To Be or Not to Be
“THAT is the movie!”
Synopsis
A bad Polish actor is just trying to make a living when Poland is invaded by the Germans in World War II. 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.
Trailers, Teasers & Extra Featurettes
Official promotional previews, behind-the-scenes footage, and exclusive clips.
To Be or Not to Be (1983) Original Trailer [FHD]
Type: Trailer • Published 2021-08-10
Top Cast
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Mel Brooks
Dr. Frederick Bronski
Anne Bancroft
Anna Bronski
Tim Matheson
Lt. Andre Sobinski
Charles Durning
Col. Erhardt
José Ferrer
Prof. Siletski
George Gaynes
Ravitch
Christopher Lloyd
Capt. Schultz
George Wyner
Ratkowski
Lewis J. Stadlen
Lupinsky
Jack Riley
Dobish
James "Gypsy" Haake
Sasha
Ronny Graham
Sondheim
Estelle Reiner
Gruba
Zale Kessler
Bieler
Scamp
Mutki
Earl Boen
Dr. Boyarski
Ivor Barry
General Hobbs
William Glover
Major Cunningham
Release History & Theatrical Window
December 16, 1983
Wide Cinema Exhibition
Financials & Box Office Performance
Production Budget
$9M
Filming & production cost
Worldwide Gross
$13M
Total global ticket sales
Box Office Return
1.45x
+$4M net gain
Theatrical Status
Budget Return
Box office tier
Key Information & Fast Facts
- Director
- Alan Johnson
- Screenplay & Story
- Thomas Meehan, Ronny Graham
- Original Score
- John Morris
- Original Title
- To Be or Not to Be
- Country of Origin
- United States of America
- Spoken Languages
- Polish, English
- Runtime
- 1h 47m
- Production Budget
- $9M
- Worldwide Gross
- $13M
- Production Studios
- Brooksfilms
Creative Leadership & Key Crew
Alan Johnson
Thomas Meehan, Ronny Graham, Ernst Lubitsch, Melchior Lengyel
John Morris
Gerald Hirschfeld
Alan Balsam
Mel Brooks, Howard Jeffrey
Department Leadership Roster
Alan Johnson
Director
Thomas Meehan
Screenplay
Gerald Hirschfeld
Director of Photography
Alan Balsam
Editor
Terence Marsh
Production Design
Mel Brooks
Producer
Ronny Graham
Screenplay
John Morris
Original Music Composer
Albert Wolsky
Costume Design
Dick Ziker
Stunt Coordinator
Age Classification & Content Advisories
Official viewer rating standards and content warnings across international classification boards.
PG: Parental Guidance Suggested — May contain mild violence or suggestive material.
International Certification Matrix
Parental Guidance — Recommended for mature viewers.
FSK 12 — Restricted to viewers aged 12 and older.
Universal — Suitable for all audiences.
Parental Guidance Suggested — May contain mild violence or suggestive material.
Production Stills & Gallery
Official cinematic photography and background stills for To Be or Not to Be.
Featured In Curated Collections
Editorial lists, community rankings, and cinematic collections featuring To Be or Not to Be.
Marcelo's International movies list
My Movies
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War: World War II
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Frequently Asked Questions About To Be or Not to Be
Quick factual answers about cast, synopsis, director, box office, and release information.
What is To Be or Not to Be about?
A bad Polish actor is just trying to make a living when Poland is invaded by the Germans in World War II. 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.
Who directed To Be or Not to Be?
To Be or Not to Be was directed by Alan Johnson.
Who stars in To Be or Not to Be?
The principal cast of To Be or Not to Be includes Mel Brooks, Anne Bancroft, Tim Matheson, Charles Durning, José Ferrer.
When was To Be or Not to Be released and how long is it?
To Be or Not to Be was released in 1983 with a total runtime of 1h 47m.
What was the box office and production budget of To Be or Not to Be?
To Be or Not to Be had a reported production budget of $9M and grossed $13M at the worldwide box office (1.45 return on budget, classified as a budget recovered).
Who composed the musical score for To Be or Not to Be?
The original motion picture soundtrack for To Be or Not to Be was composed by John Morris.
What is the age rating and content advisory for To Be or Not to Be?
To Be or Not to Be holds official age classifications: AU: PG (Parental Guidance — Recommended for mature viewers.); DE: 12 (FSK 12 — Restricted to viewers aged 12 and older.); FR: TP; GB: U (Universal — Suitable for all audiences.); US: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested — May contain mild violence or suggestive material.).