History Film / ToBeOrNotToBe

-->'''Bronski:''' Face it, without Jews, fags or gypsies, there is no theater.

* JustForPun: The stage manager is renamed Sondheim, and a novelty act called "Klotzki's Clowns," entirely so that Brooks can at one point exclaim: "[[ShoutOut Sondheim! Send in the Clowns!]]" [[spoiler:However, it becomes a SubvertedTrope later as the clowns are crucial in the plan to smuggle a number of Jews out of Poland at the film's climax.]]

* AdolfHitlarious: Invoked, but ultimately averted. During his entrance as Hitler during a rehearsal, Tura responds to the other actors' salutes of "Heil Hitler" with "Heil myself." He is then promptly yelled at by Dobosz the director for going off-script. Greenberg, the Jewish actor, is in favor of Tura's ad-lib but gets shut down by Dobosz, who wants their play to be a serious drama. Hitler is never really treated as an object of ridicule, unlike in the remake.
* AnalogyBackfire: The actor Tura, cast as Hitler in a play, is told by Dobosz the director that he doesn't look convincing as Hitler. To prove the point, Dobosz points to a portrait of Hitler on the set, only to have Tura point out that the portrait is actually of himself dressed as Hitler. At that point, the director responds "well, then the portrait's wrong too."

* BavarianFireDrill: The plot to smuggle the troupe out of Poland hinges on fooling the SS guards into believing that they have just stopped an assassination attempt on "Hitler" (in reality Tura).

->'''Professor Siletsky''': After all, it's nothing alarming - it's only Shakespeare.\\
'''Jozef Tura''': (''disguised as Col. Ehrhardt'') That's what ''you'' think!

''To Be or Not to Be'' is a 1942 ScrewballComedy film produced by Alexander Korda's London Films company (though actually shot in America at the Creator/UnitedArtists studios), directed by Creator/ErnstLubitsch, and starring Creator/JackBenny and Creator/CaroleLombard, the latter in her final film role.

''To Be or Not to Be'' was remade 41 years later as a vehicle for Creator/MelBrooks and his wife Creator/AnneBancroft in the Benny and Lombard parts, here renamed Frederick and Anna Bronski; indeed, many of the characters were renamed or refashioned in this version. ("Stanislav" Sobinski becomes "Andre" Sobinski, Maria's AmbiguouslyJewish female dresser Anna becomes Anna's [[CampGay unambiguously gay]] male dresser Sasha, and Brooks' Bronski character takes over the functions of the original film's Dobosz as head of the company and -- predictably, if implausibly -- the role of the original Bronski [Tom Dugan, who did indeed bear a remarkable resemblance to the dictator] in impersonating UsefulNotes/AdolfHitler.) Ronny Graham and Thomas Meehan wrote the screenplay, and Alan Johnson directed; as people who had worked with Brooks before, it's not surprising that the original ScrewballComedy is played as more of a broad farce, with much lampshading and breaking of the fourth wall. Creator/CharlesDurning was nominated for a Best Supporting Actor UsefulNotes/AcademyAward for his performance as Colonel Erhardt.

* AdolfHitlarious: Invoked, but ultimately averted. During his entrance as Hitler during a rehearsal, Bronski responds to the other actors' salutes of "Heil Hitler" with "Heil myself." He is then promptly yelled at by Dobosz the director for going off-script. Greenberg, the Jewish actor, is in favor of Bronski’s ad-lib but gets shut down by Dobosz, who wants their play to be a serious drama. Hitler is never really treated as an object of ridicule, unlike in the remake.
* AnalogyBackfire: The actor Bronski, cast as Hitler in a play, is told by Dobosz the director that he doesn't look convincing as Hitler. To prove the point, Dobosz points to a portrait of Hitler on the set, only to have Bronski point out that the portrait is actually of himself dressed as Hitler. At that point, the director responds "well, then the portrait's wrong too."
* AttemptedRape: Col. Erhardt to Maria.
* BavarianFireDrill: The plot to smuggle the troupe out of Poland hinges on fooling the SS guards into believing that they have just stopped an assassination attempt on "Hitler" (in reality Bronski).
* BeardOfEvil: [[spoiler: Siletsky]]. [[GenreSavvy Even noted by Maria Tura]].
* BigBad: Colonel Erhardt.

* BungledSuicide: When Erhardt thinks he has pissed off Hitler (the fake one). We hear a shot... and then promptly "SCHULTZ!!"

-->'''Jozef Tura''' (disguised as Erhardt): So they call me Concentration Camp Ehrhardt?

--> '''Col. Erhardt''': SCHULTZ !!!
* ChekhovsGag: When Jozef Tura impersonates Ehrhardt, he repeats "So they call me Concentration Camp Ehrhardt?" with a roaring laughter several times because he can't think of anything else to say. Later, when Jozef Tura impersonates Siletsky, he meets the real Erhardt, who also constantly repeats "So they call me Concentration Camp Ehrhardt?" - with the same kind of laughter. To which Tura-as-Siletsky replies "I thought you would react just that way."
* ChekhovsGun: Someone from the troupe tells Maria that Jozef's fake beard came loose, so he gave him a second beard. This second beard does not seem to be important, until Jozef uses it to make Siletsky's body out to be the body of an impostor.

-->'''Sobinski''': You may not believe it, but I can drop three tons of dynamite in two minutes.
-->'''Maria Tura''': Really?
-->'''Sobinski''': Does that interest you?
-->'''Maria Tura''': It certainly does.
-->'''Sobinski''': I don't want to overstep myself, but I'll take a chance. Would you permit me to show you my plane?
-->'''Maria Tura''': Maybe.
-->'''Sobinski''': When shall I call for you?
-->'''Maria Tura''': Tomorrow at 2:00 at my home. No, I'd better meet you right at the airport.
-->'''Sobinski''': Goodbye. I hope you forgive me if I acted a little clumsy... but this is the first time I ever met an actress.
-->'''Maria Tura''': Lieutenant, this is the first time I've ever met a man... who could drop three tons of dynamite in two minutes.
** When Siletsky dines with Maria and is tries to pick her up:
-->'''Siletsky''': Shall we drink to a Blitzkrieg?
-->'''Maria Tura''': I prefer a slow encirclement.

* EarnYourTitle: Someone nicknamed "Concentration Camp" Erhardt is unlikely to be a good guy.

* HaveYouToldAnyoneElse: When the Resistance fighters and actors disguised as Nazis prepare to kill a traitor, they subtly inquire about whether he's made a copy of the list of underground agents and families of Polish fighter pilots he's preparing to turn over. Unfortunately, he has, leading to a scramble to retrieve ''that.''
--> '''Joseph:''' I assume there are no supplementary documents still at the hotel?
* HitlerAteSugar: Inverted. Colonel Erhardt is openly contemptuous of his aide's teetotalism and non-smoking until it is pointed out that the Führer has the same habits.

--> '''Maria:''' If I go on a diet, you lose the weight. If I have a cold, you cough. And if we should ever have a baby, I'm not so sure I'd be the mother.

** Sig Ruman as Colonel Erhardt is pretty hammy.

* LoveTriangle: Maria is married with Jozef Tura, but Sobinski falls in love with her.

* Never My Fault: Ehrhardt accuses Schultz of passing the buck whenever Schultz claims to be Just Following Orders, even though Schultz invariably was following orders, from Ehrhardt himself, before something happened that made the Colonel change his mind.

* NotSoHarmlessVillain: Ehrhardt is mostly a comical buffoon, but it's really clear he is a dangerous, evil man. A good illustration is one scene where he is on to Jozef Tura's disguise and puts him through some psychological torture on the logic that Tura is a clever man. When Erhardt's assistant wonders what to do if Tura isn't clever, Ehrhardt's response is (paraphrased) "Then we'll break every bone in his body." Also, in his first introduction is speaking on a phone ordering the execution of some prisoners even if there was no evidence against them.
* ReasonableAuthorityFigure: The military intelligence leaders who Stanislav tells his suspicions about the professor want to give the professor the benefit of the doubt but immediately believe Stanislav once he reveals that the professor told the Polish pilots about his supposedly top secret mission and then [[TheVillainKnowsWhereYouLive got a list of the names and addresses all of their families back in Poland.]]
* RefugeInAudacity: Tura climaxes his ingenious beard transfer scheme by daring Colonel Erhardt to try and rip off his own (fake) beard which latter declines out of embarrassment.

** Erhardt blames Schultz for something that did not work.

* StrangeMindsThinkAlike: Jozef, impersonating Col. Erhardt and struggling not to give himself away, just repeats "So they call me Concentration Camp Erhardt..." over and over for lack of anything else to say. The impersonation turns out to be completely accurate because when the real Erhardt enters the picture he also endlessly repeats the same phrase in conversation.
* TakeThat: Directed at the Bard of Avon himself:

* ThoseWackyNazis: Sig Rumann's "Colonel Erhardt" in particular is a buffoon, but you never lose sight of how dangerous he is.

* AbhorrentAdmirer: Inverted; Erhardt goes backstage to see Anna during the special performance Anna, and tries to force himself upon her.

* AttackAttackRetreatRetreat: Between Bronski and [[spoiler: Siletski]]
-->[[spoiler: Siletski]]:(brandishing a gun) Up against that wall!
-->Bronski: Oh, no. I want to see it coming...([[spoiler: Siletski]] points the gun at him) I don't need to see it coming.

* DeceasedFallGuyGambit: Bronski as the mole tells Erhardt that he doesn't have the list of the entire Polish Underground as originally hoped, but does have the name of key figures in the Underground that could provide that list if interrogated. He then names two people the Gestapo had recently executed.

** RunningGag: During the end credits, Anne Bancroft's name is ''also'' in parenthesis. [[PaintingTheMedium (She shoots Mel a dirty look until he 'changes' it.)]] This even extended to the movie poster. Keep in mind she and Brooks were married!

--> '''Frederick Bronski:''' They cut off my gasoline, closed my bank account, took my stickpin, took my pinkie ring, and the top of my gold cane, but they are not, I repeat, not taking my house! Never!
--> ''[SmashCut to Bronski holding suitcases in his house]''
--> '''Frederick Bronski:''' Got everything?
* TheGreatestStoryNeverTold: Bronski impersonates Erhardt to get the list from the mole, and then impersonates the mole to convince Erhardt that the list is useless, as the names on it are all people who Erhardt had already executed. Upon getting back home, he laments that he just pulled off the greatest performance of his career, and only he was able to truly appreciate it.

--> '''Frederick Bronski:''' ''Listen, sweetheart, if I don't come back, then I forgive you for anything that happened between you and Lt. Sobinski.''
--> [He opens the door to leave, but turns back]
--> '''Frederick Bronski:''' ''But if I'' do ''come back,'' you're in a lot of trouble!
* ImageSong: '''For Hitler.''' ''See'' MusicVideo, ''below''.

* JustForPun: The stage manager is renamed Sondheim, and a novelty act called "Klotzki's Clowns," entirely so that Brooks can at one point exclaim: "[[ShoutOut Sondheim! Send in the Clowns!]]" [[spoiler: However, it becomes a SubvertedTrope later as the clowns are crucial in the plan to smuggle a number of Jews out of Poland at the film's climax.]]

--->'''Erhardt:''' '''''SCHUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUULTZ!!!!!!!!!'''''

* MoodWhiplash: A comedy set in occupied Nazi Poland is obviously going to have a few, but one sequence at the end could really make your neck hurt: There is a comedy set involving clowns one moment, cutting to a touching rendition of Shylock's "Have not a Jew Eyes?" speech from ''Theatre/TheMerchantOfVenice'' when one of the characters gets caught, back to more clowning around as the Jews make an escape, but then a couple breaks down at the sight of a theatre filled with Nazis... [[spoiler: leading to Sasha he manages to rescue the old couple right from under the noses of the Nazi audience]].

* OnceDoneNeverForgotten: Erhardt's joke about Hitler getting a pickle named after him. Bronski even plays a little KickTheDog with Erhardt about it.

* RefugeInAudacity: Bronski sneaks a dozen Jews who were hiding in the theater basement out of the building while it's literally packed with Nazis by dressing them in clown outfits and have them pop out of a clown car and walk out the front door. [[spoiler: When two of them have a panic attack because of all the Nazis around, Sasha saves the day by donning an SS cap, publicly accusing them of being Jews, and escorting them out at the point of a swastika themed BangFlagGun!]]

* WhamShot: During Bronskis meeting with he professor, as one point he turns his swivel chair around and both the audience (and the professor) see that it's labeled property of the Bronski theater, instantly blowing the deception and causing a moment of tension for the audience as the professor (sucsesfully) tries to bait Bronski by casually insulting his talent while Bronski remains unaware that he's been exposed

* NiceJobBreakingItHero: Tura successfully manages to convince Erhardt of his identity as Siletsky, when his friends storm the room and ruin his graceful departure.
* NotSoHarmlessVillain: Erhardt is mostly a comical buffoon, but it's really clear he is a dangerous, evil man. A good illustration is one scene where he is on to Jozef Tura's disguise and puts him through some psychological torture on the logic that Tura is a clever man. When Erhardt's assistant wonders what to do if Tura isn't clever, Erhardt's response is (paraphrased) "Then we'll break every bone in his body." Also, in his first introduction is speaking on a phone ordering the execution of some prisoners even if there was no evidence against them.

* NeverMyFault: Erhardt accuses Schultz of passing the buck whenever Schultz claims to be JustFollowingOrders, even though Schultz invariably ''was'' following orders, from Erhardt, before something happened that made the Colonel change his mind.

* MathematiciansAnswer: When a suspicious Erhardt asks how long it has been since Siletski (really a disguised Bronski) saw his friend Hitler, Bronski evasively replies, "much too long."

* LighterAndFluffier: Instead of being dramatic actors, as were the Turas of the original, the Bronskis are glorified vaudeville stars: the Nazi play they are putting on is not a serious play about the Reich, but a mocking musical revue called ''[[ThoseWackyNazis Naughty Nazis]]'' (bearing Nazis]]''. It bears more than a little resemblance to ''Film/TheProducers''' ''Springtime For Hitler'' -- in fact, screenwriter Thomas Meehan went on to co-write that film's stage adaptation, and the "Heil myself!" RunningGag and a discussion of why actors don't wish each other "good luck" are near-direct lifts from this).it. Amusingly, that adaptation also included the "Heil myself!" gag, lifted from the original ''To Be Or Not To Be''.

* LighterAndFluffier: Instead of being dramatic actors, as were the Turas of the original, the Bronskis are glorified vaudeville stars: the Nazi play they are putting on is not a serious play about the Reich, but a mocking musical revue called ''[[ThoseWackyNazis Naughty Nazis]]''. It bears more than a little resemblance to ''Film/TheProducers''' ''Springtime For Hitler'' -- in fact, screenwriter Thomas Meehan went on to co-write that film's stage adaptation, and a discussion of why actors don't wish each other "good luck" are near-direct lifts from it. Amusingly, that adaptation also included the "Heil myself!" gag, lifted from the original ''To Be Or Not To Be''.

* LighterAndFluffier: Instead of being dramatic actors, as were the Turas of the original, the Bronskis are glorified vaudeville stars: the Nazi play they are putting on is not a serious play about the Reich, but a mocking musical revue called ''[[ThoseWackyNazis Naughty Nazis]]'' (bearing more than a little resemblance to ''Film/TheProducers''' ''Springtime For Hitler'' -- in fact, screenwriter Thomas Meehan went on to co-write that film's stage adaptation, and the "Heil myself!" RunningGag and a discussion of why actors don't wish each other "good luck" are near-direct lifts from this).

* TitleDrop: Tura reads Creator/WilliamShakespeare's line in the closing scene.

* LiteraryAllusionTitle: To one of Creator/WilliamShakespeare's works.

* ChekhovsGag: When Jozef Tura impersonates Ehrhardt, he repeats "So they call me Concentration Camp Ehrhardt?" with a roaring laughter several times because he can't think of anything else to say. Later, when Jozef Tura impersonates Siletsky, he meets the real Erhardt, who also constantly repeats "So they call me Concentration Camp Ehrhardt?" - with the same kind of laughter. To which Tura-as-SIletsky replies "I thought you would react just that way."

* ChekhovsGag: When Jozef Tura impersonates Ehrhardt, he repeats "So they call me Concentration Camp Ehrhardt?" several times because he can't think of anything else to say. Later, when Jozef Tura impersonates Siletsky, he meets the real Erhardt, who also constantly repeats "So they call me Concentration Camp Ehrhardt?"

->'''Jozef Tura''': (''disguised as Col. Ehrhardt'') That's what ''you'' think!

* ReasonableAuthorityFigure: The military intelligence leaders who Stanislav tells his suspicions about the professor immediately believe him once he reveals that the professor told the Polish pilots about his supposedly top secret mission and then [[TheVillainKnowsWhereYouLive got a list of the names and addresses all of their families back in Poland.]]

[[quoteright:320:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/to_be_or_not_to_be_1942.jpeg]]

Set in [[{{UsefulNotes/Poland}} Warsaw]] during the early part of UsefulNotes/WorldWarII, ''To Be or Not to Be'' follows the fortunes of a group of actors as they get drawn into [[LaResistance the resistance]]. Before the war, actress Maria Tura (Lombard), the wife of [[SmallNameBigEgo that great, great Polish actor, Jozef Tura]] (Benny), receives the attentions of [[UsefulNotes/PolesWithPoleaxes Polish Air Force]] pilot Lt. Stanislav Sobinski (Creator/RobertStack). Wanting to meet with him when her husband is not around, she tells Sobinski to leave the theater and come backstage while her husband is performing the "to be or not to be" soliloquy from ''Theatre/{{Hamlet}}''. Sobinski ends up doing this a number of times, always to the same cue. Jozef almost catches them together, but just before it can happen, what all of Poland fears happens instead: Germany invades, and war is declared. Sobinski makes a quick escape to Britain along with his squadron, while the rest of Poland has no choice but to deal with the trials of Nazi occupation.

[[quoteright:300:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/ToBeOrNotToBe1942_827.jpg]]

''To Be or Not to Be'' is a 1942 ScrewballComedy produced by Alexander Korda's London Films company (though actually shot in America at the Creator/UnitedArtists studios), directed by Creator/ErnstLubitsch, and starring Creator/JackBenny and Creator/CaroleLombard in her final film role.

Set in [[{{UsefulNotes/Poland}} Warsaw]] during the early part of UsefulNotes/WorldWarII, ''To Be or Not to Be'' follows the fortunes of a group of actors as they get drawn into [[LaResistance the resistance]]. Before the war, actress Maria Tura (Lombard), wife of [[SmallNameBigEgo that great, great Polish actor, Jozef Tura]] (Benny), receives the attentions of [[UsefulNotes/PolesWithPoleaxes Polish Air Force]] pilot Lt. Stanislav Sobinski (Creator/RobertStack). Wanting to meet with him when her husband is not around, she tells Sobinski to leave the theater and come backstage while her husband is performing the "to be or not to be" soliloquy from ''Theatre/{{Hamlet}}''. Sobinski ends up doing this a number of times, always to the same cue. Jozef almost catches them together, but just before it can happen, what all of Poland fears happens instead: Germany invades, and war is declared. Sobinski makes a quick escape to Britain along with his squadron, while the rest of Poland has no choice but to deal with the trials of Nazi occupation.

** RunningGag: During the end credits, Anne Bancroft's name is ''also'' in parenthesis. [[PaintingTheMedium (She shoots Mel a dirty look until he 'changes' it.)]] Keep in mind she and Brooks were married.

* LargeHam: No one in this version can come close to Brooks himself.
** Arguably, Charles Dunning is the best competition.

* LighterAndFluffier: Instead of being dramatic actors, as were the Turas of the original, the Bronskis are glorified vaudeville stars: the Nazi play they are putting on is not a serious play about the Reich, but a mocking musical revue called ''[[ThoseWackyNazis Naughty Nazis]]'' (bearing more than a little resemblance to ''Film/TheProducers''' ''Springtime For Hitler'').

* MoodWhiplash: A comedy set in occupied Nazi Poland is obviously going to have a few, but one sequence at the end could really make your neck hurt: There is a comedy set involving clowns one moment, cutting to a touching rendition of Shylock's "Have not a Jew Eyes?" speech from ''Theatre/TheMerchantOfVenice'' when one of the characters gets caught, back to more clowning around as the Jews make an escape, but then a couple breaks down at the sight of a theatre filled with Nazis... [[spoiler: leading to Sasha he manages to rescue the old couple right from under the noses of the Nazi audience.]]

* RefugeInAudacity: Bronski sneaks a dozen Jews who were hiding in the theater basement out of the building while it's literally packed with Nazis by dressing them in clown outfits and have them pop out of a clown car and walk out the front door. When two of them have a panic attack because of all the Nazis around, Sasha saves the day by donning an SS cap, publicly accusing them of being Jews, and escorting them out at the point of a swastika themed BangFlagGun.

''To Be or Not to Be'' was remade 41 years later by Creator/MelBrooks, with himself and his wife Creator/AnneBancroft in the Benny and Lombard parts, here renamed Frederick and Anna Bronski; indeed, many of the characters were renamed or refashioned in this outing (''e.g''., "Stanislav" Sobinski becomes "Andre" Sobinski, Maria's AmbiguouslyJewish female dresser Anna becomes Anna's [[CampGay unambiguously gay]] male dresser Sasha, and Brooks' Bronski character takes over the functions of the original film's Dobosz as head of the company and (predictably, if implausibly) the role of the original Bronski (Tom Dugan, who did indeed bear a remarkable resemblance to the dictator) in impersonating UsefulNotes/AdolfHitler. Brooks broadened the original ScrewballComedy to broad farce, with much lampshading and breaking of the fourth wall. Creator/CharlesDurning was nominated for a best supporting actor UsefulNotes/AcademyAward for his performance as Colonel Erhardt.

* BilingualBonus: During the first few minutes, Mel Brooks and Anne Bancroft actually sing (and then argue) in Polish. (See Translator Convention below.) If you actually speak Polish, they both speak in such ridiculous, over-the-top accents that it might make your ears bleed. They essentially speak the way a British or American person would speak if they were to read a piece of Polish text out loud - [[UpToEleven except worse]].

* {{Flanderization}}: The hamminess and egoism is turned UpToEleven in this film, with Brooks shamelessly mugging in his "Highlights From ''Hamlet''." Frederick in this version is so envious of Anna's fame that he prints her name on the bills ''in parentheses''.

* ThoseWackyNazis: And given that Creator/MelBrooks is involved, the wackiness goes UpToEleven.

* NotSoHarmlessVillain: Erhardt is mostly a comical buffoon like the Nazis of ''Series/HogansHeroes'', but unlike them, it's really clear he is a dangerous, evil man. A good illustration is one scene where he is on to Jozef Tura's disguise and puts him through some psychological torture on the logic that Tura is a clever man. When Erhardt's assistant wonders what to do if Tura isn't clever, Erhardt's response is (paraphrased) "Then we'll break every bone in his body." Also, in his first introduction is speaking on a phone ordering the execution of some prisoners even if there was no evidence against them.

* AdaptationalRelationshipOverhaul: In the original film, Anna/Maria's flirtation with the pilot is due to a misunderstanding and she and her husband have a strong relationship. In the remake, she leads her suitor on more, and she and her husband have more of a AwLookTheyReallyDoLoveEachOther relationship.

** This may possibly even border on DevelopmentGag from the first version -- apparently, Jack Benny and Carole Lombard, otherwise great friends, apparently got into bickering over who was going to get top billing. It was finally cut short when they agreed to let Lombard have it, both due to her Hollywood name recognition[[note]] while Benny was the nation's top ''radio'' star, he was to that point at or below B-List level when it came to movies, while Lombard was at the top of her fame... a fame that would tragically be cut short after filming[[/note]] and because of the indisputable fact that Benny got the best lines!