We'll Always Have Casablanca: The Life, Legend, and Afterlife of Hollywoods Most Beloved Movie | Noah Isenberg
For the 75th anniversary of its premierethe incredible story of how Casablanca was made and why it remains the most beloved of Hollywood films. Casablanca was first released in 1942, just two weeks after the city of Casablanca itself surrendered to American troops led by General Patton. Featuring a pitch-perfect screenplay, a classic soundtrack, and unforgettable performances by Humphrey Bogart, Ingrid Bergman, and a deep supporting cast, Casablanca was hailed in the New York Times as a picture that makes the spine tingle and the heart take a leap. The film won Oscars for best picture, best director, and best screenplay, and would go on to enjoy more revival screenings than any other movie in history. It became so firmly ensconced in the cultural imagination that, as Umberto Eco once said, Casablanca is not one movie; it is movies. Well Always Have Casablanca is celebrated film historian Noah Isenbergs rich account of this most beloved movies origins. Through extensive research and interviews with filmmakers, film critics, family members of the cast and crew, and diehard fans, Isenberg reveals the myths and realities behind Casablancas production, exploring the transformation of the unproduced stage play into the classic screenplay, the controversial casting decisions, the battles with Production Code censors, and the effect of the wars progress on the movies reception. Isenberg particularly focuses on the central role refugees from Hitlers Europe played in the production (nearly all of the actors and actresses cast in Casablanca were immigrants). Finally, Isenberg turns to Casablancas long afterlife and the reasons it remains so revered. From the Marx Brothers 1946 spoof hit, A Night in Casablanca, to loving parodies in New Yorker cartoons, Saturday Night Live skits, and Simpsons episodes, Isenberg delves into the ways the movie has lodged itself in the American psyche. Filled with fresh insights into Casablancas creation, production, and legacy, Well Always Have Casablanca is a magnificent account of what made the movie so popular and why it continues to dazzle audiences seventy-five years after its release.
We'll Always Have Casablanca: The Life, Legend, and Afterlife of Hollywoods Most Beloved Movie | 
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