To Be or Not to Be: Chapter 20 Summary and Analysis

⚠️ Spoiler Warning: This guide contains detailed spoilers for the entire novel. Proceed only if you've finished reading or are comfortable knowing the plot.

Summary

In Chapter 19, Mel Brooks describes his motivation to remake Ernst Lubitsch’s 1942 film To Be or Not to Be as a vehicle to co‑star with his wife, Anne Bancroft. He explains that Lubitsch made “serious comedy”—a blend of laughs and underlying importance—which Brooks admired. The original film, made during the Nazi occupation of Poland, was risky; Brooks’s remake had the benefit of hindsight and knowledge of the Polish resistance. He assembled a writing team that included Ronny Graham and Thomas Meehan, who had previously worked with Bancroft. Brooks did not take writing or directing credit to avoid comparisons with Lubitsch; instead, he hired Alan Johnson to direct.

Production details follow: Terry Marsh built a full‑scale Bronski Theatre on the Fox lot and a 1939 Warsaw street on the Warner Bros. back lot. The opening number, “Sweet Georgia Brown” sung in Polish, was Brooks’s idea to add something new. The cast included José Ferrer, Christopher Lloyd, Tim Matheson, Charles Durning (Oscar‑nominated), Estelle Reiner, and first‑timer James Haake (Gypsy). Brooks’s nine‑year‑old son Max Brooks made his film debut as a Jewish child hiding in the theater’s cellar; he disliked the reshoots and clown makeup.

Brooks also created a promotional rap song, “The Hitler Rap,” and a music video. He recounts earlier times he played Hitler, including a 1978 TV sketch for Peeping Times. The chapter then shifts to personal stories: Bancroft’s advocacy for Max, who was diagnosed with dyslexia; the “Yenemvelt” club founded by Norman Lear; and summer vacations in Europe with friends, especially trips to Venice. Brooks ends with a 2017 return to the Excelsior Hotel on the Lido, where he stayed in the same room he shared with Bancroft years earlier.

Key Events

Choosing the project: Brooks decides to remake To Be or Not to Be because it stars his wife and lets him revisit “dangerous comedy” about Hitler.
Assembling writers: Ronny Graham and Thomas Meehan update the original script; Meehan’s previous work with Bancroft (the “Yma Sumac” sketch) is highlighted.
Alan Johnson directs: Brooks steps back from the director’s chair to avoid direct comparison with Lubitsch.
Terry Marsh’s sets: Full theater interior and Warsaw street built on lot; Brooks praises the realism for an emotional scene.
Casting Gypsy: Brooks discovers James Haake (Gypsy) at a drag club and gives him a role as Bancroft’s dresser.
Max Brooks’s debut: Nine‑year‑old Max plays a Jewish child; he dislikes reshoots and clown makeup, later abandoning acting.
“The Hitler Rap”: Brooks creates a rap song and music video for the film’s promotion, performing break‑dancing.
Yenemvelt club: A weekend group of comedians (Lear, Reiner, DeLuise, Gelbart, etc.) plays practical jokes, such as a fake murder scene with ketchup.
European vacations: Trips to London, the south of France, and Venice; meeting friends and enjoying local cuisine.
Return to Venice (2017): Brooks revisits the Excelsior Hotel and emotionally recovers his old room.

Character Development

Mel Brooks: Shows his collaborative approach—delegating directing and writing credit—while remaining the driving creative force. His willingness to explore “dangerous” Hitler comedy continues.
Anne Bancroft: Emerges as a supportive partner and dedicated mother. She sets aside her career to advocate for son Max’s dyslexia, developing coping tools and forcing him to learn typing.
Max Brooks: Makes a short film debut; his dislike of the makeup and repetitious filming leads him away from acting toward writing, which proves successful.
Thomas Meehan: Introduced as a witty collaborator; the chapter marks the start of a long friendship and future collaborations (e.g., The Producers and Young Frankenstein on Broadway).
Gypsy (James Haake): A real‑life drag performer who receives a career boost from Brooks; Bancroft personally coaches him during filming.

Themes, Symbols, or Motifs

Serious comedy: Brooks repeatedly cites Lubitsch’s ability to blend humor with important subjects. The chapter argues that comedy about Hitler can be both risky and meaningful.
Partnership and love: The chapter is built around Brooks’s desire to work with Bancroft, both on screen and in life. Their marriage is portrayed as creatively and personally fulfilling.
Memory and nostalgia: Brooks’s return to Venice in 2017 triggers an emotional connection to the past; the anecdote exemplifies his attachment to people and places.
Education and advocacy: Bancroft’s work with Max’s dyslexia highlights the theme of overcoming obstacles through determination and love.

Why This Chapter Matters

This chapter marks one of the few times Brooks co‑starred with his wife in a major film, giving readers insight into their personal and professional relationship. It also demonstrates Brooks’s approach to remakes: honor the original while adding new elements (the Polish song, the Hitler Rap). The production challenges (dyslexia advocacy, casting Gypsy, building sets) show Brooks’s hands‑on style. Additionally, the chapter shifts into memoir‑style stories about friendships and travels, humanizing the show‑business legend.

Study Questions and Answers

Why did Mel Brooks decide not to take writing or directing credit for To Be or Not to Be? He wanted to avoid direct comparisons with Ernst Lubitsch, the director of the original 1942 film. Brooks believed that by letting others write and direct, the remake would be judged on its own merits.
How did Anne Bancroft support her son Max’s education after he was diagnosed with dyslexia? She taught herself about dyslexia, developed coping mechanisms, met with his teachers, had his textbooks recorded onto audiocassettes, and forced him to take a typing class, believing it would help him become a writer.
What was the “Yenemvelt” club, and what practical joke does Brooks describe? Yenemvelt was a weekend group of comedians and writers (including Norman Lear, Carl Reiner, Dom DeLuise, etc.) who gathered in pajamas. Brooks organized a joke where half the group pretended to have been murdered by covering themselves in ketchup, fooling the returning shoppers.