CASABLANCA: Behind The Screen-Part 2

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CASABLANCA: Behind The Screen-Part 2. A Journey with Cambiz A. Khosravi.
Casablanca is a 1942 American romantic drama film directed by Michael Curtiz, and starring Humphrey Bogart, Ingrid Bergman, and Paul Henreid. Filmed and set during World War II, it focuses on an American expatriate (Bogart) who must choose between his love for a woman (Bergman) and his better nature. Behind the screen give various insight into the film from my vantage point of having produced a documentary on the co-screen writer Howard Koch.
Also please watch:CASABLANCA UNPACKED vimeo.com/8854...

[@gailazerrad9956]

Casablanca will always be the best movie Hollywood produced, whether intended or not. No one making the film had a clue that it would become such a classic. Least of all, Paul Henreid (Victor Lasslo.) Henreid was extremely resistant to taking the part since he felt that Bogie certainly had the main "strong man" role. Henreid felt his role, as first written, was too weak and he didn't want to lose the girl. So, they struck a deal where they pumped up his role to be a fearles freedom fighter and he got Ingrid Bergman . But, Henrid also got a contract to direct about 3 upcoming films which was his real goal. There are more stories about Casablanca like they filmed the airport scene in a small Van Nuys airport. But , the real story is that they stumbled on magic.

[@rogersmith4834]

Right about the Van Nuys Airport. The control tower we see was real, but now is gone. Victor and Ilsa's plane was a small mock-up set way back, and midgets were hired as the attendants for perspective in size. In 1969, I accompanied a friend to 20th Century-Fox. He was playing a barber for Monte Markam in an episode of the TV series, BRACKEN'S WORLD. I was astounded to find the director was Paul Henreid. I was not allowed to actually meet him, but was privileged to observe him for a 16-hour day.

[@gailazerrad9956]

@@rogersmith4834 Thank you so much for adding your comments. Those of us who lived here, back in the day, were indeed lucky to get a piece of the backstory. (BTW, I always liked Monte Markam.) I wonder if the movie you saw filmed was part of the deal that Paul Henreid struck before he agreed to act in Casablanca. The irony being, Casablanca became the classic and immortalized the cast.

[@rogersmith4834]

@@gailazerrad9956 No, Mr. Henreid was directing an episode of the 1969-1979 TV series, BRACKEN'S WORLD. The series concerned those involved in film production at a major studio, and was shot at 20th Century-Fox. This ep had Monte Markam as a derelict former star whom someone wanted in a movie. They got him sober and my friend Ron played his barber getting him cleaned up. Series starred Peter Haskell. Dennis Cole co-starred in this one. Mr. Henreid by then had radically changed his appearance, not reminiscent at all of Victor Laszlo. It took me a few minutes to actually recognize him. He ran a great set, and released a superb episode.

[@gailazerrad9956]

@@rogersmith4834 Thank you for the update. It's good to know but bittersweet that they are now just names and memories.

[@westfield90]

I had never seen this movie util two years ago and now consider it one of my favorites and watch if every-time it’s on TCM.

[@voltape]

Congrats - very good - reminds an old guy like me the old decades when I was young (Im born in 1935) , so I have lived the entire WWII - I was 10 when war ended - I remember radios informing about D-Day, Normandy, Pearl Harbour, the Atomic Bomb, but did not suffer all thet because I am a Peruvian born in Lima, and here for us the War was only radio news, cinema reels, newspapers. And Glenn Miller music. And unforgettable films like this. I was perusing KZbin and just this Casablaca popped up!

[@cambizdocs8092]

Thanks for your compliments and sharing your wonderful story.

[@chrissnuggs]

"We'll always have Casablanca ..."

[@malimal9191]

‘Casablanca’ is renowned and is justly acknowledged as one of the most romantic films of all time but it is much more than the tale of a love triangle. Of course, it shows that the power of love can affect the human psyche, as demonstrated by Rick’s metamorphosis. This film has so many levels to it that it takes many viewings to appreciate them. The main theme is not romance but self-sacrifice as the film’s message to the world at war is to give up the personal agenda for the common cause. It reminds wartime audiences, many of whom have loved ones fighting abroad, that their situation is the same as that of Rick, Ilsa and Victor. The screenplay is so intelligently written. It is a masterpiece of complexity, containing subliminal political opinions and messages all carried along on a thrilling plot with brilliant one-liners and memorable quotes, comedic elements, together with contemporary, social commentaries. Basically, the film is politically motivated because it is a plea to America to join the war. Please note that the action takes place in pre-Pearl Harbour, December, 1941. This is the the first non-musical movie to use music almost as an another protagonist, (which Tarantino does now). For example, ‘As Time Goes By’ is a valuable recurring theme and, in Paris, Rick and Ilsa dance to ‘Perfidia’ which means untrustworthiness. ‘Love for Sale’ is played during the dialogue when the Bulgarian girl tells Rick about her ‘offer’ from Renault. Michael Curtiz’s direction is multi-faceted: Documentary, Film Noir, German Expressionism, Flashback etc. He is the master of creating the plot via seamlessly connecting a series of rapid-fire vignettes. There is subtle direction and cinematography. For example, Ilsa wears black and white clothes and is cast in shadows and in a mirror which symbolise the ambiguity of her role. POINTS OF INTEREST AND NOTES FOR SUBSEQUENT VIEWINGS. Rick’s initial selfishness, (I stick my neck out for nobody’), is a metaphor for USA indifference. It must be remembered that the events and politics are hard to comprehend and put into perspective for current audiences than for those living through WW2, not knowing who the victors would be. The script can be considered as a 'State of the Union' address, both for home and foreign policies, in which there are references to Civil Rights, as embodied in Sam and, of course, the debate about America’s involvement in the conflict. Each character represents a country e.g. Two Japanese plotting; the Italian on the tail of the German; American indifference; French collaborators; the British robbed by foreign policy. Even the Balkans are mentioned via the Bulgarian couple. Quite evidently, Rick’s actions symbolise the USA in its change in policy from isolationism to participation and ‘….the beginning of a beautiful friendship…’ is the USA and Europe joining forces to fight Nazism. The significance of Letters of Transit is a metaphor for the might of America’s power and resources and must be delivered to the right side. The ‘La Marseillaise’ scene is the pivotal moment in which both Ilsa and Rick realise that saving Victor is more important than their own personal relationship. It also comes in just as Rick and Victor are about to argue over Ilsa but both drop the issue when they hear the music. This scene is rousing now but imagine how it must have felt for audiences right in the middle of the war when Germany seemed invincible and modern viewers need to put it in perspective in terms of world events full of Nazi and Japanese domination and when the outcome looked very bleak. The facial close-ups used throughout the film speak a thousand words: but particularly note Ilsa during ‘La Marseillaise’ when her expressions show her admiration of Victor’s power and her realisation that this must be preserved at all costs. In any case... there is so much alcohol!!!! POINTS TO WATCH ‘It’s December, 1941 in Casablanca: what time is it in New York?... I bet they are asleep all over America’. PEARL HARBOUR ‘Even Nazis can’t kill that fast’ CONCENTRATION CAMPS ‘I don’t buy or sell human beings..’ CIVIL RIGHTS The Bulgarian couple keep appearing as symbols of hope and determination. In the bar room fight over Yvonne, Rick attacks the German only and not the Frenchman. Captain Renault dumps the bottle of Vichy water to represent his rejection of the Nazi- collaborating French Government which was located in Vichy. Just one example of the excellent and complex scriptwriting occurs immediately after the roulette scene. The girl thanks Rick for letting her husband win and Rick replies, ‘He’s just a lucky guy’, which, on the face of it, refers to the gambling, but, in Rick’s mind, means that the husband is ‘lucky’ because his partner truly loves him.

[@cambizdocs8092]

Well put.

[@cambizdocs8092]

I am giving a talk in October at the Transylvania County Library in Brevard on Casablanca and its wonderful that the points you made about the film is very much what most of my talk is centered on. The ethos expressed by the film are now missed by so many of us; that for me it's one of the reasons people gravitate to it. Kudos

[@malimal9191]

Hi, and thanks for the reply. I would love to receive a transcript of your lecture. @@cambizdocs8092

[@JMC786]

Bogie had to be standing on a box in that final scene

[@algorithm6291]

Great films have a great theme tune

[@fifthbusiness1678]

Great analysis, thank you!

[@LuminescentMedia]

Great work.

[@cambizdocs8092]

Thanks David.

[@karlsuer2749]

Kultfilm. Es lebe Casablanca. 👍👍

[@mlkrborn]

Kudos

[@cambizdocs8092]

Thanks S Diaz. It would be a great help to me if you can tell me on which site you found my video.

[@harrywatson8059]

Here's looking at you kid.

[@cambizdocs8092]

Just completed:CASABLANCA UNPACKED vimeo.com/885419526

[@impmoviechannel3052]

Casablanca is a gay love story. Rewatch it and listen to every word Claude Rains says, see how he manipulates the situations around Rick, how the plot depends on his actions. The entire film leads up to two men going off together -- the start of a beautiful friendship.

[@cambizdocs8092]

I jokingly told this to Howard Koch; he didn't agree.

[@calliejinx4675]

You are crazy.

[@impmoviechannel3052]

@@calliejinx4675 That may be true yet listen to what each man says about the other, how Claude Rains is positions himself between Rick and others, invites himself to join in, keeps trying to get rick's attention...