To Be or Not to Be
Seen it?1942 | 99 min | Comedy, War, Romance
Friday Night FlickWhy it’s a Friday Night Flick
Critics loved it (96% on Rotten Tomatoes) and audiences rate it highly (7.8 out of 10). Make plans for this one.
Based on critics, audiences, awards, box office and buzz. Details below.Is it for you?
- Who'll love it
- Made for romantics, anyone who wants a laugh and history buffs. If you loved Operation Petticoat or The General, start here. Critics rate it higher than audiences do, so it rewards patience more than it chases thrills.
- The mood
- Darkly funny, intense.
- The pace
- Breezy, at 1 hr 39 min.
- What might put you off
- Made in 1942: an older pace and style.
- Audiences were cooler on it than critics.
During the Nazi occupation of Poland, an acting troupe becomes embroiled in a Polish soldier's efforts to track down a German spy.
How it earned its rating
- CriticsVery strong
96% on Rotten Tomatoes, 86 on Metacritic
- AudiencesStrong
7.8 out of 10
- AwardsBelow par
Nominated for 1 Oscar.
- Box office & staying powerWeak
$2 million worldwide on a $1 million budget
- Buzz & cultural impactSolid
About 94K people sought it out in the past year
Trailer
More like this
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To Be or Not to Be
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Cast & crew
Directed by Ernst Lubitsch
- Carole LombardMaria Tura
- Jack BennyJoseph Tura
- Robert StackLieut. Stanislav Sobinski
- Felix BressartGreenberg
- Lionel AtwillRawitch
- Stanley RidgesProfessor Alexander Siletsky
- Sig RumanCol. Ehrhardt
- Tom DuganBronski
- Charles HaltonProducer Dobosh
- George LynnActor-Adjutant