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In this episode, I talk about the 1942 classic, “Casablanca,” directed by Michael Curtiz. Often cited as one of the greatest films ever made, Casablanca is set in 1941 during the Second World War and centers around three people: Rick Blaine, Ilsa Lund, and Victor Laszlo. Ilsa is married to Victor but had an affair with Rick after she believed Victor had been killed in a Nazi concentration camp for his resistance activities. All three are now in the Moroccan city of Casablanca, a temporary place where refugees from Europe go, desperately trying to obtain visas to get to the Americas.  Will Ilsa and Victor get out of Casablanca? Will Rick help them? I talk about the making of the film and how it looks at things like nostalgia, personal sacrifice, and the plight of refugees. This episode is not just about the movie. It’s also about an important film appreciation class that I took when I was in high school in 2004, a class that changed my life forever. There are spoilers in this episode.

Show Notes:

• My episode on The Double Life of Veronique
• My episode on Phoenix
• My episode on Sophie’s Choice
• My episode on Singin’ in the Rain
• The Majestic
• My episode on Autumn Sonata
• My episode on My Journey to Italy
• My episode on Brief Encounter
• The Crossing
• Le silence de la mer
• Sophie Scholl
• Ingrid Bergman: In Her Own Words

All My Sources:

• We’ll Always Have Casablanca by Noah Isenberg
• Casablanca DVD
• Casablanca at 75 (BFI)
• Roger Ebert’s review of Casablanca
• Casablanca at 75:  Fascinating Facts About  One of the Most Famous Films of All Time (CBC)
• Why Casablanca is the Ultimate Film About Refugees (BBC)
• Everybody Comes to Ricks: Casablanca on the Big Screen (The New Yorker)
• After 75 Years, Here’s Looking at You, Casablanca (NPR)
• Real-Life Casablanca Story is Even More Dramatic Than the Hollywood Classic (Times of Israel)

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