Mel Brooks, Anne Bancroft - "To Be or Not to Be" Musical Opening Number in Polish
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- čas přidán 25. 08. 2024
- [From "Kovacs Corner" on CZcams.com] - Consciously or not, did Mel Brooks pay a tribute to Ernie Kovacs in his 1983 film "To Be or Not to Be"? One of the opening scenes finds Mel and his real life wife, the late Anne Bancroft, performing the song "Sweet Georgia Brown"...in Polish. Sounds familiar Kovacs fans? One of the recurring visual/musical gags that Ernie inserted in most of his ABC Television Network produced shows was the unidentified singer performing "Mona Lisa"...also in Polish!
You can catch a view of the Kovacs clip at the beginning of my YT video 'Ernie Kovacs - Tchaikovsky's "1812 Overture, Part 2"' [ • Ernie Kovacs - Tchaiko... ]
Make a toast to Mr and Mrs. Mel Brooks. Honoring nearly 60 glorious years of Marriage. In memory of Anne Bancroft (1931-2005)
@ericsantana1184 : Well to be correct Mel Brooks and Anne Bancroft weren't married 60 years but instead for only 41 years from 1964 until her passing in 2005.
wasn't she absolutely gorgeous??!! stunning!!
@C M He's talking about Anne.
Her very slight imperfections, her warmth and humour made her irresistible. Gorgeous.
I was just thinking the exact same thing.
A real hoot, and a real tribute to a great love story. I don't think Brooks and Bancroft worked together that much. So it's great to see them together, and having so much fun.
They were married so it is extra fun and awesome
@@timewarriorsaga And he still misses her.
LADYS AND GENTLEMAN IN THE INTEREST OF THE REST OF THE MOVIE IT WILL NOT BE IN POLISH
There is something wonderfully charming about Sweet Georgia Brown being sung in Polish. :-)
Love Anne Bancroft. All time favorite actress! What movie is this?
@@lizxlana “To Be or Not to Be”, there is an earlier version of the movie with Jack Benny and Carole Lombard. Both are absolutely fantastic but this is the only one with “Sweet Georgia Brown” sung in Polish.
@@alloftheclassics yes I know now!! That was from 6 months ago when I was just learned about her! I know that film now and I heard of the earlier version as well!
Unfortunately for the original version, world events progressed to make it too trivial.
yeah
I'm Polish and I love this scene :D
I'm Scottisn and I love it too. I bet the whole world loves it. Much, much respect to these two lovely and talented people.
I always wondered about that. Did all the lyrics make sense? I think they had to memorize it in Polish.
@@alloftheclassics I think so.
@@alloftheclassics It's very good. I some words are little bit mispronounced, but I'm just being picky. I can say that it's the best Polish by US actors that I've ever seen or heard. In some words I can hear a little bit of an accent from artistic community in 1930's Warsaw. So, yeah. It's really great.
@@alloftheclassics Mel Brooks comes from polish family, I believe he spoke polish, but that because of lack of exercise, he lost or just didn't get a proper accent
Loved this movie. The Polish is wonderful. I understood it perfectly. It was the same dialect one of my grandparents spoke. Each grandparent spoke a different dialect. I do not understand those folks who are currently from Gdansk or Warsaw, yet I understand the people who are from Krakow and the southeastern parts of Poland.
our dialects aren't that diverse anymore, I think the difference you hear is about languages of different generations
@Gerard Zabik
If you can perfectly understand this text from the two, could you write it down for me here? I can't find the Polish version of the song on the entire internet. And you can't have it translated verbatim by translators, only nonsense comes out, but not what the two are singing.
I remember an interview with Mel Brooks concerning the dialect coach polishing (as in burnishing, though I suppose she was also Polish-ing) the pronunciation and accent of each syllable, but he said he and Anne stood their ground on the "Sreet Georgia Brown" line.
@@5610winston
Thanx for the Info.
What can ya do?
Anne Bancroft was so amazing!
gorgeous!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Mrs Robinson.
She has great moves a true Pro...:)
Not many are as warm and lovely - funny too- as she was.
Theater people (I am one) would not need to know anything about either Mel Brooks or Anne Bancroft to know, based on this single number, that they were both very gifted and very experienced performers. You don't get that seemingly effortless fluidity of gesture and facial expression except by years of practical work. (And trust me, it IS "seemingly". Theater is an entire profession built around the old joke about the man who is told that he needs to be more sincere. "Sincerity? Yeah; I can fake that."). I am particularly in awe of Bancroft. That the actress who gives the impression in this scene that she's been a musical-revue entertainer all her life is the same one who gave such hard-hitting dramatic performances in films like "The Pumpkin Eater" and "The Miracle Worker" is a testament to the scope and depth of creative power.
Of course, it helped that they had been married for twenty years at the time this movie was made (and remained so for the rest of Anne's life), that they genuinely loved each other, that they were best friends, and they knew theater and comedy all their lives.
For them it may not have been effortless, but it was fluid and natural for two great actors. I don't think any other couple could have carried this scene, but I can't think of any other couple who would have tried it.
How can someone be so wonderful doing basically nothing? It's call being a star. (Repeat, I know.)
Love that a serious dramatic actress such as Anne Bancroft was in her husbands movie and stole the show. Excellent comedic timing by Ms. Bancroft and a great movie.
Anne Bancroft is excellent in that wonderful movie, but she did not "steal the show"...
@@WalterJoergLangbein Oh yes, she stole the show.
Serious dramatic actress? Did you see _SILENT MOVIE_ ? Her scene going from glamourous seductive siren queen to slapstick pratfalls showed her range.
Anybody can do "dramatic".
Comedy is hard.
Was it Edwin Booth who, on his death bed, said, "Dying is easy. Comedy is hard."?
A true Hollywood power couple if there ever was one. A beautiful relationship built on the joy of humor.
Yep, and their boy wrote a great analysis about the rich.
Amazing how they only performed in one film together. Obviously Mel produced many of Anne's great films - but they were so delightful onscreen together.
Two films. They were together in Silent Movie.
She also appeared in _Silent Movie_ but it was more of a cameo role. She had wonderful comic timing and her eye-cross after being hit in the head could rival even Harpo's.
Mel threw a pretty convincing gookie in _Blazing Saddles..._
True love on stage.
This may have been Brooks greatest comedy.
Thanks, Mel (and Anne)!
I agree! This is my fave Mel Brooks film too & I always thought it was highly underrated in his canon! I love that not only was it funny & glamorous/gorgeous production values, but also nice moments of appropriate pathos here & there under the humour.
@@karensimmons7664 You moght enjoy the 1943 version with Jack Benny.
Same story, different actors and it was a more immediate issue, as WWII was still underway.
@@winstonelston5743 Yeah, I've seen that version, too!😊👍But thanks for recommending it anyway!😊
I so want Anne's dress. One of the greatest dresses ever! Silver lame'.
I think it was a tribute to Carole Lombard
Jay Rice ME TOO!!!
even I want that dress....
Don't exaggerate. I'm Polish and I get most of it. Kudus. It's a difficult language for me too:D
It is hard to distinguish words but duable if you really pay attention.
Damn it Mel you scored with that lady! thank you again and again.
I hear they’re world famous in Poland!
Lyrics:
Jak się topić, to się topić, Sweet Georgia Brown
Daj całusa prosto w usta, Sweet Georgia Brown
Ja przez ciebie będę w niebie, Sweet Georgia Brown
Mój los dobrze znasz, ten sam pewnie masz, OK!
Mój kolega mnie ostrzega: ratuj się pan!
Ona z każdym, panem ważnym, ten sam ma plan. Będzie biło serce twoje, dzisiaj, bracie, zrobię swoje
Georgia pije, Georgia żyje, Sweetie Pretty Georgia Brown
Thank you so much, both of you.
"Attention: In the interest of clarity...and sanity...the rest of this film will NOT be in Polish."
::Anne Bancroft heaves huge sigh of relief::
Why sanity?
@@anitago It's a Polish joke.
@popomatic1970 - With Mel Brooks, his parents were from Poland so that was not any issue. The real tribute was with his wife, Anne Brancoft, who was of Italian decent.
according to Mel Brooks, Anna came up with the idea to sing in Polish, learned the words and taught it to Mel.
According to his biography, his father was from what was then German Danzig, and his mother's side from Kiev, so a bit of a stretch.
Thanks for clarifying that. I always wondered about his ancestry.
@@AndrzejzBuffalo by the time Mel was born, Gdańsk has already been a free city for 8 years, and it was never just "German" demographically. It does seem, however, that his dad was a German Jew.
@@starry_lis, thank you.
THE TALENT ON THAT STAGE COULD POWER A CITY !
Anne Bancroft was utterly magnificent here.
You can tell they are enjoying themselves, and each other. Brilliant couple, brilliant chemistry. Wish they had worked more together.
I still miss Anne Bancroft till this very day, what a person.
They were just so sweet together
They really loved and liked one another. When she died, he was on TV looking dazed. He said they’d never spent a night apart.
GOD--These two are BRILLIANT.
From a mad keen 76yo Aussie fan.
😃 Dear Anne. Such a treasure! So sad she left us so soon. G-d Bless them both. 💕
This is absolutely wonderful!! I had not seen this until today. Polish is not an easy language to learn. This was a real laugh :)
Anne was Sicilian, I believe. I don't know if this is real Polish or not, but the credits in the movie name a Pole responsible for the translation of the song into Polish. In any case, I love it.
It is real Polish!
C'est une scène d'anthologie de deux grands artistes
@popomatic1970 - My father was Polish-American and that was his first language. He learned English on the streets.
My favourite Mel Brooks film. Snappy banter, great sets and costumes, loads of talent, and Mel’s irreverent sendup of Nazis. What more could you want?
I love Mel Broke and Anne Bankrupt! What a true love story.
Rest in peace and belated birthday wishes to Anne bancroft 9. 17. This film is a good choice her husband mentioned how easy it was to love ❤ her
Mel was in his late fifties here - amazing!
Bancroft should have done a little more comedy. Beautiful, funny women are one of the best reasons for watching movies. As for Mel Brooks, no man ever deserved a gorgeous, intelligent woman more than Mel Brooks.
@Chita1988 Some words in the song are not easy to understand, but in general I think they learned it great. Full respect from me.
All the words were hard to understand, I just grasped "thank you" at the end of the song... 🤭
They had class
Nice! Polski do łatwych nie należy, ale dobrze sobie z nim poradzili. A strange feeling when suddenly the actor himself speaks in your language instead of the voiceover... dziękuje dziękuje dziękuje ;D
Nie sadze że Bancroft, ale Brooks ma też pochodzenie żydowskie z jednej strony z Gdańska z drugiej z Kijowa, wiec ćośtam polski musiał słyszeć, ale do piosenki użyli nauczyciela polskiego:
czcams.com/video/wP8WRS36m1U/video.html
Happy birthday to Mel brooks 6 28 it is good to be the king of satirical comedy thank you for your 🎁 gift of laughter
I love this scene! But I want to know who the 9 jerks are who gave this a thumbs down?!
I've always loved this movie!
i wish someone gave lyrics that would be so 🔥
This overlooked jewel is probably Mel's finest comedy.
Her real name is Anna Maria Italiano, and HIS real name is Melvin Kaminsky, so the Polish was a bit easier for him. She once famously said, "There's a mirror by our front door, and I can see that it's not Robert Redford who's coming home. It's this funny little man -- but he makes my heart flutter!"
Such a long and happy marriage they had, when so many couples in Hollowood last only a few years!
in that dress she flowed like water...
Great Polish! And I love positive and crazy image of Poles.
One of the funniest movies lead by two incredibly talented artists of their era.
A most beautiful woman .
Super, quelle scène d'anthologie!
Tall, talented, lovely -- and rocking that silver lame!
They redid this number on a Mel Brooks tv special...just as great!
I love the wink!
@Chita1988 I'm Polish and I understand every word. Wiec weź nie pierdol bejbe :)
o, Otokieł
This is really fun listening!!
One of the very few times a remake was better than the original.
I am smiling...stay Brave..
I love them.
check out Mel's great harmonies!
Legends
„Wiesz co? Mam Cie w dupie!” hahahaha! last sentence in polish was hilarious!
I am told that my great-grandmother used to call my great-grandfather that... So my father knew that particular insult.
To translation that last line...
en.bab.la/dictionary/polish-english/mam-to-w-dupie
@@RetroRobotRadio
No it is not a very good translation. Actually it doesn’t reflect intentions of the saying.
If one said “mam to w dupie” than yes, but “Cię”=You, changes the whole context.
The best American actress of her generation could do it all.
As much as I love Mel, Anne, and Tim Matheson - the Carole Lombard version was definately the best.
@rolko52 - it's provocation. Mel's polish is quite good, other point is that half of the song is in english ;)
His polish wasn't that good, but his Polish was ;)
Always lived Brooks & Bancroft. Could Mel actually speak Polish? I assume his parents probably spoke a Yiddish dialect that included a fair number of Polish terms, but I'd be curious to know if modern native Poles actually understand what he's saying here. Thanks so much for posting!
Always thought Mel Brooks was the most hilarious performer to appear on talk shows (particularly Johnny Carson back in the day). Also loved the actors with whom he worked-- particularly his gorgeous wife, Anne Bancroft; Madeline Kahn; Gene Wilder; and my grandmother's cousin, the great and sadly forgotten Sid Caesar (whom Mel always credited as a mentor).
@@Gypsyqueen-lt7tq Yes with some difficulty one can understand them.
@@Gypsyqueen-lt7tq We are able to understand what he's singing but it's difficult due to his accent.
/incredible
This is my "go to" video if I need a distraction from some negative episode in my day.
Reddit credit*:
Jak się topić, to się topić, Sweet Georgia Brown. Daj całusa prosto w usta, Sweet Georgia Brown. Ja przez ciebie będę w niebie, Sweet Georgia Brown. Swój los dobrze znasz, ten sam pewnie masz, OK! Mój kolega mnie ostrzega: ratuj się pan! Ona z każdym, panem ważnym, ten sam ma plan. Będzie biło serce twoje, dzisiaj, bracie, zrobię swoje. Georgia pije, Georgia żyje, Sweetie Pretty Georgia Brown. Swój los pewnie znasz, ten sam pewnie masz, OK!
Będzie biło serce twoje, dzisiaj, bracie, zrobię swoje. Georgia pije, Georgia żyje, Sweetie Pretty Georgia Brown.
Thank you so much! I tried putting the traditional lyrics into Google Translate and, even though I don't speak Polish (apart from a couple of words) I could tell that it didn't look anything like what they were singing. But this was so accurate I was able to follow it along. I put these lyrics into Google Translate but it came up with different lyrics to the traditional version so maybe there is another version that I don't know about.
Now, if only someone could translate the dialogue. I understand "thank you" but that's about it.
@@feliciab2
-What the hell was that?
-What the hell was what?
-These cries!
[a short interlude as the curtain goes up again]
-What cries?
-You know what cries! "Oh thank you! Thank you! Thank you!" [mockingly]
-You know what? Kiss my a-s! [alternatively: "F-ck off" or "I don't give a f-ck about you"]
@@feliciab2
Original Polish:
-Co do licha się dzieje!?
-Co do licha się dzieje co?
-Te wrzaski!
-Jakie wrzaski?
-Wiesz jakie wrzaski! Te "Dziękuję! Dziękuję! Dziękuję!"
-Wiesz co? Mam cię w dupie!
@@Qba86Wow, this is amazing! Thank you so so much!!!
@@feliciab2 My pleasure. What's really amazing is how for the most part they didn't butcher the (notoriously difficult) Polish pronounciation all that much. I imagine that Mr. Brooks (né Kamińsky) probably did have some contact with the language in his youth, but I doubt Mrs. Bancroft did.
They couldn’t have given Mel a different mustache? I remember watching this for the first time and thinking exactly that cuz all I honestly saw was President Skroob! Then later on when he was impersonating Siletski, all I saw was Van Helsing! Haha Btw, To Be Or Not To Be is one of my top five Mel Brooks films.
Check out Anne Bancroft in GARBO TALKS! and 22 CHARING CROSS. Simply wonderful.
Pika good act
The huge problem with Mel Brooks movies is that they often have Mel Brooks in them.
@IrenaMV If you are a Mel Brooks fan, it really isn't. ;-)
@Chita1988 - Lost in translation? It could be slang or jiberish Polish. Brooks was born in New York.
Que voz rouca esse cara tem!
How can someone be so wonderful doing basically nothing? It's call being a star.
Whenever you need a quick lift.
For those who wonder: their Polish is not bad. for a foreigners (even with polish origins in case of Mr. Brooks) its very good, id even say.
I'd love a translation? Maybe the song lyrics too. I tried putting the English Sweet Georgia Brown lyrics into Translate and it doesn't seem to match what they're singing
When Hollywood had class, talent, beauty and style!
Are the lyrics real?
Funny Alert. Now that’s LOVE!!
I'm Nancy and lovin' in it.
Not to embarrass the ladies (but I guess I will!), does any know what a "bronski" is? After all, this is a Mel Brooks movie!
Broński is a legitimate Polish surname.
A little piece of Poland (Mel Brooks)
@BytomGirl We do?
Everything is better in Polish!
What was the last thing they say in polish
-What the hell was that?
-What the hell was what?
-These cries!
[a short interlude as the curtain goes up again]
-What cries?
-You know what cries! "Oh thank you! Thank you! Thank you!" [mockingly]
-You know what? Kiss my a-s! [alternatively: "F-ck off" or "I don't give a f-ck about you"]
I get the impression that these dialogues as well as the song were written by a person who knew Polish, but hadn't used it in real life for a long time. Still it's nice to hear Polish in a Mel Brooks movie ;)
two words ANIMAL HOUSE II BIG BLUE
Put Mel Brooks in Poland in 1939. War’s over in 2 weeks as the German army drop dead from laughter. Hitler resigns, shaves his mustache, and goes back to painting. He never makes it big but he repents of his ways and marries a nice Jewish woman. In the 60’s the mustache grows out and he takes side jobs as a Charlie Chaplin impersonator.
Well, they definitely learned polish. But it's completely uncomprehensible to me since I'm not used to the accent xD
Mel why you left me
In Romania
Allo personne en France pour admirer de tels talents... dommage la mentalité de je n'étais pas né ) vous perdra.
No comment from Paris
If only Max Brooks could see the movies his parents did.
He’s in the movie, so he did.
@@donald3210 LOL
"wiesz co? mam cię w dupie" :D
Polacy here? XD
Funny :D But it's super hard to understand
Mel Brooks is a funny guy, but the original "To Be Or Not To Be" with Jack Benny and Carol Lombard is a much better film.
I have that movie, the original black & white film. I have not watched it yet. Could you briefly tell me why it's better?
I don't understand the lyrics :P (I'm from Poland)
A ja zrozumiałem polskie słowa doskonale. NB. "Sweet Georgie Brown" jest po angielsku ;)
@rolko52 But his accent is so bad here, that a native speaker of Polish can't get what he is signing here,,,
I am a native speaker, and I understand it. "Jak się topić to się topić, Sweet Georgia Brown Daj całusa prosto w usta, Sweet Georgia Brown Ja przez ciebie będę w niebie, Sweet Georgia Brown Swój los dobrze znasz ten pewnie masz, OK! Mój kolega mnie ostrzega ratuj się pan Ona z każdym panem ważnym ten sam ma plan Będzie biło serce twoje dzisiaj bracie zrobię swoje Georgia pije, Georgia żyje, Sweetie Pretty Georgia Brown. Swój los pewnie znasz ten pewnie masz, OK!"
kzbin.info/www/sweet-georgia-brown-mel-brooks-anne-bancroft/d6iacp-OnsmarLs
@@AndrzejzBuffalo thank you!
Tbh their polish is really mediocre.
For the sake of clarity and sanity, the rest of this movie will not be in Polish, hahaha.