To Be or Not To Be

Wow!  What a great film!  Seriously.  I love old movies anyway (this is the 1942 film, not the Mel Brooks remake), but this is a film that really lives up to its reputation as an important classic.

"To Be or Not To Be" is about a troupe of actors who get caught up in the Polish Resistance during the Nazi occupation.  They are called upon to use their talents to halt the activities of a Nazi double agent.  This could easily be a serious war-time drama.  Instead, director Ernest Lubitsch crafts an impeccable comedy.  I found myself laughing out loud at every Nazi joke and jab at the self-importance of actors.

Why are these old films so much better than new films?  It is because the actors were better?  Were the directors better?  Were the scripts better?  Yes.  Yes.  And Yes.  Check this movie out.  One of the great comedies of all time and one of the great World War II movies of all time.  That's pretty impressive.

Rating: 9 out of 10