Mel Brooks and Anne Bancroft use the opening song-and-dance number of "Sweet Georgia Brown" as a comic rehash in Polish in the film "To Be or Not To Be" (1983). It is a makeover of the old Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers (Ginger and Fred) song-and-dance routine. The routine by Brooks and Bancroft maintains his tradition of having movies that feature a wacky song-and-dance number.

In "To Be or Not To Be", Brooks is neither a writer nor director of this film. He is just the producer. He is using this film to poke fun at the Nazis of WW II. The film is a complete remake of the 1942 Jack Benny comedy. Here, Brooks and an all-star ensemble cast have a splendid time working as a makeshift Polish underground in World War II. They are using the open cover of being a theatrical company. Brooks as a leading man stars as Frederick Bronski, a legend-in-his-own-mind. Anne Bancroft, Brooks' real life wife, is his glamorous--and amorous--spouse in the movie.

The heart of the movie "To Be or Not To Be" uses married members of the Polish troupe to skillfully outwit Nazis for the Allied underground resistance movement on the eve of World War II.

More Info: www.nytimes.com