Casablanca

Casablanca

Hopefully you now see why this film was destined to be a classic. Over the years many have attributed Casablanca’s timeless appeal to the films flawless script, acting, and music; its love triangle in an exotic location in the midst of war, and even life’s difficult choices and the sacrifice of doing what is right. However we now live in a time where most of our youth could quote half of Casablanca’s famous lines but have never actually seen the movie. They would claim love stories are boring or that a film in black and white would put them to sleep. I must admit I was hesitant to watch the film because of those same concerns. But after watching it I was amazed by what a true work of art it is. The film is far more modern than other films of its time and was able to captivate the imagination of not only people of that generation but of every generation since.

If imitation is the ultimate compliment then this film has received more compliments than any other film in history. It has influenced countless films, and TV shows, and been material for thousands of spoofs in movies and video games. “Play It Again Sam”, a film by Woody Allen, is a clear reference to Casablanca and of Ilsa request to Sam. TV shows such as SNL, Moonlighting, Magnum P.I., 227, Miami Vice, The Brady Bunch, and many others, have included plot elements or characters reminiscent of the classic film. Casablanca even shows up in the work of newspaper and magazine comic artists. In 1995 a comic strip called “Mixed Media” poked fun at the final scene of the movie. Titled “If the producers of Dumb and Dumber would have made Casablanca”, Rick would say to Ilsa, “We’ll always have…uh…that big French city…”, to that Ilsa replies, “Well duh!!!”

The Casablanca theme does not stop there. It has also carried over to restaurants, inns, and nightclubs with names, dйcor, atmosphere, and cuisine reminiscent of the famous film. With Bogart posters, ceiling fans, and piano to capture the sense of romance these Casablanca-inspired establishments are not limited to any particular area, ranging from Hong Kong to Jamaica. Casablanca fans in Florida are in for a treat! In 1993 a small bed and breakfast named the Casablanca Inn opened in St. Augustine. They have a piano constantly playing “As Time Goes By”. In Miami Beach, the Casablanca Hotel is known for its Moroccan columns and captures and reflects the overall feel of the movie. Dozens of restaurant and cafй’s can be found all over Florida as well as the rest of the US. Rick’s Cafй American opened in 1984 in St. Louis and is lavishly decorated with glass etchings of Casablanca’s iconography such as palm trees, the piano, the ceiling fan, the piano, and the car.

In 1942 movie studios were not as merchandise driven as they are today. Except for sheet music, movie posters, and photographs of the stars, few Casablanca items were marketed. Ironically Americans in the 1990’s started to embraced old movies for their nostalgia and the demand for items from earlier times is now very high. Casablanca was a major reason for the boom in memorabilia because of the popularity of Bogart. Casablanca collectibles and memorabilia reach a wide audience through its hundreds of listings on eBay and through its items in stores such as the Suncoast Motion Picture Company. The Casablanca collectible with the longest history is the sheet music for Rick and Ilsa’s theme song “As Time Goes By”.

Of all the ways Casablanca has impacted our society, the deepest way is through our hearts. Casablanca is listed as the most romantic movie of all time by the American Film Institute, and has been pulling at our heartstrings