Ernst Lubitsch’s is a daring black comedy that balances high-stakes espionage with screwball farce. Set in Nazi-occupied Warsaw, the film follows a troupe of narcissistic actors who must use their theatrical skills to outwit the Gestapo and protect the Polish resistance. Core Premise & Plot
: Maria becomes involved with a young Polish pilot, Lieutenant Sobinski (Robert Stack). When they discover Professor Siletsky is a double agent carrying a list of resistance members, the actors must intervene. To Be or Not to Be (1942)
The story centers on (Jack Benny) and his wife Maria (Carole Lombard), the stars of a Warsaw theater company. Their world is upended by the German invasion, which forces them to shelve a satirical play about Hitler in favor of Shakespeare. Ernst Lubitsch’s is a daring black comedy that