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To Be or Not to Be

1942

METASCORE

Universal acclaim based on 13 Critic Reviews

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86

USER SCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 23 Ratings

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7.9

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7.9	Your Score
7.9	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 23 Ratings

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To Be Or Not To Be

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To Be or Not to Be

Movie Details & Credits

United Artists | Release Date: March 6, 1942 | Passed

Starring: Carole Lombard, Jack Benny

Summary: During the Nazi occupation of Poland, an acting troupe becomes embroiled in a Polish soldier's efforts to track down a German spy.

Director: Ernst Lubitsch

Genre(s): Comedy, War

Rating: Passed

Runtime: 99 min

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Metascore

Critic Reviews

100

TV Guide Magazine Staff (Not Credited)

A masterpiece of satire and one of the more controversial films of its day, TO BE OR NOT TO BE is a brilliant example of how comedy can be as effective in raising social and political awareness as a serious propaganda film, while still providing hilarious entertainment. Read full review

100

The Dissolve

Keith Phipps

To Be Or Not To Be works as both comedy and thriller, ratcheting up the tension and humor as the actors’ scheme threatens to fall apart, and the gags build on one another. Read full review

100

Time Out

Staff (Not Credited)

It's certainly one of the finest comedies ever to come out of Paramount, the allegations of dubious taste missing the point of Lubitsch's satire - not so much the general nastiness of the Nazis as their unforgiveable bad manners. Read full review

100

Chicago Reader

Dave Kehr

It could be [Lubitsch's] finest achievement, and it's certainly one of the most profound, emotionally complex comedies ever made, covering a range of tones from satire to slapstick to shocking black humor. Read full review

100

Entertainment Weekly

Keith Staskiewicz

One of Hollywood’s funniest, and most poignant, classics. Read full review

90

Time

Staff (Not Credited)

To Be is a very funny comedy, salted to taste with melodrama and satire. Read full review

30

The New York Times

Bosley Crowther

In a spirit of levity, contused by frequent doses of shock, Mr. Lubitsch has set his actors to performing a spy-thriller of fantastic design amid the ruins and frightful oppressions of Nazi-in-vaded Warsaw. To say it is callous and macabre is understating the case. Read full review

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User Reviews

10

selcuk25

May 9, 2020

Hem senaryo hem mizah mükemmel seviyede. Zeka dolu ve usta işi tam bir başyapıt. Kesinlikle izlenmeli.

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

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