Of all the gin joints in all the towns in all the world
Every time film fans and critics try to put together a list of the greatest films of all time, one movie invariably makes the list, almost always at or near the very top: 1942’s Casablanca.
Set against the backdrop of World War II, Humphrey Bogart stars as Rick Blaine, the owner of a nightclub in Vichy-controlled Casablanca, whose life changes forever when his lost love, Ilsa (Ingrid Bergman), walks into his club and back into his life.
But there is so much more to the film than the (relatively) simple plot. When the film was being made, based off of the unproduced stage play “Everybody Comes to Rick’s”, no one involved with the production thought it was going to be as ground-breaking and beloved as it became.
Sure, it had an A-list cast and some first-rate writers, but to Hollywood execs it was just another of several films rushed into production to take advantage of the publicity from the Allied invasion of North Africa a few weeks earlier. And its initial theatrical release was solid but wasn’t exactly setting the box office on fire, ranking seventh for the year.
But there was something special about the film. Bogart and Bergmann’s undeniable chemistry, the memorable score, and the whip-smart dialogue have made it the true definition of a classic.Do yourself a favor and head out this Sunday and see for yourself just why Casablanca has justifiably become one of the greatest—if not the greatest—films ever made.
Casablanca 75th Anniversary Event
Sunday, 2 p.m.
East Ridge 18
5080 South Terrace
(423) 855-9652
Sunday, 2, 7 p.m.
Hamilton Place 8
2000 Hamilton Pl. Blvd.
(844) 462-7342
www.fathomevents.com