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To Be or Not to Be (The Criterion Collection) [DVD]

Jack Benny (Actor), Carole Lombard (Actor), Ernst Lubitsch (Director) Rated:
NR
Format: DVD
4.8 4.8 out of 5 stars 239 ratings
Additional DVD options Edition Discs
Price
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DVD —
1
$26.00
$10.76 $30.99
DVD
August 27, 2013
Criterion Collection
2
—
$39.00 $18.40
Genre Comedy
Format NTSC, DVD
Contributor Ernst Lubitsch, Jack Benny, Robert Stack, Carole Lombard
Language English
Runtime 1 hour and 39 minutes
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Product Description

As nervy as it is hilarious, this screwball masterpiece from Ernst Lubitsch (Trouble in Paradise) stars Jack Benny (The Jack Benny Program) and, in her final screen appearance, Carole Lombard (My Man Godfrey) as husband-and-wife thespians in Nazi-occupied Warsaw who become caught up in a dangerous spy plot. TO BE OR NOT TO BE is a Hollywood film of the boldest black humor, which went into production soon after the U.S. entered World War II. Lubitsch manages to brilliantly balance political satire, romance, slapstick, and urgent wartime suspense in a comic high-wire act that has never been equaled.

Product details

  • Is Discontinued By Manufacturer ‏ : ‎ No
  • MPAA rating ‏ : ‎ NR (Not Rated)
  • Product Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 0.7 x 7.5 x 5.4 inches; 4.32 ounces
  • Item model number ‏ : ‎ CRRN2298DVD
  • Director ‏ : ‎ Ernst Lubitsch
  • Media Format ‏ : ‎ NTSC, DVD
  • Run time ‏ : ‎ 1 hour and 39 minutes
  • Release date ‏ : ‎ August 27, 2013
  • Actors ‏ : ‎ Jack Benny, Carole Lombard, Robert Stack
  • Subtitles: ‏ : ‎ English
  • Studio ‏ : ‎ Criterion Collection
  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B00CUKTGSA
  • Number of discs ‏ : ‎ 2
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.8 4.8 out of 5 stars 239 ratings

Customer reviews

4.8 out of 5 stars
4.8 out of 5
239 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

cem acar
5.0 out of 5 stars To be or not to be, that is the question...
Reviewed in the United States on April 16, 2024
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This film is among the finest of the 20th century. The Criterion Collection is an excellent gateway to these cinematic treasures.
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Eric P. Jensen
5.0 out of 5 stars A comedy set during a tragedy
Reviewed in the United States on October 23, 2023
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I had just finished reading "Fireball - Carole Lombard and the Mystery of Flight 3" by Robert Matzen and wanted to see the actress in her final film, which was released after her death. Her performance, as a Polish theater actress, was spot-on, as well as that of her co-star, radio comedian Jack Benny and the rest of the cast. I was happy to see a young Robert Stack and familiar character actors Sig Rumann and Charles Halton. This 1942 movie had completed filming just prior to the U.S. entry into World War II so it could have been viewed as something happening far away to movie audiences. Still, some may have been shocked that such a comedy could have been produced making light of serious matter. Producer/Director Ernst Lubitsch answered his critics in a New York Times article, which is reprinted in a booklet accompanying this Blu-Ray version. I highly recommend this film as a piece of cinematic history and an entertaining movie on how Benny, Lombard and company conned the Nazis.
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A customer
5.0 out of 5 stars Inglourious Ernst (Criterion bluray spoilerless review)
Reviewed in the United States on December 28, 2013
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Every once in a while you learn about a movie that you never knew existed, that you can't believe you never knew existed. "To Be Or Not To Be" is one of those movies.

A film produced by a Jewish director (Ernst Lubitsch) making fun of Nazi's in 1941 was a risk on a variety of levels, and although it met with much critical (and political) condemnation it stayed in the minds of all the right people, with Mel Brooks more comedic remake and later frequent tips of the hat by Quentin Tarantino/The Weinstein Company in  Inglourious Basterds (Blu-ray + DVD) . Being Jewish and making a pseudo comedy about Hitler carries a certain degree of satisfaction, but for Lubitsch it was personal. Indeed, Lubitsch's face had been used in an early Nazi propaganda film and Hitler used him as an example of supposed corrupt influences within Europe that needed to be stamped out.

Although we would probably call it a black comedy today, Lubitsch himself described TBONTB as a "tragical farce or a farcial tragedy". The film is certainly funny in parts, excellent really, but frequently enough in an understated manner that for me at least seemed more drama than comedy. That is not a criticism by any means, but for anyone thinking this will be a "Mel Brooks" type of funny it simply won't be. It is pretty unique, which is pretty rare indeed. If you like intelligent comedy that relies on context and wordplay you won't be disappointed.

Carole Lombard and Jack Benny are superb and on top of their game here, and the film transfer is excellent. Even if you have never heard of Lubitsch but are Benny or Lombard fans you will like this movie. The many Criterion DVD bonus features can be hit or miss, but with so many, and a great 25 page booklet, it is hard to feel nothing but satisfied with the extras. A 1916 silent film directed by and starring Lubitsch is the best of the bunch (and hard to believe it is almost 100 years old). With Lubitsch himself passing away in 1947, and Lombard dieing in a plane crash before the movie was even released, we are truly lucky that this historically important film even got made in the first place.
11 people found this helpful
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Carol M.
4.0 out of 5 stars Hilarious movie, but no way to access SDH
Reviewed in the United States on February 1, 2024
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I’ve now seen this version and the remake by Mel Brooks. I liked them both, however I appreciated the more subdued tone of this movie with Jack Benny and Carole Lombard to a greater extent. It conveyed the true danger the actors were facing against the Nazis while letting the humor of the situations develop more naturally. 4 stars because we couldn’t access the menu that would turn on captions.
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Quiet Knight
5.0 out of 5 stars To Be Or Not To Be Was To Be On Blu-Ray
Reviewed in the United States on October 8, 2021
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The Criterion Collection released this(at the time) controversial 1942 comedy directed by Ernst Lubitsch and starring Jack Benny as Joseph Tura, leader of a Polish acting troupe in 1939 Warsaw who becomes involved in impersonation and espionage after his wife Maria(played by Carole Lombard) becomes involved with an American pilot, and huge fan, (played by Robert Stack) who has to evade Nazi capture after they invade Poland, and take over Warsaw. Can they pull off this grand deception?

A superb HD upgrade over the 2005 DVD, though this contains new extras like an interesting audio commentary by film historian David Kalat, an early 1916 silent film short by Lubitsch, a French 2010 documentary, and two radio programs. This does not port over the DVD extras, a 1930 comedy short with Jack Benny, and a brief skit promoting war bonds, but they had nothing to do with the film otherwise.

Funny, even daring comedy with a fine cast and direction, though of course the premise is quite farfetched!
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Top reviews from other countries

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James Dob...
5.0 out of 5 stars Received on Time
Reviewed in Canada on October 30, 2023
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Hard to find at under $30 as Amazon was selling it at. Both Jack Benny and Carole Lombard's last films.
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Jenny B
5.0 out of 5 stars Bättre förr!
Reviewed in Sweden on November 20, 2023
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Detta är en av de roligaste filmer som någonsin gjort! 1942!
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Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars It's a Riot! A delight by Billy Wilder's mentor. Very, very funny!
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 10, 2022
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Imported this from America. (You unfortunately need a multi-region or a region 1 player to enjoy it). Remade by Mel Brooks in 1983, this film, though I love Mel's version as well, just that little bit sharper when comes to dialogue, and less loud than his version. Being a Criterion release, the film looks stunning for its age. If you have the means to play it, and don't get frightened by the cost of import; this is a real treat which I can't recommend highly enough. It's a riot!
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Jose Luis
3.0 out of 5 stars Mala calidad de video y audio.
Reviewed in Spain on August 28, 2021
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Precio barato pero pobre calidad.
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Philip Moore
4.0 out of 5 stars To Be Or Not To Be
Reviewed in Australia on March 23, 2024
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Great dvd with good transfer and cool booklet and special features
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