A bad Polish actor is just trying to make a living when Poland is invaded by the Germans in World War II. His wife has the habit of entertaining young Polish officers while he's on stage, which is also a source of depression to him. When one of her officers comes back on a Secret Mission, the actor takes charge and comes up with a plan for them to escape.
Bancroft's sustained delights are not matched by Brooks, who seems to be trying too hard.
– Variety Staff,
Variety,
26 Mar 2009
fresh:
Brooks combines a backstage musical with a wartime romance and comes up with an eclectic comedy that races off into several directions, usually successfully.
– Roger Ebert,
Chicago Sun-Times,
23 Oct 2004
fresh:
Ssmashingly funny.
– Vincent Canby,
New York Times,
30 Aug 2004
rotten:
I can't remember another film that took so little care with the details of ambience: the cruddy sets and flat, underworked sound track drain any sense of life from the project.
– Dave Kehr,
Chicago Reader,
1 Feb 2004
fresh:
Johnson may not quite have Lubitsch's lightness of touch, but he puts an excellent cast through their paces with great verve, and the charm is as potent as ever.