi Occupation were not fully understood. Lots of clever set ups and pay offs. Very fun plot that is pretty digestible for the amount of twists and deception occurring.

It is insane how this movie does not skip a single beat.

this really didnt grab me that much, it has some fun and funny moments in it doe