History Film / Casablanca

This 1942 WarnerBrothers film featured a screenplay by Howard Koch, based on an unproduced play, ''Everybody Comes to Rick's'', by Murray Burnett and Joan Alison; this screenplay was in turn enhanced by the brilliant dialogue of the brothers Julius and Philip Epstein. The film was handed over to ace director Michael Curtiz, and the respected film composer MaxSteiner provided the score. Early studio press releases had it that the film would star RonaldReagan, and Ann Sheridan -- but this was just the studio's publicity department needing to put ''someone'' famous's name in the release, otherwise the announcement wouldn't get printed. George Raft also made a play for the lead role, but the studio had ''always'' planned the film as an A-list picture and had never considered ''anyone'' but HumphreyBogart for its starring role.

* FridgeBrilliance: Ugarte fires four shots at the police while trying to escape. Most guns contain six bullets. He already used two bullets on the two couriers he murdered.

* TheMessiah: Victor Lazlo

* DigitalDestruction: The 2008 Blu-Ray had contrast boosting digital noise reduction, which were fortunately corrected in 2012 for the movie's 70th anniversary.

* DigitalDestruction: Gloriously ''inverted'': The 70th Anniversary Blu-Ray has more grain and better shadowing than its predecessor.

** And he's played by Claude Rains, who still gives a lot of fans the impression that he was gay. [[{{Casanova}} He wasn't]].

[[quoteright:341:Rick and Ilsa as they wish they were.]]

** Louis' change of heart is more sudden but no less complete: Strasser's death was clearly on either he or Blaine, with Louis' lie obvious either way. His subordinates could have turned them both in for a promotion.

* DespairSpeech: Rick's dialogue in his famous "All the Gin Joints" scene once Elsa shows up smacks of this, despite not technically being a speech.

* GettingCrapPastTheRadar: "Louie must be getting broad-minded." Yes, folks, that's a gay joke in ''1942''.

* BeamMeUpScotty: Almost everyone knows the classic line, "Play it again, Sam." ...except the line never appears. It's simply "Play it, Sam." With the "again" later on. Hence the title of WoodyAllen's film ''Play It Again, Sam'', which has Allen's neurotic Jew being given advice on how to pick up ladies from the ghost of Bogart. HilarityEnsues.

* SpiritualAntithesis: ''TheThirdMan'' uses similar characters and story elements to invert that sentiment right back into cynicism.

--> '''Renault:''' Major Strasser has been shot. Round up [[TheUsualSuspects the usual suspects]].

* DVDCommentary: RogerEbert makes one awesome commentary track. He breaks down things such as shot design, subtle character motivations, the "La Marseillaise" awesomeness and the {{MacGuffin}} disaster.

* {{MacGuffin}}: The letters of transit, which are fictional. And don't make sense. While never actually being used... since before the plane left, Strasser was dead and Renault was sympathetic... which also means Rick could have gotten on the plane along with Ilsa and Laszlo. And who the heck cares anyway?

* MookLieutenant: Captain Heinz, who is Strasser's Aide.

* SlasherSmile: Conrad Veidt ([[http://forbiddenplanet.co.uk/blog/wp-content/uploads/2008/08/Conrad%20Veidt,%20from%20The%20Man%20Who%20Laughs.jpg whose face was the original model for]] TheJoker) has still got it.

* TrailersAlwaysSpoil: Not actually the case with the real trailer, but the VHS release of the movie is preceded by an infuriatingly long special/blurb that repeatedly features ''every single even remotely well-known moment from the film'' somewhere in the 15-20 minute range. But you can NeverTrustATrailer when it comes to the original (which is available on the DVD). Although it shows most of the well-known and dramatic moments, it also contains a number of scenes and lines that were never in the original film.

* EvilCannotComprehendGood: Averted. Major Strasser's the first person to guess Rick's idealism isn't quite dead.

* OneSceneWonder: PeterLorre as Ugarte (also something of a DeadStarWalking) and Sidney Greenstreet as Ferrari.

* TheChessmaster: Rick is first seen playing chess. We never see him play against an opponent, suggesting that he plays against himself[[hottip:* :In reality, [[TheCastShowoff Bogie]] was playing [[PlayByPostGames chess by mail]] with an American soldier, as was his hobby at the time.]]. [[spoiler:When finally called into action, Rick is seen manipulating other characters - even Ilsa - into setting up the final move.]]

** Watch the Nazi at the back in the shot where Maj. Strasser is conducting. He accidentally sings a bar of the Marseillaise!, then looks embarrassed. Some fans have a bet on whether that was a fortunate blooper that was [[LeaveItIn left in]], or deliberate.

** Watch the Nazi at the back in the shot where Maj. Strasser is conducting. He accidentally sings a bar of the Marseillaise!, then looks embarrassed. Some fans have a bet on whether that was a fortunate blooper that was left in, or deliberate.