Casablanca Quiz: Test Your Knowledge on the Classic Film

Casablanca: A Classic American Film

Casablanca is a 1942 American romantic drama film directed by Michael Curtiz and starring Humphrey Bogart, Ingrid Bergman, and Paul Henreid.
The film is set during World War II and focuses on an American expatriate who must choose between his love for a woman and helping her husband, a Czechoslovak resistance leader, escape from the Vichy-controlled city of Casablanca to continue his fight against the Germans.
The screenplay is based on an unproduced stage play by Murray Burnett and Joan Alison called "Everybody Comes to Rick's."
The film was rushed into release to take advantage of the publicity from the Allied invasion of North Africa a few weeks earlier. It had its world premiere on November 26, 1942, in New York City and was released nationally in the United States on January 23, 1943.
The film was a solid if unspectacular success in its initial run, but it went on to win the Academy Award for Best Picture, while Curtiz was selected as Best Director and the Epsteins and Howard Koch were honored for Best Adapted Screenplay.
The film's lead characters, memorable lines, and pervasive theme song have all become iconic, and it consistently ranks near the top of lists of the greatest films in history.
The cast is notably international, with only three of the credited actors born in the United States.
The film was based on Murray Burnett and Joan Alison's unproduced play "Everybody Comes to Rick's," which was inspired by a trip to Europe made by Burnett and his wife in 1938.
The first writers assigned to the script were Julius and Philip G. Epstein, who left to work on Frank Capra's Why We Fight series early in 1942. Howard Koch was assigned to the screenplay until the Epsteins returned a month later.
The film ran into some trouble with Joseph Breen of the Production Code Administration (the Hollywood censorship board) due to its themes of adultery and political intrigue, but the issues were eventually resolved.
Much of the emotional impact of the film, for the audience in 1942, has been attributed to the large proportion of European exiles and refugees who were extras or played minor roles.
The film has what Roger Ebert describes as a "wonderfully unified and consistent" script, despite the many writers involved.
The film's most famous lines, including "Here's looking at you, kid" and "Play it, Sam. Play 'As Time Goes By'" were not in the draft screenplays, but were added during filming.Summary of "Casablanca" Film
The film Casablanca was released in 1942 and was directed by Michael Curtiz.
The film stars Humphrey Bogart, Ingrid Bergman, and Paul Henreid.
The film was based on the unproduced stage play Everybody Comes to Rick's by Murray Burnett and Joan Alison.
The film was shot mainly in the studio, except for a few short clips of stock footage views of Paris.
The film cost $1,039,000 (equivalent to $13,803,000 in 2021) to make, which was above average for the time.
The film was initially banned in Ireland for infringing on the Emergency Powers Order preserving wartime neutrality, by portraying Vichy France and Nazi Germany in a "sinister light".
The film's music was written by Max Steiner, who wrote scores for King Kong and Gone with the Wind.
The song "As Time Goes By" by Herman Hupfeld had been part of the story from the original play.
Casablanca was a substantial but not spectacular box-office success, earning $3.7 million (equivalent to $49 million in 2021) in its initial American release.
The film has grown in reputation over the years, with Leonard Maltin considering it "the best Hollywood movie of all time".
The character of Rick is "not a hero ... not a bad guy" because he does what is necessary to appease the authorities and "sticks his neck out for nobody".
The film's enduring popularity is due to its blend of drama, melodrama, comedy, and intrigue.Casablanca: A Classic Hollywood Film
Casablanca is a 1942 American romantic drama film directed by Michael Curtiz and starring Humphrey Bogart, Ingrid Bergman, and Paul Henreid.
The film is set during World War II, and it tells the story of an American expatriate named Rick Blaine who runs a nightclub in Casablanca, Morocco.
The film was produced by Hal B. Wallis and released by Warner Bros.
The screenplay was written by Julius J. Epstein, Philip G. Epstein, and Howard Koch.
The film was made on a budget of $1 million and grossed over $10 million in its initial release.
Casablanca won three Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Screenplay.
The film has been widely praised for its screenplay, performances, direction, and themes of love, sacrifice, and redemption.
Casablanca has been called one of the greatest films of all time and is considered a classic of Hollywood cinema.
The film has been parodied and referenced in many other works of popular culture, including films, television shows, and novels.
Casablanca has been selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry and has been named one of the 100 greatest films of the last 80 years by Time magazine.
The film has been subject to many readings and interpretations, including as a political allegory and a Freudian analysis.
Casablanca has been adapted into radio plays, television shows, novels, and a musical, and there have been attempts to produce a sequel or remake of the film.
The film was part of the film colorization controversy of the 1980s when a colorized version aired on the television network WTBS."Casablanca" Film: Colorization Controversy and Inaccuracies
"Casablanca" was released in 1942 and was directed by Michael Curtiz, starring Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman.
The film was produced by Warner Bros. and won three Oscars, including Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Screenplay.
The film's plot revolves around Rick Blaine, an American expatriate who runs a nightclub in Casablanca during World War II.
The colorization of "Casablanca" was completed by American Film Technologies (AFT) in two months at a cost of $450,000.
The color change differed so much from the original film that it gave a new copyright to Turner Entertainment.
The colorized film was mostly met with negative critical reception, with some critics stating that it was blander and less visually interesting than the original.
Several unfounded rumors and misconceptions have grown up around the film, including that Ronald Reagan was originally chosen to play Rick.
The actors did know how the film would end, despite rumors to the contrary.
The film has several logical flaws, including the two "letters of transit" that enable their bearers to leave Vichy French territory.
A line closely associated with the film, "Play it again, Sam," is not spoken in the film.
"Casablanca" is considered a classic film and has been referenced in popular culture numerous times.
The film's themes of love, sacrifice, and the fight against tyranny continue to resonate with audiences today.