Episode 5 - Shocked ... Shocked
The 1947 French press kit for Casablanca.
Another show, another guest whose appearance was years in the making. I’m happy to welcome my former film professor at Indiana Barbara Klinger to the show to discuss her most recent book, Immortal Films, which is about the enduring legacy of Casablanca over the decades since its release in 1942.
We start with the film’s origins, design to encourage and support US involvement in WW II, its release timed to coincide with the Allies’ campaign in North Africa, which obviously includes Morocco, where Casablanca takes place.
There’s also talk about its popularity over the years since its release, including radio adaptations right after its release, its rotation for years on television, the burgeoning home video marker in the 1980s and how it became popular as a revival picture with audience participation years before the Rin ocky Horror Picture Show and sing along films in modern times. We even discuss the two failed attempts at making a Casablanca TV show, including the early 1980s version with David Soul as Rick, Scatman Crothers as Sam and a young Ray Liotta as the bartender.
As you might expect, there’s also plenty of talk about Casablanca and metatext, from the adoption of Bogart as an icon in the French New Wave, Woody Allen’s play and later film Play It Again, Sam and those famous scenes you know showing up in places like The Simpsons, Saturday Night Live or even young Gilbert Gottfried’s early stand-up where he did Jackie Gleason as Bogart at the end of the film: “You know that I know that you’re getting on that plane.”
There’s also some chat about various of film topics, including the perils of list making, the role of porn and wrestling in the advancement of new media formats, Alfred Hitchcock, the Harry Lime radio show, Rosencrantz and Guildernstern are Dead, Citizen Kane and more.
I probably haven’t talked to Barb in person for over 30 years so it was a great change to catch up and discuss her book, which you can find in all the usual places you get your reading material.
Also, if you go back in the Winter Palace archives, you can find my chat in episode 63 with my other film professor James Naremore, where we discuss Chimes at Midnight and other things Orson Welles.
