WHAT WENT WRONG

Casablanca

March 2, 2026

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  • The initial viewing of *Casablanca* led one host to question Ilsa's motivations regarding Rick, viewing Rick as a more complicated, potentially manipulative character, while the other host struggled with the romance, particularly the Paris flashback. 
  • The source material, the unproduced play *Everybody Comes to Rick's* by Murray Burnett and Joan Allison, featured a morally gray Ilsa (Lois Meredith) who slept with Rick while involved with Victor Laszlo (Victor Rinaldo), and Rick was arrested at the end, a stark contrast to the final film. 
  • The film's rapid development was spurred by the US entry into WWII following Pearl Harbor, leading Warner Brothers to quickly acquire the play and secure Humphrey Bogart (after George Raft and initially Ronald Reagan were considered) and director Michael Curtiz, despite Jack Warner's initial reluctance regarding Bogart. 
  • The production of *Casablanca* was characterized by extreme chaos, involving numerous writers (including the Epsteins, Howard Koch, and Casey Robinson) working simultaneously on an incomplete script, leading to constant arguments and delays. 
  • Ingrid Bergman was contractually trapped by David Selznick, who loaned her out for inflated prices while she waited for desired roles, and she struggled with the perception that her role as Ilsa required her to simply 'be Ingrid Bergman' rather than transform into a character. 
  • Despite the troubled production, studio interference (like Joseph Breen's censorship notes), and initial negative preview reactions, *Casablanca* became a massive hit, capitalizing fortuitously on real-world events like the Allied landing in North Africa, and ultimately winning the Academy Award for Best Picture. 

Segments

Initial Impressions of Casablanca
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(00:02:12)
  • Key Takeaway: Lizzie Bassett and Chris Winterbauer begin their deep dive into Casablanca, widely considered one of the greatest films ever made.
  • Summary: The hosts introduce the episode of WHAT WENT WRONG dedicated to Casablanca. One host noted that upon re-watching, Rick Blaine appeared more complicated, almost having Ilsa over a barrel in the final act. They also praised Paul Henreid’s character, Victor Laszlo, as the actual hero compared to Rick’s cynicism.
Context and Film Credits
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(00:05:31)
  • Key Takeaway: The discussion connects Casablanca’s Oscar success to contemporary film discussions and notes its status as a great Warner Brothers film.
  • Summary: The episode is framed within the context of current Oscar coverage, noting Casablanca’s 1943 Best Picture win. Key credits include Michael Curtiz as director and Julius Epstein, Philip Epstein, and Howard Koch for the screenplay, based on the unproduced play Everybody Comes to Rick’s.
Romance and Character Analysis
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(00:06:49)
  • Key Takeaway: One host believes the real love story is between Renault and Rick, while both hosts struggle with the romance between Rick and Ilsa.
  • Summary: Chris posits that the relationship between Renault and Rick is the true love story, citing a line from Blue Moon. Lizzie found the romance difficult, specifically disliking the Paris flashback, and questioned Ilsa’s true feelings for Rick versus her need to escape with Paul Henreid’s character.
WWII Context and Play Origin
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(00:13:38)
  • Key Takeaway: The political climate of Summer 1941, with Europe falling to Nazis, contrasted with US isolationism, set the stage for the film’s timely themes.
  • Summary: The segment provides a brief history of WWII in 1941, noting the fall of many European powers and the US debate between isolationists and interventionists. The play Everybody Comes to Rick’s originated from writers Murray Burnett and Joan Allison after Burnett’s trip to Europe in 1938, where he witnessed the rising Nazi threat.
Pre-Warner Brothers Development
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(00:19:26)
  • Key Takeaway: Burnett and Allison’s first attempt at an anti-Nazi spy thriller, A Million to One, was shelved, possibly due to pressure from non-interventionist Senator Wheeler.
  • Summary: The writers initially pitched a spy thriller to Otto Preminger, who wanted rewrites, but they became distracted by the bar concept. The play Everybody Comes to Rick’s was written in 1940, featuring a morally ambiguous Lois Meredith, whom Allison based on herself, contrasting with Burnett’s identification with Rick.
Warner Brothers Acquisition
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(00:32:31)
  • Key Takeaway: The Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, immediately shifted Warner Brothers’ focus, leading to the swift acquisition of Everybody Comes to Rick’s.
  • Summary: A script reader’s report on December 11, 1941, called the play a ‘box office natural’ for Bogart, convincing Hal B. Wallace to proceed after initial hesitation. Warner Brothers purchased the rights around December 28, 1941, for $20,000, a substantial sum at the time.
Casting Rick Blaine
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(00:41:33)
  • Key Takeaway: Humphrey Bogart was cast as Rick Blaine only after George Raft declined the role and due to a complex contract negotiation involving Cary Grant.
  • Summary: Hal Wallace initially approached George Raft, who frequently turned down roles that later boosted Bogart’s career, like High Sierra and The Maltese Falcon. Bogart was irritable about taking a rejected role, and his availability was complicated by a trade deal with Columbia Pictures concerning Cary Grant.
Director and Writer Hires
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(00:47:46)
  • Key Takeaway: Michael Curtiz was hired as director, known for being a demanding, hard-working director who often mangled English but elicited strong performances from actors.
  • Summary: Wallace pursued William Wyler, who was unavailable due to playing Gin Rummy, before settling on Michael Curtiz, who agreed to direct after the Pearl Harbor attack. Curtiz, a Hungarian immigrant who learned English on the job, was known for his intense work ethic and ability to secure Oscar nominations for his leads, despite his difficult nature.
Casting Ilsa Lund
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(00:51:20)
  • Key Takeaway: Ingrid Bergman was cast as Ilsa Lund after Hedy Lamarr was unavailable, marking a pivotal moment in Bergman’s transition from European to American stardom.
  • Summary: Wallace pursued Bergman after failing to secure Hedy Lamarr, who was under contract with Selznick. Bergman, a Swedish actress, struggled initially with Hollywood’s attempts to typecast her as a ‘blonde, Swedish beauty’ following her breakout film Intermezzo.
Ingrid Bergman’s Contractual Bind
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(00:53:25)
  • Key Takeaway: David Selznick controlled Ingrid Bergman’s contract, loaning her out at inflated prices and restricting roles that might damage her image, contributing to her depression over desired roles.
  • Summary: Selznick owned Bergman’s contract, loaning her out to other studios, sometimes at inflated rates, while protecting her brand image. Bergman was depressed because she was not getting the roles she wanted, such as For Whom the Bell Tolls. Selznick often demanded longer contractual agreements in exchange for securing rights to roles she desired, like Gaslight.
Scriptwriting Chaos and Writer Contributions
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(00:55:38)
  • Key Takeaway: The script for Casablanca evolved rapidly through multiple writers, with the Epsteins delivering initial drafts, Howard Koch adding dramatic weight, and Casey Robinson later refining the love story elements.
  • Summary: The Epsteins returned with 40 pages of script, which was sent to director Michael Curtiz, while Jack Warner suggested George Raft for the lead role. The Epsteins pitched the story to Selznick, comparing it to Algiers, and Howard Koch was hired to write an alternative screenplay, reportedly because Selznick felt the Epstein pitch lacked substance. Koch reorganized the script for dramatic effect, solving the play’s unworkable subplot involving the Bulgarian couple, while the Epsteins later reworked Koch’s draft to add humor.
Casting Decisions and Refugee Actors
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(00:57:50)
  • Key Takeaway: Arthur Dooley Wilson was cast as Sam, despite not playing the piano, and the film featured a significant number of European refugees among its cast members.
  • Summary: Arthur Dooley Wilson was cast as Sam a week after script development began, though he was dubbed for piano playing. Out of the 75-person cast, at least 24 were European refugees, and only three of the 14 credited cast members were born in the US. Studios often pocketed the difference in salaries for actors loaned from other studios rather than paying the actors more.
Production Delays and Cinematography Issues
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(00:58:47)
  • Key Takeaway: Production started two weeks late on May 25, 1942, with only half the script ready, and the first day’s footage was unusable due to loud hissing from overhead lights.
  • Summary: The start date was pushed to May 25th because the script was incomplete, and Hal Wallace could not delay further due to Humphrey Bogart’s schedule for Sahara and David Selznick’s demands regarding Bergman. The first day of shooting was a ‘very poor day’ because the overhead lights hissed loudly, rendering all film from that day unusable. Cinematographer Arthur Edison frequently clashed with Wallace over lighting style, with Wallace demanding darker, shadowier shots suitable for Bogart.
Bergman’s Frustration and Costume Critique
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(01:07:52)
  • Key Takeaway: Ingrid Bergman felt typecast as an object of desire, contrasting with her Swedish training emphasizing transformation, while David O. Selznick sent an angry memo criticizing her costume choices, particularly her shoes.
  • Summary: Bergman felt she was being typecast, as Curtiz advised her to simply ‘be Ingrid Bergman’ like Gary Cooper, rather than transform as she preferred. Selznick, upon seeing her costume tests, complained that her hats were ugly and her white shoes made her feet look ‘Titanic.’ Bergman noted that in Casablanca, the audience often invented her thoughts because there was ’nothing on my face, nothing at all.’
The Final Ending Debate
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(01:18:57)
  • Key Takeaway: The writers were brought back in July 1942 because they could not decide whether Ilsa should choose Rick or Victor, with the final decision centering on Rick shooting Strasser to convince Ilsa to leave with Victor.
  • Summary: The production was delayed as writers debated the ending, with Bergman stating they planned to shoot two versions: one where she left with Victor, and one where she stayed with Rick (though the latter was unlikely due to MPPDA rules). Early ideas for the ending took place in the cafe, but the final choice involved Rick convincing Ilsa to leave for Victor’s work and then shooting Strasser at the airport runway. Curtiz wanted a kiss on the runway, but Bogart and Wallace successfully vetoed it.
Post-Production and Release Fortuity
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(01:22:48)
  • Key Takeaway: The film finished shooting 11 days over schedule and $75,000 over budget, but its release was strategically moved up to coincide with the real-life Casablanca Conference, boosting its success.
  • Summary: Composer Max Steiner disliked the song ‘As Time Goes By’ but it remained because Bergman had already cut her hair for her next role in For Whom the Bell Tolls. The film premiered on November 26, 1942, and its wide release on January 23, 1943, coincided perfectly with news of the Roosevelt-Churchill conference in Casablanca. The studio executives unsuccessfully tried to add an epilogue showing the Allies routing Nazis, but this was blocked by Jack Warner and production issues.
Oscar Night Controversy and Legacy
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(01:27:22)
  • Key Takeaway: Hal Wallace, producer and creator of the project, was publicly humiliated when Jack Warner rushed the stage to accept the Best Picture Oscar, despite Warner having little involvement in the film’s creation.
  • Summary: Casablanca received eight Academy Award nominations, winning Best Picture, Best Director (Michael Curtiz), and Best Screenplay (Epsteins and Koch). Wallace, who was also receiving the Irving Thalberg Award, was blocked by the Warner family when Jack Warner seized the Best Picture trophy, leading to Wallace nursing a lifelong grudge. The film’s legacy has been complicated by ongoing disputes over screenplay credit, with Howard Koch later admitting the original playwrights’ contributions were significant.