Episode 736: Casablanca (1942)

The Projection Booth wraps up another month of Patreon picks with what might be the most obscure film ever discussed on the show—Casablanca (1942), that little-known wartime romance directed by Michael Curtiz. Big thanks to Brian Tessitore for this hidden gem.

Mike is joined by Bill Ackerman and Federico Bertolini to unpack the fog, flashbacks, and unforgettable lines of this cinematic unicorn. Humphrey Bogart stars as Rick Blaine, the brooding American expat running a nightclub in Vichy-controlled Morocco, where refugees gather in hopes of escaping the tightening grip of the Nazi regime. Things get complicated when Ilsa Lund (Ingrid Bergman) strolls in—out of all the gin joints, etc.--alongside her resistance-leader husband, Victor Laszlo (Paul Henried).

We're thrilled to be joined by two heavy-hitting guests: film historian Noah Isenberg, author of We'll Always Have Casablanca, and biographer Alan K. Rode, author of Michael Curtiz, A Life in Film which sheds light on the director’s layered legacy. Together, we explore the myth, the making, and the magic of one of Hollywood’s most enduring classics.

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