To Be or Not to Be

"To Be or Not to Be" has the distinction of being the last movie starring Carole Lombard before her tragic death in an airplane crash in 1942 and is also remembered as having Jack Benny's finest film performance. But beyond the qualities of the stars Ernst Lubitsch's film deserves to be singled out for its anti-Nazis position, a distinction shared with Charlie Chaplin's "The Great Dictator" and few other films. Keep in mind that the film was released on February 15, 1942, not only a month after Lombard's death but only two months after Pearl Harbor, which means it was in the works before... more

Amazon Verified Purchase ( What's this? ) I'm so surprised that this classic is not revived more often or is not better known. It really is one of the most superb films turned out during the war years and is significant for a number of diverse reasons. One is that Carole Lombard, the stunning comedienne par excellence of the 30's and wife of Clark Gable was killed in a plane crash on a war bond selling tour soon after completing her role in it and secondly that Jack Benny, normally regarded as a radio personality, has the film role of a lifetime in this classic and has never been better.... more

Ernst Lubitsch's 1942 version of "TO BE OR NOT TO BE", is the #1 BLACK COMEDY classic of all-time. Selected by the American Film Institute (AFI) in 2000 as one of the greatest films in the "TOP 100 Years, 100 Laughs" category. (Carole Lombard was also selected as one of the Top 25 Hollywood Female Legends. (AFI's 100 Years 100 Stars (1999)). NOTE: Black or Dark Comedy - are movies that can make us laugh but also instill an uneasy feeling. The laughter comes from subject matter that is offbeat & perhaps a little macabre. Summary: Director Ernst Lubitsch's Black Comedy is about a Polish... more