To Be or Not to Be (1942)

While later re-made by Mel Brooks as a film which I remember as being rather blah, the original To Be or Not to Be is still fresh, bright, and brimming with wit, in short it has the Lubitsch touch. Made during the second world war its a comedy set in occupied Poland and concerns a theatrical troop that must use its talents to dupe the Nazi's concerning a double agent who could potentially cause the collapse of the Polish resistance movement. Kind of a ballsy production to mount at a time when Hitler was alive, winning, and technically not yet our enemy during most of the period of production. The films stars are Jack Benny, who is really good in a variation on his standard send-up of himself, and Carole Lombard, who sadly died in a plan crash before this film was released, there is also a young Robert Stack in the cast as well as a bunch of enjoyable character actors. A real testament to the truism to 'stick with the original', this 'To Be or Not to Be' is certainly 'To Be.' ***1/2