Here's looking at you kid.

Last night Mike and I went to a special showing of Casablanca for it's 70th Anniversary. 70 years! Before the movie there was a clip from TCM with Robert Osbourne talking about the making of the movie, interviews with actors, writers, studio executives, etc. They interviewed the guy in the movie who plays Abdul, he's the big guy with the fez who blocks the entrance to the gambling room. Mike was surprised to remember all the humor in the movie. It really is a perfect movie, it's got it all: action, comedy, romance and suspense! Did you know that they didn't have a complete script when they started filming? No one knew how it would end for quite a while during filming. And did you know Ronald Regan was up for the roll of Rick? So glad THAT didn't happen. The whole movie was shot on sound stages with exterior shots on old movie sets and around the Warner Bros. lot. It cost $850,000 to make...unbelievable!

It won Best Picture Oscar in 1942...there was an interesting story about when the Oscar was announced for best picture. I guess Hal B. Wallis, the Producer, got up to accept the award (he really was the moving force in getting the picture made, as most producers are) but Jack Warner (you know, of Warner Bros.) jumped up and ran up on stage and accepted the award. Wallis was humiliated...and I venture to guess, pissed off, too!

I think Casablanca also is known to have the most number of famous movie quotes.

Do you know them? Here's a few:

"Here's looking at you, kid."

"Round up the usual suspects."

"We'll always have Paris."

"Louis, I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship."

"Play it, Sam. Play 'As Time Goes By.'" (This is a quote from Ilsa, not Rick and no one says "Play it again Sam.") Rick says something like..."You know what I want to hear...play it, if she can take it, I can!"

"Of all the gin joints, in all the towns, in all the world, she walks into mine."

And if that's not enough for you...check this out.