To Be or Not to Be is not Ernst Lubitsch's funniest or most gratifying film, but its comical, humanistic approach in addressing the nature of Adolph Hitler and the Nazi Party and the value of communal activism in times of dire need may be the most impressive feat of his career.  Jack Benny and Carole Lombard play Joseph and Maria Tura, the most famous acting couple in Poland who become involved in the anti-Nazi movement accidentally when their play is shut down and an overzealous lover of Mrs. Tura unknowingly mentions her status to a Nazi spy on his way to Poland.  The setup is pure Lubitsch, complete with his uniquely sophisticated style of romantic comedy, critical examining of social rules and morality, and blending of genres and tones to create a compelling and completely original atmosphere for his characters to interact.  Given the subject matter, it's not surprising that it's his most serious film and often walks the thin line between brilliance and disaster. 

In the early 1940s, Hollywood produced more war films than any other period of time, yet their often blunt and simplistically patriotic tones only secured support for America's involvement.  To Be or Not to Be, like Casablanca, the other great film of 1942, takes into account the complexities of war and the necessary sacrifices to bring peace.  Within the modern context (at its time of release) of World War II, Lubitsch uses a myriad of hilarious situations and entertaining characters to provide the backdrop to his reflective meditation on the horrors of tyranny as an oppressive force condemning personal and artistic freedom.  It's no coincidence he pits the Nazi's against a theater company, though it works as more than a convenient contrast. The success of the Nazi's relies heavily on loyalty to the good of the group, including blindly following orders and acting and reacting as they are directed, just like the actors.  Lubitsch never presents them as inhuman, deftly mocking their behavior while always stressing the danger in the thought behind those human faces and the importance of meeting terror with dignity and humanity.

To completely ignore the comic side of To Be or Not to Be would be unfair and like many Lubitsch films, there are few characters that manage to escape his acerbic wit.  Benny's uptight, borderline neurotic Joseph Tura is self-involved and his pomposity is met with his wife's acceptance of a handsome, young lover, not because he deserves it, but because his track record indicates he would likely be indifferent.  Maria is coy and playfully cruel and while she's more appealing than Joseph, the ingrained arrogance in her demeanor is clearly a shot at the upper class tendency to put appearance and other trivialities above anything real.  That Lubitsch can play with themes of marital discord, love circles, and redemption through action rather than words, purely in the short scenes where the sub-plot is allowed to shine is a perfect example of his knack for giving every situation or character a feeling of great importance no matter how much screen time it takes up.  The lover, played with proper doses of innocence and arrogance by a barely recognizable Robert Stack, is responsible for creating a rift between Joseph and Maria (or at least making an existing one apparent to them), causing them to reevaluate their marriage until they set their own worries aside in favor of more important tasks.  As they work to sabotage the work of Professor Siletsky, the Nazi spy, their true feelings work themselves out in a reaffirmation of love that stems not from honest communication, but the simple realization that the conveniences of their marriage outweigh everything else.  Situations such as that one give a small indication of the depth of this film and work as an example of how difficult it is to determine who exactly is the target.  It so effortlessly intertwines the comic and the tragic, the love story and the anti-war statement, the honorable actions with the ill-intentioned that every scene builds on existing levels and create new ones.  It is the essence of the Lubitsch touch that these qualities are noticeable and indefinable, meaning that his films are often better experienced than discussed.  In other words, do yourself a favor and find a copy!