This is an unnecessary but not displeasing remake of Ernst Lubitsch's 1942 film, which is an undisputed classic (and one of my own all-time favorites). It turned out very faithful to the original: wisely, Brooks opted not to spoof what was already a black comedy this may have had something to do with his decision not to write and direct the film himself.
The fast-moving plot still works beautifully, though the jokes tend to fall flat since they don't have the same immediacy of the wartime years, while the level of acting is far below that of the 1942 version. The remake adds sentimentality and the unfortunate inevitability of a gay stereotype; all in all, however, Brooks' earlier lampoon of Nazism in the form of the "Springtime For Hitler" set-piece in THE PRODUCERS (1968) was much more effective. There are, nonetheless, a couple of good songs here while the original's gem of a final gag involving Hitler has been replaced by an equally priceless one.
As I said, the leads are no match for Jack Benny and Carole Lombard from the 1942 version (and are overage to boot) though it was certainly nice to watch real-life couple Brooks (who, unsurprisingly, gets to double as both Professor Siletsky and Hitler) and Anne Bancroft playing alongside each other for once. Still, Jose' Ferrer fills the old Stanley Ridges role more than adequately but, then, Charles Durning makes for a poor substitute to Sig Rumann in the all-important role of Colonel "Concentration Camp" Erhardt (amazingly, Durning's rather forced performance here was nominated for an Oscar!).
The fast-moving plot still works beautifully, though the jokes tend to fall flat since they don't have the same immediacy of the wartime years, while the level of acting is far below that of the 1942 version. The remake adds sentimentality and the unfortunate inevitability of a gay stereotype; all in all, however, Brooks' earlier lampoon of Nazism in the form of the "Springtime For Hitler" set-piece in THE PRODUCERS (1968) was much more effective. There are, nonetheless, a couple of good songs here while the original's gem of a final gag involving Hitler has been replaced by an equally priceless one.
As I said, the leads are no match for Jack Benny and Carole Lombard from the 1942 version (and are overage to boot) though it was certainly nice to watch real-life couple Brooks (who, unsurprisingly, gets to double as both Professor Siletsky and Hitler) and Anne Bancroft playing alongside each other for once. Still, Jose' Ferrer fills the old Stanley Ridges role more than adequately but, then, Charles Durning makes for a poor substitute to Sig Rumann in the all-important role of Colonel "Concentration Camp" Erhardt (amazingly, Durning's rather forced performance here was nominated for an Oscar!).