Casablanca is a 1942 American romantic drama film directed by Michael Curtiz and starring Humphrey Bogart, Ingrid Bergman, and Paul Henreid. It is set during World War II and revolves around an American expatriate (Bogart) who must choose between his love for a woman (Bergman) and helping her and her husband, a Czech resistance leader (Henreid), escape from the Vichy-controlled city of Casablanca so that he can continue fighting the Germans.
The screenplay is based on Murray Burnett and Joan Alison’s unproduced theatrical drama, Everybody Comes to Rick’s. Claude Rains, Conrad Veidt, Sydney Greenstreet, Peter Lorre, and Dooley Wilson are among the supporting cast members.
In January 1942, Warner Brothers story editor Irene Diamond persuaded producer Hal B. Wallis to buy the film rights to the play. The script was originally assigned to brothers Julius and Philip G. Epstein. Despite studio opposition, they left early in 1942 to start on Frank Capra’s Why We Fight series.
Until the Epsteins returned a month later, the screenplay was given to Howard Koch. The picture was shot entirely at Warner Bros. Studios in Burbank, California, with the exception of one segment at Van Nuys Airport in Van Nuys, Los Angeles, which began on May 25, 1942, and ended on August 3, 1942.
Despite the fact that Casablanca had established stars and first-rate writers, no one involved in its production anticipated it to stand out among the hundreds of films released by Hollywood each year. Casablanca was rushed into production to capitalize on the publicity generated by the Allied invasion of North Africa just a few weeks before.
Casablanca went on to win the Academy Award for Best Picture, Curtiz was named Best Director, and the Epsteins and Koch were rewarded for Best Adapted Screenplay, all of which exceeded expectations.
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