Casablanca Overview:

Casablanca (1942) was a Drama - Romance Film directed by Michael Curtiz and produced by Hal B. Wallis and Jack L. Warner.

SYNOPSIS

Perennially at the top of every all-time-greats list, and indisputably one of the landmarks of the American cinema. Bogart is an American expatriate and war profiteer in WWII Morocco, content to merely run the Cafe Americain until love (in the form of a luminous Bergman) returns to his life and inspires him to stand up for the French Resistance. An accidental Hollywood masterpiece, it just gets better as time goes by.

(Source: available at Amazon AMC Classic Movie Companion).

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Casablanca was inducted into the National Film Registry in 1989.

Academy Awards 1943 --- Ceremony Number 16 (source: AMPAS)

AwardRecipientResult
Best ActorHumphrey BogartNominated
Best Supporting ActorClaude RainsNominated
Best CinematographyArthur EdesonNominated
Best DirectorMichael CurtizWon
Best Film EditingOwen MarksNominated
Best Music - ScoringMax SteinerNominated
Best PictureWarner Bros.Won
Best WritingJulius J. Epstein, Philip G. Epstein, Howard KochWon
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BlogHub Articles:

Rick's Cafe and the Moral Maze: Love, War, and Choices in “Casablanca”

By Stephen Reginald on Apr 3, 2024 From Classic Movie Man

Rick's Cafe and the Moral Maze: Love, War, and Choices in “Casablanca” Guest blog post written by Stephen Galen EstevanWe all know the lines, we've probably seen the tearful goodbye a hundred times, but what truly sets this 1942 classic apart? It's not just the trench coat drama or ... Read full article


Humphrey Bogart, Ingrid Bergman, and Paul Henreid have a date with fate in “Casablanca”

By Stephen Reginald on Dec 12, 2023 From Classic Movie Man

Humphrey Bogart, Ingrid Bergman, and Paul Henreid have a date with fate in “Casablanca” Casablanca, the 1942 classic directed by Michael Curtiz and starring Humphrey Bogart, Ingrid Bergman, and Paul Henreid is the third film to be shown in this continuing monthly series. Winner of t... Read full article


Cinemallennials: Casablanca (1942)?

By Annmarie Gatti on Sep 20, 2021 From Classic Movie Hub Blog

Cinemallennials: Casablanca (1942)? For those of you who are unfamiliar with Cinemallennials, it is a bi-weekly podcast in which I, and another millennial, watch a classic film that we?ve never seen before, and discuss its significance and relevance in today?s world. In this episode, I tal... Read full article


Play It Again, Max: Casablanca and the Battle over ?As Time Goes By?(Exclusive by Author Steven C. Smith)

By Guest Post on Jan 28, 2021 From Classic Movie Hub Blog

Casablanca and the Battle over ?As Time Goes By?(Exclusive by Author Steven C. Smith) By mid-1941, Max Steiner had already scored over thirty films at Warner Bros. since becoming that studio?s highest paid staff composer in 1937. Many of his projects had been prestigious and highly profitable.... Read full article


?La Marseillaise? Plays, as Rick, Ilsa and Refugees Find Their Footing in Casablanca (Guest Post)

By Guest Post on Nov 25, 2020 From Classic Movie Hub Blog

?La Marseillaise? Even more than the famous ?Here?s Looking at You? scene, the ?La Marseillaise? scene in Casablanca is the one scene in the film that evokes more emotion from audiences than any other, as it propels the narration in a new direction and reveals more about the characters than we pr... Read full article


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Quotes from

Captain Renault: What in heaven's name brought you to Casablanca?
Rick: My health. I came to Casablanca for the waters.
Captain Renault: The waters? What waters? We're in the desert.
Rick: I was misinformed.


Ugarte: Well, Rick, after tonight, I'll be through with the whole business and I am leaving finally this Casablanca.
Rick: Who did you bribe for your visa? Renault or yourself?
Ugarte: Myself. I found myself much more reasonable.


Ilsa: I wasn't sure you were the same. Let's see, the last time we met...
Rick: Was La Belle Aurore.
Ilsa: How nice, you remembered. But of course, that was the day the Germans marched into Paris.
Rick: Not an easy day to forget.
Ilsa: No.
Rick: I remember every detail. The Germans wore gray, you wore blue.


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Facts about

Several times the writers discussed having Rick leave with Lois/Ilsa, but this was always rejected (and the censors would not have allowed it with her married to Victor). Their major problem was to make it plausible that despite clearly loving Rick, she would leave with Victor; the final scene was rewritten many times until this was achieved.
The movie's line "Round up the usual suspects." was voted as the #32 movie quote by the American Film Institute (out of 100).
Just before he shot Maj. Strasser (Conrad Veidt), Humphrey Bogart ad-libbed the line, "All right, Major, you asked for it." But Hal B. Wallis pointed out that this made it look as though when Strasser drew his gun first it was self-defense. Veidt was recalled and the scene reshot without the added line, but the original version was used in the trailer for the movie.
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Best Picture Oscar 1943











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National Film Registry

Casablanca

Released 1942
Inducted 1989
(Sound)




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Also directed by Michael Curtiz




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Also produced by Hal B. Wallis




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