"So they call me "Concentration Camp" Ehrhardt?"

Rating: 9/10 (24 November 2007)

"To Be or Not to Be" is about a troupe of Polish actors who become entangled in a plot involving a Nazi spy during the German occupation of Poland. The film's title is a reference to the fact that the troupe frequently performs "Hamlet".
The egocentric ham actor and leader of the troupe, Joseph Tura, is played by that great, great comedic actor, Jack Benny. Benny plays is oft-played role of a man who overrates his own abilities with relish. Carole Lombard is also excellent as Joseph's smooth wife Maria and the rest of the cast is solid.
This film features sharp humor that parodies the Nazis and criticizes them. The film is funny all-around, but especially so during the second half. My favorite scene is the one where Joseph Tura is told improvise in order to keep a professor working for the Nazis in his office, but he can't improvise effectively despite being an actor. The way Benny botches the improvisation by repeating the "Concentration Camp" Ehrhardt line and following it with strained laughter is perfect. "To Be or Not to Be" is another excellent comedy film from director Ernst Lubitsch.