To Be or Not to Be (1983)
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- PG
- 1h 47min
- Comedy, Drama
- 16 Dec 1983 (USA)
- Movie
At the onset of WW2, a Polish actor's family and the Polish Resistance help the troupe of a theatre escape Poland and the invading Nazis.
Director:
Writers:
Stars:
Awards:
- Nominated for 1 Oscar. Another 5 nominations.
- See more »
Photos and Videos
Cast verified as complete
Ronny Graham | ... |
Sondheim
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Estelle Reiner | ... |
Gruba
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Zale Kessler | ... |
Bieler
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Jack Riley | ... |
Dobish
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Lewis J. Stadlen | ... |
Lupinsky
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George Gaynes | ... |
Ravitch
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George Wyner | ... |
Ratkowski
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James 'Gypsy' Haake | ... |
Sasha
(as James Haake)
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Scamp | ... |
Mutki
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Christopher Lloyd | ... |
Capt. Schultz
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José Ferrer | ... |
Prof. Siletski
(as Jose Ferrer)
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Charles Durning | ... |
Col. Erhardt
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Tim Matheson | ... |
Lt. Andre Sobinski
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Mel Brooks | ... |
Dr. Frederick Bronski
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Anne Bancroft | ... |
Anna Bronski
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Earl Boen | ... |
Dr. Boyarski
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Ivor Barry | ... |
General Hobbs
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William Glover | ... |
Major Cunningham
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John H. Francis | ... |
British Intelligence Aide
(as John Francis)
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Raymond Skipp | ... |
R.A.F. Flight Sergeant
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Marley Sims | ... |
Rifka
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Larry Rosenberg | ... |
Rifka's Husband
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Max Brooks | ... |
Rifka's Son
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Henry Kaiser | ... |
Gestapo Officer
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Milton James | ... |
Gestapo Soldier
(as Milt Jamin)
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George Caldwell | ... |
Gestapo Guard
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Wolf Muser | ... |
Desk Sergeant
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Henry Brandon | ... |
Nazi Officer
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Lee E. Stevens | ... |
2nd Nazi Officer
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Frank Lester | ... |
Officer in Command Car
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Roy Goldman | ... |
Hitler
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Robert Goldberg | ... |
Hitler Adjutant
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John McKinney | ... |
Elite Guard Officer
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Eda Reiss Merin | ... |
Frightened Jewish Woman
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Manny Kleinmuntz | ... |
Frightened Jewish Woman's Husband
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Phil Adams | ... |
Airport Sentry
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Curt Lowens | ... |
Airport Officer
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Robin Haynes | ... |
Polish Flier
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Ron Kuhlman | ... |
Polish Flier
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John Otrin | ... |
Polish Flier
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Blane Savage | ... |
Polish Flier
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Joey Sheck | ... |
Polish Flier
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Ron Diamond | ... |
Pub Bartender
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Gillian Eaton | ... |
Pub Barmaid
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Paddi Edwards | ... |
Pub Waitress
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Terence Marsh | ... |
Startled British Officer
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Winnie McCarthy | ... |
Picadilly Usherette
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Paul Ratliff | ... |
Naval Officer
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Scott Beach | ... |
Narrator
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Sandra Gray | ... |
Lady
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Clare Culhane | ... |
Lady
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Laurie Manning | ... |
Lady
(as Lainie Manning)
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Leeyan Granger | ... |
Lady
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Antoinette Yuskis | ... |
Lady
(as Antonette Yuskis)
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Stephanie Wingate | ... |
Lady
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Ian Bruce | ... |
Klotski's Klown
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John Frayer | ... |
Klotski's Klown
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Edward J. Heim | ... |
Klotski's Klown
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Spencer Henderson | ... |
Klotski's Klown
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George Jayne | ... |
Klotski's Klown
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Bill K. Richards | ... |
Klotski's Klown
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Neil J. Schwartz | ... |
Klotski's Klown
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Tucker Smith | ... |
Klotski's Klown
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Ted Sprague | ... |
Klotski's Klown
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Rest of cast listed alphabetically: | |||
Patrice Cole | ... |
Theater Patron (uncredited)
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Selby Dessner | ... |
Theater Patron (uncredited)
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Richard Halpern | ... |
Theater Patron (uncredited)
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Bob Harks | ... |
Theatre Patron (uncredited)
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David LeBell | ... |
Nazi soldier (uncredited)
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Danny Nero | ... |
Theater Goer (uncredited)
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Hunter Roberts | ... |
Audience Member (uncredited)
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Tom Willett | ... |
Theatre Audience Member (uncredited)
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Directed by
Alan Johnson |
Written by
Thomas Meehan | ... | (screenplay) & |
Ronny Graham | ... | (screenplay) |
Edwin Justus Mayer | ... | () (1942 screenplay) |
Melchior Lengyel | ... | (story) |
Ernst Lubitsch | ... | (story) (uncredited) |
Produced by
Mel Brooks | ... | producer |
Howard Jeffrey | ... | executive producer |
Irene Walzer | ... | associate producer |
Music by
John Morris |
Cinematography by
Gerald Hirschfeld | ... | director of photography |
Editing by
Alan Balsam |
Editorial Department
Nancy Forner | ... | assistant editor |
Jack Hooper | ... | negative cutter |
Patrick Magee | ... | apprentice editor (as Patrick W. Magee) |
Casting By
Terry Liebling |
Production Design by
Terence Marsh |
Art Direction by
J. Dennis Washington |
Set Decoration by
John Franco Jr. |
Costume Design by
Albert Wolsky |
Makeup Department
John M. Elliott Jr. | ... | makeup artist (as John M. Elliot Jr.) |
Cheri Ruff | ... | hair stylist |
Production Management
Jack Frost Sanders | ... | production manager / production supervisor |
Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Ross G. Brown | ... | assistant director |
Pamela M. Eilerson | ... | second assistant director (as Pamela Eilerson) |
Dennis Maguire | ... | dga trainee (as Dennis P. Maguire) |
Art Department
Craig Edgar | ... | set designer |
Joseph E. Hubbard | ... | set designer |
Guy A. MacLaury | ... | construction foreman (as Guy Allan MacLaury) |
Mary Mathews | ... | assistant property master |
William S. Maxwell III | ... | leadman (as William Maxwell III) |
Dennis J. Parrish | ... | property master |
Hope M. Parrish | ... | assistant property master (as Hope Parrish) |
John A. Scott III | ... | swing gang (as John Scott III) |
S. Bruce Wineinger | ... | construction coordinator |
Steven Kerlagon | ... | stand-by painter (uncredited) |
Drew Struzan | ... | poster artist (uncredited) |
Robert Van Dyke | ... | propmaker gangboss (uncredited) |
Peter Van Zyl | ... | greensman (uncredited) |
Sound Department
Raul A. Bruce | ... | boom operator |
Gene S. Cantamessa | ... | production sound mixer |
Louis L. Edemann | ... | supervising sound editor |
Richard C. Franklin | ... | sound editor (as Rick Franklin) |
Gregg Landaker | ... | re-recording mixer |
Steve Maslow | ... | re-recording mixer |
Bill Varney | ... | re-recording mixer |
Greg Orloff | ... | foley recordist (uncredited) |
Visual Effects by
Phil Abramson | ... | visual effects designer (uncredited) |
Roy Arbogast | ... | visual effects designer (uncredited) |
Robert Blalack | ... | optical effects (uncredited) |
Chuck Comisky | ... | visual effects producer (uncredited) |
Christopher Dusendschon | ... | optical compositor (uncredited) |
David Emerson | ... | optical lineup (uncredited) |
Alan G. Markowitz | ... | visual effects (uncredited) |
Austin McKinney | ... | visual effects (uncredited) |
Rexford L. Metz | ... | visual effects director of photography (uncredited) |
Christopher Nibley | ... | visual effects director of photography (uncredited) |
Mark M. Pompian | ... | visual effects camera operator (uncredited) |
Chris Regan | ... | optical supervisor (uncredited) |
Jay Riddle | ... | visual effects coordinator (uncredited) |
Robert Skotak | ... | visual effects (uncredited) |
Stunts
Bernie Godlove | ... | stunt pilot |
Buddy Joe Hooker | ... | stunts |
Harvey Parry | ... | stunts |
Art Scholl | ... | stunt pilot |
Dick Ziker | ... | stunt coordinator |
Camera and Electrical Department
Billy Beaird | ... | dolly grip (as Bill Beaird) |
Mike Benson | ... | camera operator (as Michael A. Benson) |
Ron Bloch | ... | rigging grip |
Michael W. Blymyer | ... | best boy (as Michael Blymyer) |
Alfred Budniak | ... | best boy (as Al Budniak) |
Joe Collins | ... | best boy |
Frank Detone Jr. | ... | rigging grip |
Lindsay P. Hill | ... | video playback operator |
Marc Hirschfeld | ... | assistant camera (as Marc D. Hirschfeld) |
Ronald W. McLeish | ... | gaffer |
Charles L. Sereci | ... | best boy (as Chuck Sereci) |
Stephen Vaughan | ... | still photographer |
Robert West Sr. | ... | key grip |
Costume and Wardrobe Department
Bruce Ericksen | ... | costume supervisor: men |
Ann Somers Major | ... | costume supervisor: women |
Location Management
John R. Woodward | ... | location manager |
Music Department
Ralph Burns | ... | orchestrator |
Jack Hayes | ... | orchestrator |
Eugene Marks | ... | music editor |
Dan Wallin | ... | music scoring mixer (as Danny Wallin) |
Greg Fulginiti | ... | music engineer (uncredited) |
Tommy Tedesco | ... | musician: guitar (uncredited) |
Script and Continuity Department
Cynnie Troup | ... | script supervisor |
Transportation Department
Michael Connolly | ... | transportation coordinator |
Steve Bonner | ... | picture car coordinator (uncredited) |
Additional Crew
William Allyn | ... | production suggested by |
Bruce Bahrenburg | ... | unit publicist |
Penny Brocato | ... | craft service |
Bart Doe | ... | title illustrator |
Wayne Fitzgerald | ... | title designer |
Stanley Gibbs | ... | production assistant |
Tom Gillman | ... | assistant: Mr. Johnson |
Iwona Izdebska | ... | dialogue coach: Polish |
K. Lenna Katich | ... | production controller (as K. Lenna Woodward) |
David Lunney | ... | production suggested by |
Michele Markus | ... | assistant: Mr. Brooks |
Princess O'Mahoney | ... | production assistant (as Princess McLean) |
Charlene Painter | ... | assistant choreographer: Mr. Johnson |
Pattie Pica | ... | assistant: Mr. Jeffrey |
Anna Zappia | ... | production coordinator |
Leah Zappy | ... | assistant: Mr. Brooks (as Leah S. Zappy) |
Art Scholl | ... | pilot (uncredited) |
Production Companies
Distributors
- Twentieth Century Fox (1983) (United States) (theatrical)
- Twentieth Century Fox Film Company (1984) (United Kingdom) (theatrical)
- 20th Century Fox Argentina (1984) (Argentina) (theatrical)
- Fox Columbia Film Distributors (1984) (Australia) (theatrical)
- Hachette-Fox Distribution (1984) (France) (theatrical)
- Twentieth Century Fox (1984) (Japan) (theatrical)
- CBS/Fox Home Video (1985) (Australia) (video)
- CBS/Fox Video (1985) (Belgium) (video)
- CBS/Fox (Argentina) (VHS)
- CBS/Fox (West Germany) (VHS)
- 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (2003) (Germany) (DVD)
- Umbrella Entertainment (2011) (Australia) (DVD) (Blu ray)
- Divisa Home Video (2018) (Spain) (DVD) ([BD])
- 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (United States) (laserdisc)
- Abril Vídeo (Brazil) (VHS)
- Fox Video (United States) (VHS)
Special Effects
Other Companies
- DeLuxe Laboratories (color by)
- Island Records (soundtrack available on)
- Lightflex America Inc. (Lightflex system)
- Modern Film Effects (title design)
- Pacific Title (opticals)
- Panavision (lenses and Panaflex cameras)
- Weatherwax Trained Dog (trainer: Mutki)
Storyline
Plot Summary |
A bad Polish actor is just trying to make a living when what should intrude but World War II in the form of an invasion. 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.
Written by John Vogel |
Plot Keywords | |
Taglines | That is the movie! See more » |
Genres | |
Parents Guide | View content advisory » |
Certification |
Additional Details
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Sound Mix | |
Filming Locations |
Box Office
Budget | $9,000,000 (estimated) |
Opening Weekend United States | $1,020,958, 18 Dec 1983 |
Cumulative Worldwide Gross | $15,428,181 |
Did You Know?
Trivia | Mel Brooks has said this is his favorite of his Brooksfilms movies. See more » |
Goofs | In the Naughty Nazis song, "A Little Piece...", they mention Pakistan as one of the countries. Pakistan was not created until 1947. See more » |
Movie Connections | Featured in An Audience with Mel Brooks (1983). See more » |
Soundtracks | Ladies See more » |
Crazy Credits | At the end of the movie, each cast member comes and takes a bow, as they would for a stage play, while their names are on the screen. See more » |
Quotes |
Frederick Bronski:
Let's face it, sweetheart: without jews, fags and gypsies there is no theatre. See more » |