To Be or Not to Be (1942)
Kernel Score: 88% · 815 ratings · Rated NR
Genres: Comedy, War, Romance
Released: 1942-03-06
Runtime: 99 minutes
Where to watch To Be or Not to Be
- Stream: The Criterion Channel, TCM, HBO Max
- Rent: Prime Video, Apple TV, Google Play, YouTube
- Buy: Prime Video, Apple TV, Google Play, YouTube
US availability, updated 2026-10-22.
Overview
During the Nazi occupation of Poland, an acting troupe becomes embroiled in a Polish soldier's efforts to track down a German spy.
To Be or Not to Be parents' guide: ages 8+
Parents need to know that To Be or Not to Be is a 1942 wartime dark comedy about a Polish acting troupe outwitting Nazi occupiers, involving espionage and references to the Holocaust.
- Violence & scariness: Some — Wartime tension involving Nazi occupation and espionage, though played largely for dark comedy rather than graphic violence.
Fresh Kernels AI-assessed from the official NR rating, publicly documented content. A guide for families, not an official rating.
Movies like To Be or Not to Be
If you liked To Be or Not to Be, these are the movies we'd watch next.
- Operation Petticoat (1959) — 81%
- The Pianist (2002) — 93%
- The Great Dictator (1940) — 91%
- Ashes and Diamonds (1958) — 83%
- The General (1926) — 89%
- Duck Soup (1933) — 82%
- Casablanca (1943) — 90%
- Never Look Away (2018) — 87%
Director
Cast
- Carole Lombard as Maria Tura
- Jack Benny as Joseph Tura
- Robert Stack as Lieut. Stanislav Sobinski
- Felix Bressart as Greenberg
- Lionel Atwill as Rawitch
- Stanley Ridges as Professor Alexander Siletsky
- Sig Ruman as Col. Ehrhardt
- Tom Dugan as Bronski
- Charles Halton as Producer Dobosh
- George Lynn as Actor-Adjutant
To Be or Not to Be FAQ
Is To Be or Not to Be good?
To Be or Not to Be has an 88% Kernel Score on Fresh Kernels from 815 audience ratings.
Where can I watch To Be or Not to Be?
In the US you can stream To Be or Not to Be on The Criterion Channel, TCM and HBO Max and rent it from Prime Video, Apple TV, Google Play and YouTube.
Is To Be or Not to Be OK for kids?
To Be or Not to Be is rated NR. Fresh Kernels suggests ages 8+. Parents need to know that To Be or Not to Be is a 1942 wartime dark comedy about a Polish acting troupe outwitting Nazi occupiers, involving espionage and references to the Holocaust.
What movies are like To Be or Not to Be?
If you liked To Be or Not to Be, try Operation Petticoat, The Pianist, The Great Dictator and Ashes and Diamonds.