Skip to content
What's After the Movie?
Comedy

To Be or Not to Be (1983): Cast, Ratings, Box Office & Plot

To Be or Not to Be (1983) movie poster

To Be or Not to Be is a 1983 comedy directed by Alan Johnson, starring Anne Bancroft, Mel Brooks and George Gaynes. It runs 1 hour 47 minutes and earned $13 million worldwide. It earned 2 award nominations, including Best Performance in a Motion Picture – Comedy or Musical at the Golden Globes 1984. Critics gave it 61 on Metacritic, and IMDb users rate it 7.6/10.

IMDb rating
7.6/10
worldwide gross
$13M
award nominations
2
Metascore
61
Loading streaming availability…
To Be or Not to Be (1983) movie poster
Released
Runtime
1h 47m (107 min)
Director
Alan Johnson
Genre
Comedy
Original language
English
After the credits
No No extra scene
The story

What Is To Be or Not to Be About?

The premise of To Be or Not to Be without spoilers. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.

During World War II, a struggling Polish theater troupe finds themselves caught up in the turmoil of the conflict. The comedic chaos escalates when the actor's increasingly flirtatious wife finds herself entangled with charming young officers. Amidst the danger and uncertainty, he devises a daring and elaborate plan, using his theatrical skills to aid in a secret mission and ultimately demonstrating unexpected bravery.

To Be or Not to Be Themes & Keywords

· 50 tags
  • adolf hitler character
  • music video
  • nazi
  • nazi salute
  • satire
  • nazi germany
  • breakdance
  • burlesque
  • rap
  • hip hop
  • sadomasochism
  • lingerie
+38 more
  • reference to adolf hitler
  • mercedes
  • argentina
  • urban legend
  • world war two
  • beer
  • nazi party
  • jewish
  • netherlands
  • belgium
  • denmark
  • poland
  • swastika
  • architectural column
  • minimalistic style
  • erotica
  • reference to rudolph hess
  • reference to heinrich himmler
  • reference to hermann goring
  • homoerotic
  • novelty song
  • reference to william shakespeare
  • reference to hamlet
  • hitler regime
  • fall of the third reich
  • election
  • new order
  • hitler impression
  • collapse of third reich
  • dance number
  • reference to the third reich
  • suicide
  • blonde
  • berlin germany
  • 20th century
  • 1980s
  • satire comedy
  • electronic music
Loading streaming availability…
Cast & crew

To Be or Not to Be Cast

Anne Bancroft leads the cast, with Mel Brooks and George Gaynes. Directed by Alan Johnson; 10 actors are credited in all.

From the director

More from Alan Johnson

One more film directed by Alan Johnson: Solarbabies.

Full filmography
Ratings

To Be or Not to Be Reviews & Ratings

Critics gave To Be or Not to Be 61 on Metacritic, and IMDb users rate it 7.6/10.

Plot

To Be or Not to Be Plot Summary

What happens in To Be or Not to Be from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 12 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 4-minute read.

Spoilers ahead

In wartime Warsaw, the Bronski Theatre is a large ensemble company led by Frederick Bronski, whose meticulous control often grates on the troupe, especially his wife Anna Bronski, whose performances consistently win the audience’s praise. Their domestic tension overlaps with the company’s ambitions, as Anna’s artistry and popularity heighten Frederick’s sense of ownership over the troupe.

Full summary

The whole story of To Be or Not to Be, scene by scene

Read the full summary
Box office

To Be or Not to Be Box Office

To Be or Not to Be grossed $13 million worldwide.

1983 box office

Worldwide gross

$13M

US & Canada
$13M
Awards

To Be or Not to Be Awards & Nominations

To Be or Not to Be earned 2 award nominations, including Best Performance in a Motion Picture – Comedy or Musical at the Golden Globes 1984.

2 nominations1 ceremony

Videos

To Be or Not to Be Trailers & Videos

The trailer of To Be or Not to Be.

To Be or Not to Be (1983) Original Trailer [FHD]
Quiz

How Well Do You Know To Be or Not to Be?

9 questions about the story, each with a hint if you get stuck. Pick an answer to see whether you were right.

Question 1 of 9

  1. Question 1: not answered
  2. Question 2: not answered
  3. Question 3: not answered
  4. Question 4: not answered
  5. Question 5: not answered
  6. Question 6: not answered
  7. Question 7: not answered
  8. Question 8: not answered
  9. Question 9: not answered

Who is the director and leader of the Bronski Theatre?

Cars

Cars in To Be or Not to Be

13 cars on screen, including the 1951 GMC M211 and the unknown.

All 13 cars
  • 1951 GMC M211 in To Be or Not to Be 1951 GMC M211 Important role
  • unknown in To Be or Not to Be unknown Important role
  • Maybach SW 38 in To Be or Not to Be Maybach SW 38 Important role
  • Mercedes-Benz 260 D Pullman W138 in To Be or Not to Be Mercedes-Benz 260 D Pullman W138 Important role
Details

To Be or Not to Be Also Known As

22 alternative titles, including “Mel Brooks' To Be or Not to Be” and “Essere o non essere”.

Also known as
  • Mel Brooks' To Be or Not to Be
  • Essere o non essere
  • Det våras för Hamlet
  • 사느냐 죽느냐
  • 你逃我也逃
  • Sein oder Nichtsein
  • At være eller ikke være
  • Να ζει κανείς ή να μη ζει
  • Lenni vagy nem lenni
  • להיות או לא להיות
  • Ser ou Não Ser
  • Att vara eller inte vara eller Det våras för Hamlet
+10 more
  • Soy o no soy
  • Být či nebýt
  • Да бъдеш или да не бъдеш
  • Быть или не быть
  • Sou ou Não Sou?
  • Być albo nie być
  • Бути чи не бути
  • Olmak ya da Olamamak
  • メル・ブルックスの大脱走
  • Biti ili ne biti

Seen To Be or Not to Be?

FAQ

To Be or Not to Be FAQ: Cast, Box Office & Awards

Runtime, release date, director, cast, box office, ratings, awards and post-credit scenes of To Be or Not to Be, each answered in a sentence.

How long is To Be or Not to Be?

To Be or Not to Be runs 1 hour 47 minutes (107 minutes).

When was To Be or Not to Be released?

To Be or Not to Be was released on December 16, 1983.

Who directed To Be or Not to Be?

To Be or Not to Be was directed by Alan Johnson.

More films by Alan Johnson

Who is in the cast of To Be or Not to Be?

To Be or Not to Be stars Anne Bancroft, Mel Brooks and George Gaynes, among 10 credited actors.

How much did To Be or Not to Be make at the box office?

To Be or Not to Be grossed $13 million worldwide.

How is To Be or Not to Be rated?

To Be or Not to Be has 7.6/10 on IMDb and 61 on Metacritic.

Was To Be or Not to Be nominated for any awards?

To Be or Not to Be received 2 nominations across 1 ceremony.

Does To Be or Not to Be have a post-credit scene?

No. To Be or Not to Be has no extra scene during or after the credits.

Coming soon to your phone

The Plot Explained Movie Summary App

From blockbusters to hidden gems: plot summaries, endings explained and timelines on your phone. Save your favorites and never miss a twist again.

Be the first to know when it launches. Your email stays private, always. Learn more about the app