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A lively, often very funny wartime farce with a sharper melancholy edge than its premise suggests. It works best as a showcase for performance, timing, and the uneasy collision between comedy and occupation-era danger, though it inevitably lives in the shadow of the classic it remakes.
Where to watch: Buy
Fri · 1h 47m
Director: Alan Johnson
Starring: Mel Brooks, Anne Bancroft, Tim Matheson
A bad Polish actor is just trying to make a living when Poland is invaded by the Germans in World War II. His wife has the habit of entertaining young Polish officers while he's on stage, which is also a source of depression to him. When one of her officers comes back on a Secret Mission, the actor takes charge and comes up with a plan for them to escape.
Alan Johnson
Mel Brooks, Anne Bancroft, Tim Matheson
A lively, often very funny wartime farce with a sharper melancholy edge than its premise suggests. It works best as a showcase for performance, timing, and the uneasy collision between comedy and occupation-era danger, though it inevitably lives in the shadow of the classic it remakes.
This remake has the kind of big, confident comic energy you expect from Mel Brooks, but it is not just a gag machine. The best stretches balance absurdity with genuine wartime anxiety, letting the film feel playful without completely defanging the setting. That tonal tension is the movie’s main strength and also the reason it can feel uneven from scene to scene.
The cast helps a lot, especially in the relationship between the leads, which gives the film a warmer, more human center than a simple spoof would have. The production has a polished, old-school studio sheen, and the material is staged with enough theatricality to suit its premise. When the jokes land, they land hard; when they don’t, the film can feel a little too eager to prove its own cleverness.
As a remake, it is less essential than the original but still worthwhile on its own terms. If you enjoy comedies that treat performance itself as a survival skill, or war films that let satire cut through fear, this is an easy recommendation. If you are comparing versions or expecting a masterpiece, temper expectations and let it be a good, slightly uneven, very watchable farce.
pirateneckbeard (3★) · 147 likes
So this is a Lubitsch remake With Mel Brooks taking over the helm of Jack Benny and I would have to say it was enjoyable even though I wasn’t expecting too much from a remake. Solid cast and looked decent plus maybe I got carried away with my dad’s enthusiasm but maybe you will too. 😉👉
Vivian (4★) · 106 likes
men think they deserve a woman like anne bancroft. they're not mel brooks though.
📀 Cammmalot 📀 (4★) · 91 likes
Cinematic Time Capsule1983 Marathon - Film #129 C-3PO: ”Sir, the possibility of successfully remaking an Ernst Lubitsch picture is approximately 3,720 to 1” Mel Brooks: ”Never tell me the odds!” Long Live Physical Media Cinematic Time Capsule - 1983 Ranked
theironcupcake (4★) · 71 likes
"Remember, Bronski, you're playing for our lives!""Relax! I'll give the greatest performance I've ever given!""Don't! Just be good." It's not the original, but who says it needed to be? Some stories are just worth telling again! If you asked me to name my favorite couples in Hollywood history, Mel Brooks and Anne Bancroft are always at the top of the list. The most memorable part of their To Be or Not to Be remake is their Polish rendition… more
Rafael "Mister Movie" Jovine (4.5★) · 57 likes
THIS MOVIE IS WOOOOOOOOOHOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!! But seriously, for those who were back on my journey throughout the 1001 Movies You Must Watch Before You Die list know I was completely hyped and happy with the end result that was Ernst Lubitsch's original version of this movie thanks to its great comedic line and great premise which I still believe Tarantino hardly borrow from for his "Inglorious Basterds" film. To this date, I think that movie (about two famous Polish actors who… more
A foundational Mel Brooks comedy that pairs showbiz absurdity with taboo-busting satire and a similar interest in performance as a weapon.
Broad, elaborate comic spectacle with old-school studio polish and a taste for escalating farce.
Stage-derived chaos, mistaken identity, and tightly choreographed comic timing make it a strong tonal cousin.
A classic of comic survival under pressure, with physical ingenuity carrying the story through danger.
The essential earlier version for anyone interested in how the same premise can balance wit, romance, and wartime peril.
Warm, character-driven romantic comedy with a humane, old-world sensibility and strong theatrical roots.
Screwball momentum, romantic gamesmanship, and a polished prewar comic rhythm.
A classic example of comedy colliding with death, disguise, and macabre escalation.
WWII resistance material with a strong sense of stakes, sabotage, and moral urgency.
Escape planning, ensemble problem-solving, and wartime tension with crowd-pleasing momentum.
A sharp anti-war comedy that uses irreverence to expose the absurdity of military systems.
Absurdity, bureaucracy, and wartime panic collide in a darkly comic register.
World War II, occupation and resistance, theater and performance, marital comedy, satire, identity and deception, survival through improvisation, romantic farce
war comedy, satire, farce, World War II, theater, romance, occupation, remake, dark comedy, ensemble