10 Outstanding Final Film Performances
6. Carole Lombard - To Be or Not to Be (1942)
At the time of the tragic plane crash that took her life in 1942, Carole Lombard was one of Hollywood's biggest and most beloved actresses. Remembered for her many iconic performances in various 1930s screwball comedies and her "supercouple" marriage to legendary actor Clark Gable, Lombard's impressive and flourishing career was bought to an abrupt end, after filming ended on her final film project.
To Be or Not to Be was a controversial black comedy that satirised the Nazis' 1939 invasion of Poland, a subject that was still fresh in the memory at the time of release. The risky production featured Lombard as actress Maria Tura, who delivers a typically excellent performance, with her comedic timing faultless throughout the film.
Released two months after America's entry into the war and just one month after Lombard's death, the film is often cited as an early example of Hollywood's transition into war related film projects. Whilst the film received mixed reviews upon release, To Be or Not to Be has since been praised for the film’s bold satire of war, with the film being selected for preservation in the National Film Registry in 1996 and Lombard's performance being recognised as one of her finest.