This documentary about Casablanca shows how all the elements came together very haphazardly to make one of the great classics of all time.

CASABLANCA - An Unlikely Classic - YouTube

My favorite movie line:
German Major : " Those bumbling Americans"
French Captain: "Yes, I was with them when they bumbled their way into Berlin in 1918"

I started paying more attention to the film when I learned it had broken new ground in its use of camera angles, shadows, diffused backlighting and camera lens filters (all used to either accentuate the face or wash out the edges).

Every time I watch it I concentrate on the cinematography as much as I do the dialogue.

I don't have a problem with cover songs or movie remakes but some masterpieces, such as this, should never be tampered with.

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Music/Sports/Beer fan

Somewhere I have a book which is a biography of Humphrey Bogart. One chapter in it is devoted entirely to Casablanca and how it was made, interesting reading. It was originally intended to be nothing more than a quick and cheap B-Movie but historical events (mainly the Allied landings in North Africa) turned into something substantially more. The script was being written on-the-fly during shooting, and in many cases the actors were being given their lines only just before their scenes were to be filmed. The stage sets were recycled from earlier movies, and of course there were no location shoots, everything was filmed on a sound stage except for the final scenes which were shot at a small airport somewhere in the LA area.

TCM once showed a colorized version, I think in the late 80s, but it raised so much ire from viewers that it was pulled and never shown again. I remember seeing it.

One of the best movies ever made IMHO.

It stands the test of time.

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BTDT, Got The T-Shirt

IMDB gives it #50 of the top 250 movies. I rate it in the top ten on my list.

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Heavily armed old man.

A couple B&W movies that knock me out as far as cinematography goes are “My Darling Clementine” and “Winchester 73”. The dark and light contrasts are intentionally more stark and they look like moving charcoal drawings. In these films I’m talking more of the outdoor scenes. this Casablanca documentary specifically talks about the use of shadows and light that made it so special to convey the mood of what’s happening.

Casablanca is one of my very favorites! Bogie is just about my favorite actor as well. I have seen the film no less than 50 - 60 times and still watch it at least once or twice a year!

Along with the Maltese Falcon I know almost every line - LOL!

A really great movie, one of the best, if not THE best, ever made. It’s so good that I’m going to get a tumbler of Makers Mark and watch it on Amazon Prime now.
“Here’s looking at you, Kid”..........

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"Your other right........."

There are two movies that I watch that my wife knows by heart any dialogue she hears when they are played, Casablanca and Shane.

Except for the fact that they didn't. March into Berlin that is. Still one of my favorites. Key Largo is right up there, too.

"we are speaking only English when we reach America"
" Lipshin, what watch?"
"10 watch"

"Is this place honest?"
"As honest as the day is long!"

"Remember Louis, this gun is aimed right at your heart!"
" My least variable spot!"

Not that we don't watch the movie that often.......

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Only difference Fool/Mule-ears

Add To Have and Have Not and The Big Sleep.

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You're shy a few manners.

I didn’t think the Americans marched into Berlin either.

My two most favorite ever classics,,,,Casablanca and High Noon!


Rick Blaine: Of all the gin joints in all the towns in all the world, she walks into mine.

Rick Blaine: I came to Casablanca for the waters.
Capt. Louis Renault: Waters?! We're in a DESERT!
Rick Blaine: I was misinformed.

Blaine: Louis, I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship.

I have the 70th Anniversary box set of Casablanca, which is -- amazingly -- still available, and it's not that expensive.

It includes both DVD and Blu-Ray copies of the movie, numerous special features on several other DVDs, reproduction movie posters, and, best of all, a hardback, coffee-table sized book on how the movie was made.

You can find it at various online retailers or on eBay. The first link below is to a thorough review of what's included.

http://www.dvdmg.com/casablanca70.shtml

Thanks for posting this! So cool to see behind the scenes of one of my favorite films. What a masterpiece.

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No baby we aint

What makes the old movie so terrific is the dialog! Today's movies rely so much on special effects and technology whereas the older flicks enthrall with speech and meaningful dialog. To me the movies that truly brings this out is The Maltese Falcon and Key Largo. The movies are almost all filmed in just a few rooms (sets) and almost no outside scenes are used.

Speaking of sets, one of Bogey's earlier movies was "The Petrified Forest." Almost the entire movie was shot using the same crude set background, very much like making a movie of a play performance. The movie was about acting, not scenery.

Well, despite the many of you that have
misgivings about remakes of a classic,
I happen to be a movie producer and
have in the works a remake of "Casablanca."

So far, I've got signed Brad Pitt as Rick,
Jennifer Aniston as Ilsa, Charlie Sheen
as Victor and I'm hoping to get Gary
Busey as Captain Louis.

And I've hired some of the best car stunt
drivers in the business for an exciting chase
through the streets of Casablanca.

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Ubi Est Mea

The film was released to general audiences a month before I was born.
I asked my mom if she named me after Rick Blain, but she said that I was not.
I have read that every line in Casablanca is quotable. I agree.
Casablanca, Key Largo and To Have and Have Not are my three favorite films. The order keeps changing.

Best,
Rick

"We'll always have Paris"

"Major Strasser has been shot. Round up the usual suspects."


Edit. Darn! Now I have to dug up my DVD copy.

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Expect the unexpected

Love this quote from Casablanca:

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You're shy a few manners.

One of my favorite moments...

It's so easy to despise Peter Lorre.

He had this despiseble look on him. Bless his Soul.

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Expect the unexpected

I'm shocked, shocked to find out that gambling is going on here.

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Made it, Ma! Top of the world!

They didn't. There was an occupation of the Rhineland area (which was where most German industry was located) by Allied forces, but Berlin wasn't occupied. I once had (but later returned to the family) a very detailed WWI diary kept by an American soldier, who wrote in it about his brief period of occupation duty after the Armistice. He didn't have much exciting to say other than it was a lot better than being in the trenches. As I remember, he was returned to the USA early in 1919.

From the thread title I was thinking the thread was about ceiling fans

Casablanca Ceiling Fans Atlanta | Lux Lighting LTD | Atlanta, Roswell, Duluth, Alpharetta, GA Lighting Store

Rick to Major Strasse, "Well there are certain sections of New York, Major, that I wouldn't advise you to try to invade. "

How prophetic that line has become

Uh oh. Not diverse enough. Kevin Hart as Rick.... EDIT. I decided to delete this, but you get my point.

This is in my top 1 or 2 movies of all time. I just watched it 2 weeks ago.

Edit: Now that I watched the OPs video I appreciate it even more!! Thanks for sharing.

Ingrid Bergman brings the beauty and Claude Raines the humor to this classic.

The ending to this film is fantastic. It's hard to believe they made it up as they went along.

Finally: This movie can be better appreciated if one has at least some knowledge of WW2 history, particularly the German occupation of France, and the refugees plight.

I was amazed that the film was made prior to the American landings in North Africa. I always assumed it was made after but set prior to that date. I had never looked that closely at the film release date compared to the N. African campaign.

This film really is a true classic.
This is my favorite film..I was born in 1957 12 years after the war ended. Imagine the impact it had on those who were adults in the 1940s!

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John 1:17
NRA Life Benefactor

"Casablanca" is certainly a good film, but I don't have the wholehearted enthusiasm about the movie that many here obviously have. Perhaps I missed something that others didn't. Tastes vary, I suppose. I'd have to give some thought as to what I would rate as Bogart's #1 film, but it probably wouldn't be Casablanca. I'm not sure if I've seen all his films or not; may have missed a very few.

Absolutely, put Pitt on the piano and some rap star as Rick. You'll make thousands.

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Front sight and squeeze

I like Bogie in everything but to me his best "acting"
films were "Treasure of Sierra Madre" and the
"Caine Mutiny." In both he showed very flawed
characters, one probably unredeemable and the
other tragic because of the pressures of war.

"Casablanca" stands at or near the top of films
not because of anything special about Bogie alone but
the whole ensemble and the writing in the film.
Each part makes for a perfect picture.

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Ubi Est Mea

No one mentioned it was supposed to star Ronald Reagan??? As much as I liked him, his acting chops weren't quite up to Bogie's.

About 12 years ago my then 20 year old son wanted to watch this film, he knows it's my favorite of all time. I have the dvd but just ordered the bluray. Afterwards he understood where all the great quotes he grew up hearing came from. Like me he's a true fan of well made films.

Everyone's tastes run differently. I can't pick a favorite as I enjoy so many of his works.

I asked Ruthie and her immediate response was "Sabrina".

So, there's that.

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Music/Sports/Beer fan

It's sad that I can't get many young people to watch classic films because "It's Black & White."

Yea, they actually leave actually leave a little to the imagination too!

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GOA
USA Shooting Supporter

They actually miss a lot of artistic genius that was needed to portray different effects without the aid of color.

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John 1:17
NRA Life Benefactor

For the most misquoted line in "Casablanca". Perhaps the most misquoted line in the whole movie industry.

"If she can handle it, so can I. Play it!"

Doesn't sound a bit like "play it again Sam". Does it.

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Expect the unexpected

There have been several attempts to make knockoff movies based on the Casablanca story line, and even a couple of "Casablanca" TV series, none being very successful. But there is an interesting book by Michael Walsh titled "As Time Goes By" which fairly successfully attempts to portray what pre-war events led Rick to arrive in Casablanca (he had been a gangster in New York City) and start up a night club, and also what happened to the characters in the movie after the last scene. Sort of a "prequel sequel." I thought it was well done and an enjoyable read. It probably would have made a good movie, but I doubt if it would have been a box office smash. If you can find a copy, I'd recommend it.

When I saw the thread title I was sure it was about these:

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SWCA #3356, SWHF#611

Brings to mind the scene in "Sunset Boulevard" where the William Holden character tells Norma Desmond that her script needed more dialog, to which she retorted, "We didn't need dialog, we had faces."

I's agree with "Treasure of the Sierra Madre" as his #1 acting performance. It's one of those movies I have seen many times without getting tired of it. I'd say "The African Queen" is #2 (he won the best actor Oscar for it), followed by "High Sierra". Honorable mention for "Caine Mutiny."

One of his wartime movies, "Passage to Marseille," was censored for showing in the UK. There was one scene in which Bogart machine-gunned a downed German aircraft crew floating in the water which was cut. The British considered that as being too unsportsmanlike.

To me Bogart's perfect antagonist is Sydney Greenstreet.

Attached Images

	Sydney Greenstreet.jpeg (19.1 KB, 48 views)
	sydney greenstreet1.jpg (40.4 KB, 49 views)

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