Casablanca (1942)

Director:

Michael Curtiz

Writers:

Julius J. Epstein (screenplay) and
Philip G. Epstein (screenplay) ...
(more)

Release Date:

23 January 1943 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Romance | War

Tagline:

They had a date with fate in Casablanca!

Plot:

Set in unoccupied Africa during the early days of World War II: An American expatriate meets a former lover, with unforeseen complications.

Plot Keywords:

Casablanca | German | American Expatriate | Police | Nightclub

Awards:

Won 3 Oscars. Another 2 wins & 6 nominations

US TV Schedule:

Sat. Nov. 28

6:00 PM

TCM

Cast

Humphrey Bogart	...	Rick Blaine
Ingrid Bergman	...	Ilsa Lund
Paul Henreid	...	Victor Laszlo
Claude Rains	...	Captain Renault
Conrad Veidt	...	Major Strasser
Sydney Greenstreet	...	Signor Ferrari
Peter Lorre	...	Ugarte
S.Z. Sakall	...	Carl (as S.K. Sakall)
Madeleine Lebeau	...	Yvonne
Dooley Wilson	...	Sam
Joy Page	...	Annina Brandel
John Qualen	...	Berger
Leonid Kinskey	...	Sascha
Curt Bois	...	Pickpocket
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Enrique Acosta	...	Guest at Rick's (uncredited)
Ed Agresti	...	Bar Patron (uncredited)
Louis V. Arco	...	Refugee at Rick's (uncredited)
Frank Arnold	...	Overseer (uncredited)
Leon Belasco	...	Dealer at Rick's (uncredited)
Nino Bellini	...	Gendarme (uncredited)
Trude Berliner	...	Baccarat Player at Rick's (uncredited)
Oliver Blake	...	Waiter at the Blue Parrot (uncredited)
Monte Blue	...	American (uncredited)
Dick Botiller	...	Native Officer (uncredited)
Maurice Brierre	...	Baccarat Dealer at Ricjk's (uncredited)
Anita Camargo	...	Woman Companion (uncredited)
George M. Carleton	...	American (uncredited)
Melie Chang	...	Oriental at Rick's (uncredited)
Spencer Chan	...	Guest at Rick's (uncredited)
Gino Corrado	...	Waiter at Rick's (uncredited)
Franco Corsaro	...	French Police Officer (uncredited)
Marcel Dalio	...	Emil - Croupier at Rick's (uncredited)
Adrienne D'Ambricourt	...	Concierge (uncredited)
Helmut Dantine	...	Jan Brandel (uncredited)
Jean De Briac	...	Orderly (uncredited)
George Dee	...	Lieutenant Casselle (uncredited)
Jean Del Val	...	Police Officer (uncredited)
Joseph DeVillard	...	Moroccan (uncredited)
Arthur Dulac	...	News Vendor (uncredited)
William Edmunds	...	Second Contact Man at Rick's (uncredited)
Herbert Evans	...	Englishman Questioning Casino's Honesty (uncredited)
Fred Farrell	...	Singing Frenchman (uncredited)
Adolph Faylauer	...	Gambler at Rick's (uncredited)
O.K. Ford	...	Conspirator (uncredited)
Martin Garralaga	...	Headwaiter at Rick's (uncredited)
Gregory Gaye	...	German Banker Refused by Rick (uncredited)
Gregory Golubeff	...	Cashier at Rick's (uncredited)
Ilka Grüning	...	Mrs. Leuchtag - Carl's Immigrating Friend (uncredited)
Creighton Hale	...	Customer (uncredited)
Winifred Harris	...	Englishwoman (uncredited)
Jamiel Hasson	...	Muezzini (uncredited)
Arthur Stuart Hull	...	Elderly Admirer (uncredited)
Olaf Hytten	...	Pickpocketed Prosperous Man (uncredited)
Paul Irving	...	Prosperous Tourist (uncredited)
Charles La Torre	...	Italian Officer Tonnelli (uncredited)
George J. Lewis	...	Haggling Arab Monkey Seller (uncredited)
Max Linder	...	Elegant Gambler (uncredited)
Manuel Lopez	...	Policeman (uncredited)
Jacques Lory	...	Moor Buying Diamonds (uncredited)
Lou Marcelle	...	Narrator (voice) (uncredited)
Michael Mark	...	Vendor (uncredited)
Tony Martelli	...	Bartender (uncredited)
George Meeker	...	Rick's Friend (uncredited)
Lal Chand Mehra	...	Policeman (uncredited)
Louis Mercier	...	Conspirator (uncredited)
Torben Meyer	...	Dutch Banker at Cafe Table (uncredited)
Alberto Morin	...	French Officer Insulting Yvonne (uncredited)
Leo Mostovoy	...	Fydor (uncredited)
Corinna Mura	...	Singer with Guitar (uncredited)
Barry Norton	...	Gambler at Rick's (uncredited)
Lotte Palfi Andor	...	Woman Selling Her Diamonds (uncredited)
Paul Panzer	...	Paul - Waiter at Rick's (uncredited)
Manuel París	...	Guest at Rick's (uncredited)
Alexander Pollard	...	Croupier (uncredited)
Paul Porcasi	...	Native Introducing Ferrari (uncredited)
Frank Puglia	...	Arab Vendor (uncredited)
Georges Renavent	...	Conspirator (uncredited)
Dewey Robinson	...	Bouncer at Rick's (uncredited)
Henry Rowland	...	German Officer (uncredited)
Richard Ryen	...	Colonel Heinz -, Strasser's Aide (uncredited)
Dan Seymour	...	Abdul (uncredited)
Lester Sharpe	...	Refugee (uncredited)
Dina Smirnova	...	Woman Customer (uncredited)
Gerald Oliver Smith	...	Pickpocketed Englishman (uncredited)
George Sorel	...	Native Officer (uncredited)
Geoffrey Steele	...	Customer (uncredited)
Ludwig Stössel	...	Mr. Leuchtag (uncredited)
Mike Tellegen	...	Gambler (uncredited)
Jacques Vanaire	...	Frenchman (uncredited)
Ellinor Vanderveer	...	Woman Gambler at Rick's Next to Croupier (uncredited)
Norma Varden	...	Wife of Pickpocketed Englishman (uncredited)
Hans Heinrich von Twardowski	...	German Officer with Yvonne (uncredited)
Leo White	...	Emile - Waiter (uncredited)
Jack Wise	...	Waiter (uncredited)
Wolfgang Zilzer	...	Man with Expired Papers (uncredited)

Directed by
Michael Curtiz

Writing credits
Julius J. Epstein		(screenplay) (as Julius J.) and
Philip G. Epstein		(screenplay) and
Howard Koch		(screenplay)
Murray Burnett		(play "Everybody Comes to Rick's") and
Joan Alison		(play "Everybody Comes to Rick's")
Casey Robinson		uncredited

Produced by
Hal B. Wallis	....	producer
Jack L. Warner	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Max Steiner

Cinematography by
Arthur Edeson		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Owen Marks

Art Direction by
Carl Jules Weyl

Set Decoration by
George James Hopkins

Costume Design by
Orry-Kelly		(gowns)

Makeup Department
Perc Westmore	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Al Alleborn	....	unit manager (uncredited)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Lee Katz	....	assistant director (uncredited)

Art Department
Harper Goff	....	set designer (uncredited)

Sound Department
Francis J. Scheid	....	sound
Edward Ullman	....	sound recordist (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Lawrence W. Butler	....	special effects director (as Lawrence Butler)
Willard Van Enger	....	special effects

Visual Effects by
Chris Crowell	....	digital compositor (restored version) (uncredited)

Stunts
Harvey Parry	....	stunts (uncredited)
Paul Stader	....	stunts (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Anthony Gasbarri	....	tailor: Mr. Bogart's tuxedo (uncredited)

Music Department
Leo F. Forbstein	....	musical director
Hugo Friedhofer	....	music arranger: orchestral arrangements
M.K. Jerome	....	songs
Jack Scholl	....	songs
Elliot Carpenter	....	musician: piano, dubbed Dooley Wilson's playing (uncredited)

Other crew
Robert Aisner	....	technical advisor
James Leicester	....	montages
Hugh MacMullan	....	dialogue director
Don Siegel	....	montages
Bob Williams	....	unit publicist (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Warner Bros. Pictures (A Warner Bros.-First National Picture)

Distributors

• Warner Bros. Pictures (1942) (USA) (theatrical)
• Warner Bros. Pictures (1949) (USA) (theatrical) (re-release)
• Criterion Collection, The (1991) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Warner Home Video (1991) (Germany) (video) (laserdisc)
• Warner Home Video (1991) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1992) (USA) (theatrical) (re-release)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (1992) (UK) (theatrical) (re-release)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (1992) (USA) (DVD)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (1992) (USA) (VHS)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (1992) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (1994) (USA) (DVD)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (1994) (USA) (VHS)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (1995) (USA) (DVD)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (1995) (USA) (VHS)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (1997) (USA) (DVD)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (1997) (USA) (VHS)
• Steeplechase Entertainment (1997) (USA) (DVD)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (1998) (USA) (DVD)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (1998) (USA) (VHS)
• Rhino Home Video (1998) (USA) (VHS)
• Creative Design (2000) (USA) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2000) (USA) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2001) (USA) (VHS)
• Neue Visionen Filmverleih (2002) (Germany) (theatrical) (re-release)
• Warner Home Vídeo (2003) (Brazil) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2005) (USA) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2006) (USA) (DVD)
• Chapel Distribution (1997) (Australia) (theatrical)
• Park Circus (2007) (UK) (theatrical)
• Sociedade Importadora de Filmes (SIF) (1945) (Portugal) (theatrical)
• CBS/Fox (????) (USA) (VHS)
• CBS/Fox (????) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Varus Video (????) (Russia) (VHS)

Other Companies

• Lowry Digital Images  digital restoration (2003 re-release)

Also Known As:

Everybody Comes to Rick's (USA) (original script title)

MPAA:

Rated PG for mild violence.

Runtime:

102 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | French | German

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Certification:

Iceland:L | Spain:T | USA:Approved (certificate #8457) | USA:TV-PG (TV rating) | Brazil:12 | Netherlands:AL | New Zealand:PG | Argentina:Atp | Australia:PG | Canada:G (Manitoba/Nova Scotia/Quebec) | Canada:PG (Ontario) | Chile:TE | Denmark:A | Finland:S | Germany:6 | Norway:10 (re-rating) (1992) | Norway:11 (re-rating) (2002) | Norway:16 (original rating) | Peru:PT | Portugal:M/12 | South Korea:12 | Sweden:15 | Sweden:7 (re-release) | UK:U | USA:PG (new rating) (1992)

Filming Locations:

Flagstaff, Arizona, USA

Company:

Warner Bros. Pictures

Trivia:

Director Michael Curtiz' Hungarian accent often caused confusion on the set. He asked a prop man for a "poodle" to appear in one scene. The prop man searched high and low for a poodle while the entire crew waited. He found one and presented it to Curtiz, who screamed "A poodle! A poodle of water!" See also The Charge of the Light Brigade (1936).

Goofs:

Continuity: When Rick gets on the train after standing in the rain, his coat is completely dry.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Narrator: With the coming of the Second World War, many eyes in imprisoned Europe turned hopefully, or desperately, toward the freedom of the Americas. Lisbon became the great embarkation point. But, not everybody could get to Lisbon directly, and so a tortuous, roundabout refugee trail sprang up - Paris to Marseilles...
[...]

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Splendor (1989)

Soundtrack:

It Had to Be You

A Classic Worth Remembering

While there's not anything new to be said about "Casablanca", it's good to see one of the classics still getting some attention. By most standards it is at least very good, and there are good reasons why so many still remember it so fondly. Not everyone who watches it today shares the opinion that it is a classic, but it's still good to see fans of modern movies giving it a try for themselves.

The cast is one of its main strengths, not just Bogart and Bergman but also the fine supporting cast. Rains, Greenstreet, Lorre, and the others are indispensable to the atmosphere and the story, and each has some very good moments. It does have its imperfections, but it was not expected to be a classic or blockbuster - everything you read about the production suggests that it was made in a rather slap-dash fashion, under constraints that would have wrecked most other films. It's not hard to see the little ways that this affected the finished product, such as the times when the plot strains credibility a bit, or the characters seem to behave somewhat oddly. (In particular, it might have been even more satisfying if Bergman's character had been a little stronger - Ilsa is charming, but that's entirely thanks to what Bergman does with her; the character herself as written seems somewhat shallow.)

But it turned out anyway to be an excellent combination of actors, characters, and story, a combination that more than makes up for everything else. Different viewers probably remember and enjoy "Casablanca" for different reasons, because it seemingly has a little of everything. While perhaps not perfect, it is well worth remembering and watching.