Casablanca (1942)

A cynical nightclub owner protects an old flame and her husband from Nazis in Morocco.

Director:

Michael Curtiz

Writers:

Julius J. Epstein (screenplay), Philip G. Epstein (screenplay)

Stars:

Humphrey Bogart, Ingrid Bergman, Paul Henreid

Top Rated Movies #36 | Won 3 Oscars. Another 5 wins & 9 nominations.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Humphrey Bogart	...	Rick Blaine
Ingrid Bergman	...	Ilsa Lund
Paul Henreid	...	Victor Laszlo
Claude Rains	...	Captain Louis Renault
Conrad Veidt	...	Major Heinrich Strasser
Sydney Greenstreet	...	Signor Ferrari
Peter Lorre	...	Ugarte
S.Z. Sakall	...	Carl (as S.K. Sakall)
Madeleine Lebeau	...	Yvonne (as Madeleine LeBeau)
Dooley Wilson	...	Sam
Joy Page	...	Annina Brandel
John Qualen	...	Berger
Leonid Kinskey	...	Sascha
Curt Bois	...	Pickpocket

Storyline

The story of Rick Blaine, a cynical world-weary ex-patriate who runs a nightclub in Casablanca, Morocco during the early stages of WWII. Despite the pressure he constantly receives from the local authorities, Rick's cafe has become a kind of haven for refugees seeking to obtain illicit letters that will help them escape to America. But when Ilsa, a former lover of Rick's, and her husband, show up to his cafe one day, Rick faces a tough challenge which will bring up unforeseen complications, heartbreak and ultimately an excruciating decision to make.

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Plot Keywords:

nazi | casablanca morocco | anti nazi | french morocco | 1940s | 

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Taglines:

They had a date with fate in Casablanca!

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Genres:

Drama | Romance | War

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG for mild violence

Details

Official Sites:

Official Facebook

Country:

USA

Language:

English French German Italian

Release Date:

23 January 1943 (USA)

Also Known As:

Everybody Comes to Rick's

Filming Locations:

Hotel Monte Vista, Flagstaff, Arizona, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$950,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$181,494, 12 April 1992, Limited Release

Gross USA:

$1,024,560, 16 November 2017

Company Credits

Production Co:

Warner Bros.

Technical Specs

Runtime:

102 min 82 min (cut)

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Color:

Color Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The first shot of Rick sees him playing chess, a personal favorite game of Humphrey Bogart's.

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Goofs

About 30 minutes into the film Major Strasser approaches Ilsa Lund and Victor Laszlo and says"...Now you are a subject of the German Reich." When Laszlo stands and says "I've never accepted that privilege" his eyes are above Strasser's and he is looking downward. The camera cuts and Laszlo immediately states "...and I am now on French soil". His eyes are now at the same level as Strasses's as he looks straight across at him.

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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... across the Mediterranean to Oran... then by train, or auto, or foot across the rim of Africa, to Casablanca in French Morocco. Here, the fortunate ones through money, or ...
[...]

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Connections

Referenced in Cracker: One Day a Lemming Will Fly: Part 1 (1993)

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Soundtracks

It Had to Be You
(1924) (uncredited)
Music by Isham Jones
Lyrics by Gus Kahn
Played during the opening shot of Rick's Café
Performed by Dooley Wilson (piano dubbed by Jean Vincent Plummer )
Also played when Laszlo and Ilsa return to Rick's

User Reviews

Quite simply the greatest film in American history

Casablanca is the consummate Hollywood film. It is superbly directed, acted, and filmed. Bogart is amazing, the characters are deep and engaging.

This is easily one of the greatest films of all time. The story is timeless and meaningful, full of heart and should endure for another fifty years with no problems. A true masterpiece and the benchmark by which all other films should be measured. If you haven't seen it, you are at a profound loss. If you have then you know the greatness of this film.