Fascism Is a Farce

Rating: 9/10 (5 August 2014)

It's August 1939 in Warsaw, Poland. A theatre group led by popular stage actress Carole Lombard (as Maria Tura) and her hammy husband Jack Benny (as Joseph Tura) rehearse their funny Nazi play "Gestapo" – eventually, they're ordered to cancel the comedy due to the risk of offending Adolph Hitler, the German dictator then invading countries and disposing of their Jewish citizens in concentration camps. However, they are allowed to continue performing Shakespeare's "Hamlet". During the performance, Ms. Lombard agrees to meet handsome young fan Robert Stack (as Stanislav Sobinski), when Mr. Benny begins his soliloquy "To Be or Not to Be" A bomber for the RAF, Mr. Stack fancies himself in love with Lombard. She enjoys the attention, but warns Stack she is a married woman. When Hitler invades Poland, Stack returns to Britain. There, he discovers a plot to exterminate the Warsaw resistance. Stack parachutes to Poland and involves Lombard, Benny and their theatre company in an effort stop the Nazis...
Deftly directed by Ernst Lubitsch, "To Be or Not to Be" was unusual in that it treated the Nazis in a farcical manner. Funny Nazis during World War II did not amuse everyone. Echoing this film's repeated "Heil Hitler!" salute, the popular TV series "Hogan's Heroes" was criticized for finding humor in the subject – three decades later. Also a downer, Lombard tragically died in a plane crash before this, her last film, was released. Her performance is marvelous. Standout co-star Benny and everyone involved can count "To Be or Not to Be" as a career peak. In 1983, the film received a high profile re-male by Mel Brooks' company. While not superior to this version, Mr. Brooks' film was quite enjoyable. It did correct a minor flaw in this version – plot transitions aren't always smooth. For example, Stack appears in Lombard's bed after a long run around Warsaw; without a clue about what is happening, we see her take over his mission. By all means, see both versions – but start with this one. Laughter is still the best medicine.
********* To Be or Not to Be (2/15/42) Ernst Lubitsch ~ Carole Lombard, Jack Benny, Robert Stack, Sig Ruman