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Description

A struggling ad man (Jack Benny) agrees to judge a debutante beauty contest in order to appease his wealthy-and last-client (Richard Arlen), and his disgruntled staffer (Ida Lupino) contrives to pose as a blueblood in order to join the competition. "Artists and Models" (1937) co-stars Gail Patrick, Ben Blue, Judy Canova, Martha Raye, Louis Armstrong. Then, the efforts of a stage producer (Benny) to make his disinterested star (Dorothy Lamour) jealous by flirting with a married noble (Binnie Barnes) blow up in his face. "Man About Town" (1939) co-stars Edward Arnold, Monty Wooley, Betty Grable, Isabel Jeans, Phil Harris. 182 min. Total. Standard; Soundtrack: English; Subtitles: English; audio commentary; theatrical trailers.

Description

As nervy as it is hilarious, this screwball masterpiece from Ernst Lubitsch (Trouble in Paradise) stars Jack Benny (The Jack Benny Program) and, in her final screen appearance, Carole Lombard (My Man Godfrey) as husband-and-wife thespians in Nazi-occupied Warsaw who become caught up in a dangerous spy plot. TO BE OR NOT TO BE is a Hollywood film of the boldest black humor, which went into production soon after the U.S. entered World War II. Lubitsch manages to brilliantly balance political satire, romance, slapstick, and urgent wartime suspense in a comic high-wire act that has never been equaled.