To Be or Not to Be (1983 film)
- Mel Brooks: Frederick Bronski
- Anne Bancroft: Anna Bronski
- Tim Matheson: Andre Sobinski
- Charles Durning: Group leader Erhardt
- Christopher Lloyd: Sturmführer Schultz
- José Ferrer: Professor Siletski
- James Haake: Sascha Kinski
- George Gaynes: Ravitch
- George Wyner: Brad Frankowski
- Jack Riley: Dobisch
- Lewis J. Stadlen: Lupinsky
- Zale Kessler: Bieler
- Estelle: Gruba
- Ronny Graham: Sondheim
To be or not is a re- screen adaptation of the classic from 1942. Satirical The film is set before and during World War II in Warsaw.
Action
Poland, the summer of 1939, on the eve of the German attack on Poland case. The couple Frederick and Anna Bronski are the stars of " Bronski Theater " in Warsaw, but their marriage deep trouble with their profession, as Anna much more open acknowledgment reaps as Frederick. Then Frederick Bronski must also cancel under pressure from the Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs his new show, in which he is a Hitler parody; Instead, he gives "Highlights from Hamlet". The young Polish army pilot Andre Sobinski crush on Anna and arranges to meet her backstage, with Hamlet's soliloquy "To be or not to be" as a keyword. Bronski noticed this secret meeting, but does not recognize its basis.
When the Nazis invade a few days later in Poland, and the Bronski Theatre of the Nazi dictatorship is affected and needs to emphasize more and more by the influence of his best pieces from the program. Frederick and Anna Bronski be driven out of their villa, which is converted into the headquarters of the Gestapo, and a small apartment with Anna Gardrobier Sascha have to share.
In England, however, the Polish resistance continues, both militarily and morally, with the well-known professor Siletski as a representative of the latter. In reality, however, is a high-ranking German Siletski agent that comes with a list of names to Warsaw to destroy the Polish resistance. Andre, who escaped from Poland, returns on behalf of the Royal Air Force and the MI5 in his occupied homeland to intercept Siletski, and asks Anna for help. The entire ensemble of the Bronski Theatre tried the Nazi Gestapo chief Erhardt to fool with a confusion and the traitor to snatch the list. The largest role in this action falls to Frederick Bronski, both Siletski ( who dies in the matter ) also Erhardt must outsmart the help of his disguises and his acting skills, mixed with a dose of despair and the constant threat of danger to the unmasking, as and while his marriage to Anna cemented again.
When Adolf Hitler came to Warsaw, to give an extra idea the Bronski Theatre of the assembled Nazi prominence. Now the troupe has to apply all their acting skills to organize their escape to England. Although open up some serious obstacles (such as that the Jewish theater dresser has hidden their entire acquaintance in the theater building), succeeds at the end of every flight. The Bronski troupe is rewarded with permission to play in England, and Andre has backed off his passion for Anna - but is there another visitor who goes to the heart of the "To be or not to be" out of the hall ...
Criticism
Stefanie Dieckmann to jump cut: " An unpleasant film, and that's formulated reserved. The relationship which Mel Brooks ' has to be or not to the famous original from 1942, is neither an imitation nor any of overbidding, but a mixture of both: slavish in some moments copy, in others ( most ) trying funnier exciting, in a word: . to be better than the original, which takes a total of 106 minutes and not a single one is long entertaining "
The lexicon of the International film, however, ruled that it was a re- adaptation, " although at times degenerates into slapstick, but overall is the tragicomic material needs. "
Reclam's movie guide verdict: Despite " not always tasty safe effects ... turn created a comedy that drives in an acceptable way with horror joke. ". [ The film ] " ... acts more like a tribute to Lubitsch than like a typical Brooks comedy. "
Trivia
- The soundtrack album, but not in the film itself, the music video Hitler Rap appears. It came independently to the 12th place on the U.S. singles chart in February 1984.
- Charles Durning was nominated for his portrayal of group leader Ehrhardt for an Oscar as Best Supporting Actor.