Rotten Tomatoes
Cancel Movies Tv shows RT App News Showtimes

To Be or Not to Be

Play trailer Poster for To Be or Not to Be PG Now Playing 1h 48m Comedy LGBTQ+ Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
55% Tomatometer 22 Reviews 75% Popcornmeter 2,500+ Ratings
Frederick Bronski (Mel Brooks) and his adulterous wife, Anna (Anne Bancroft), are a pair of hammy actors running a low-rent theater in Warsaw, Poland. When the Nazis invade, the Bronskis find their theater becoming a makeshift refuge for local Jews and a gateway to the Polish underground. Using their limited acting skills, the members of the theater troupe attempt to deceive the Nazis and lead an escape. Meanwhile, a Polish pilot (Tim Matheson) thinks he has found a spy in England.
Now in Theaters Now Playing Buy Tickets

Critics Reviews

View More
Gary Arnold Washington Post 03/03/2019
A klunky, tacky-looking color reproduction of the original. Go to Full Review Harry Haun New York Daily News 01/18/2018
Frills notwithstanding, the film is faithful in its frenetic fashion. Go to Full Review Variety Staff Variety 03/26/2009
Bancroft's sustained delights are not matched by Brooks, who seems to be trying too hard. Go to Full Review Michael Lasky Bay Area Reporter 05/12/2023
To Be or Not To Be is not an unlikable film. It's just not a particularly good one. It's too self-conscious in its attempts at cheap laughs to be anything memorable. Go to Full Review Bruce R. Miller Sioux City Journal 05/12/2023
The first feature doesn't cry out for a remake. The second doesn't justify it. Go to Full Review Diego Galán El Pais (Spain) 02/05/2020
Bad imitations are loathsome. [Full Review in Spanish] Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

View More
CodyZamboni Z Apr 11 Surprisingly half this movie is a musical, Overall amusing, With a few poignant moments, Mel and Anne are definately having fun, But alot of the German military buffoon schtick is overblown. See more Roger D Jan 29 Good film and faithful to the original 1942 Jack Benny/Carole Lombard film of the same name. It isn't as good, though, but it pays homage to the original. See more Michael L Dec 27 It's worth the watch... But the original in 1942 with Jack Benny and Carol Lombard is the gold standard for this movie But I especially liked Ann Bancroft in this remake She was incredibly talented See more andy f 12/19/2022 Probably prefer it to the Jack Benny version (I love Jack Benny but he was just too hammy). Brooks adds a little more gravitas (and that's saying something for Mel Brooks!) but it's Anne Bancroft that steals the show - she's wonderful. See more s r @ScottR 01/22/2021 It seemed like they were trying too hard. It didn't measure up to the original. See more Terry S 10/10/2020 Brooks and Bancroft are irresistible in another Mel slapstick extravaganza ! See more Read all reviews
To Be or Not to Be

My Rating

Read More Read Less POST RATING WRITE A REVIEW EDIT REVIEW

Cast & Crew

View All

Alan Johnson

Director

Mel Brooks

Dr. Frederick Bronski

Anne Bancroft

Anna Bronski

Charles Durning

Col. Erhardt

Tim Matheson

Lt. Andre Sobinski

José Ferrer

Prof. Siletski

More Like This

View All
Victor/Victoria 97% 86% Victor/Victoria Watchlist Tootsie 91% 81% Tootsie Watchlist TRAILER for Tootsie Young Frankenstein 95% 92% Young Frankenstein Watchlist TRAILER for Young Frankenstein The Man With One Red Shoe 47% 39% The Man With One Red Shoe Watchlist Royal Flash 50% 63% Royal Flash Watchlist Discover more movies and TV shows. View More

Related Movie News

View All
13 Essential Jewish American Films
View All

To Be or Not to Be

To Be or Not to Be (1983) To Be or Not to Be (1983) View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis Frederick Bronski (Mel Brooks) and his adulterous wife, Anna (Anne Bancroft), are a pair of hammy actors running a low-rent theater in Warsaw, Poland. When the Nazis invade, the Bronskis find their theater becoming a makeshift refuge for local Jews and a gateway to the Polish underground. Using their limited acting skills, the members of the theater troupe attempt to deceive the Nazis and lead an escape. Meanwhile, a Polish pilot (Tim Matheson) thinks he has found a spy in England.
Director
Alan Johnson
Producer
Mel Brooks
Screenwriter
Thomas Meehan, Ronny Graham, Edwin Justus Mayer
Distributor
20th Century Fox Home Entertainment
Production Co
Twentieth Century Fox
Rating
PG
Genre
Comedy, LGBTQ+
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Dec 16, 1983, Original
Release Date (Streaming)
Jul 1, 2017
Runtime
1h 48m
Sound Mix
Surround, Stereo