To Be or Not to Be

In To Be or Not to Be (1942) Ernst Lubitsch brought his legendary comic 'touch' to the most unpromising situation: life in Nazi-occupied Poland. The film brought wit and warmth to wartime calamity, but without trivialising reality.
A group of ham actors have to abandon a theatre production set in Nazi Germany when Poland is invaded. Instead they bring their wayward talents of improvisation to the work of resistance, outwitting the Gestapo and its outlandish commanding officer, Colonel 'Concentration Camp' Ehrhardt (Sig Ruman). The central roles of Joseph and Maria Tura were taken by Jack Benny and Carole Lombard and their performances are marvels of comic acting.
In this study Peter Barnes considers what it is to make comedy out of tragedy. 'If we're lucky we can turn our flaws as human beings ... into weapons to defeat those who would make this world a sludge pit. To Be or Not to Be shows us how to dissemble, dodge and do back-flips. The exploiters can be fooled, no matter how powerful they seem.' He also shows how the comedy is achieved and in so doing sheds light on the enigmatic 'Lubitsch touch'.
Peter Barnes is one of the UK's most respected dramatists, with numerous stage, screen and radio plays to his name. His work has been performed by Laurence Olivier, Alec Guiness, Peggy Ashcroft, John Gielgud and Paul Scofield (among others). He won the Evening Standard Most Promising Playwright award for The Ruling Class in 1969 and the Olivier Award for Best Play in 1985 for Red Noses. His screenplay for Enchanted April (1992) was nominated for an Academy Award.