Casablanca is widely regarded as one of the greatest films ever made, but it would have never happened if it wasn’t for one forgotten film from 1938. Directed by Michael Curtiz and based on the play Everybody Comes To Rick’s, Casablanca was released in 1942, and though it wasn’t really expected to stand out, it went on to be nominated and win various awards and earn a spot in film history. Set in 1941, in the city of Casablanca, which at the time was controlled by the French, Casablanca introduced viewers to American expatriate and nightclub owner Rick Blaine (Humphrey Boggart) and his former lover Ilsa Lund (Ingrid Bergman).
Rick finds himself in a difficult position as he has to choose between his love for Ilsa and helping her husband, Victor Laszlo (Paul Henreig), a Czechoslovak resistance leader, continue his fight against the Germans. Casablanca continues to be praised for the performances of its cast, its music, and its story, and is often ranked among the greatest films in history, but it owes everything to one forgotten movie from 1938, as without it, Casablanca would have never happened.
Casablanca Was Made As A Response To Algiers
In 1938, the drama movie Algiers was released. Directed by John Cromwell, Algiers follows Pepe le Moko (Charles Boyer), a thief who after his last great heist escaped from France to Algeria. Pepe became a resident and leader of the Casbah of Algiers, and while French officials arrived to capture him, Pepe was starting to feel trapped in his prison-like stronghold. The feeling got stronger after meeting Gaby (Hedy Lamarr), a beautiful woman visiting from France, but his love for her sparked the jealousy of his Algerian mistress, Ines (Sigrid Gurie).
Algiers was Lamarr’s American debut, and it received four nominations at the Academy Awards (Best Actor, Best Supporting Actor, Best Art Direction, and Best Cinematography), but it’s most notable for inspiring Casablanca. Although Algiers wasn’t a big hit, the studio liked the idea and wanted to give the concept another try, hence the narrative and thematic similarities between Algiers and Casablanca. The latter was reportedly named in reference to the former, and it was written specifically for Hedy Lamarr to star. However, as Lamarr was under contract with MGM, the studio refused to release her, and Ingrid Bergman was cast in the lead role.
Both Algiers and Casablanca have love triangles, at least one character on the run, and cynical lead male characters thanks to Pepe le Moko and Rick Blaine. Pepe and Rick were also reminded of what they used to have and no longer can through their romances with Gaby and Ilsa, respectively, and both women were already in relationships with other men – Gaby had a fiancé, while Ilsa was married to Laszlo, who she thought had died when she met Rick.
Casablanca Also Owes Its Existence To Pepe Le Moko
Thanks to Casablanca being inspired by Algiers, it also owes everything it is and will be to the 1937 French movie Pépé le Moko. Directed by Julien Duvivier and based on the novel of the same name by Henri La Barthe, Pépé le Moko is an example of the French movement of poetic realism from the 1930s, and it was not only remade as Algiers, but it got a second remake in 1948 as Casbah, a film noir musical starring Yvonne De Carlo, Tony Martin, Märta Torén, and Peter Lorre (who also appeared in Casablanca as Signor Ugarte). The character of Pépé le Moko also inspired the Looney Tunes character Pepé Le Pew, who was introduced in 1945.
While Pépé le Moko is one of the most influential French films in history, and Casablanca one of the greatest films ever made (and both inspiring other movies and characters), Algiers has been mostly forgotten. Even though Algiers was recognized by the Academy and other organizations, its only legacies are introducing Hedy Lamarr to the American audience and making Casablanca happen.
