We'll Always Have Casablanca

The Life, Legend, and Afterlife of Hollywood's Most Beloved Movie

By: Noah Isenberg

Narrated by: Tom Perkins

Length: 8 hrs and 19 mins

Publisher's summary

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".

We'll Always Have Casablanca is celebrated film historian Noah Isenberg's rich account of this most beloved movie's 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 Casablanca's 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 war's progress on the movie's reception.

Finally, Isenberg turns to Casablanca's 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.

©2017 Noah Isenberg (P)2017 Tantor

Critic reviews

"Whether you're a Casablanca devotee or just a film-history buff, the story of how the iconic movie got made and what the world made of it is downright fascinating, even a kind of narrative nonfiction thriller." ( Booklist, starred review)

Fun and interesting

I love Casablanca, love Humphrey Bogart, and enjoyed listening to the story of the various writers, execs, and actors from the film. I also enjoyed the chapters on Casablanca's legacy. The book made me want to watch the movie again, and look up a few others besides.

Outstanding book!

I really liked this book for it’s wide ranging coverage of all things related to Casablanca.

Interesting back story to the film, suffers from narration problems

The story is great, but the narrator mispronounced so many words that I found myself yelling at my phone! Examples, vitchy or vishy rather than Vee- shee; one of the worst was rah-tah-twee for the title of the movie Ratatouille (yikes!). But by far the most irritating was how he pronounced Casablanca as though it had a Z, not an s. As in, Cazablanca.

Good for fans, would've liked more insider info

Is there anything you would change about this book?

To be fair, re-reading the summary, it was as advertised. But I would have preferred more of the insider stories about the rivalries over the script, interaction between the actors, and more backstories of the various émigrés in the cast and crew.

How would you have changed the story to make it more enjoyable?

More in-depth information about the various scripts and scriptwriters, and a more detailed picture of exactly who provided what to the final screenplay. From the original, if a bit clunky, story from the playwrights Burnett and Alison, the wit of the Epsteins, the political sensibility of Koch, and the romance from Robinson, we're left with mostly broad strokes. Perhaps there's not much more to tell, but it seems an interesting tale if there is.

What do you think the narrator could have done better?

Overall, it was okay, but a viewing of the film might have helped the narrator quote the lines in the manner they were delivered. Not a major problem, but it's just enough to realize that the reader may not be familiar with the film, which is a bit of a distraction.

Was We'll Always Have Casablanca worth the listening time?

If you're a fan of the film, as I am, it'll be worth the time. If you've never seen the film, it'll make you want to see it.

Any additional comments?

Honestly, the book has a lot of filler. I could have done with less of the various homages, satire and talk of remakes and sequels. To the book's credit, there are testimonials that should inspire younger generations to check out the film.

All (almost) love Casablanca (CB)

From its roots in a NY play to #1 or 2 film on master lists, CB is watched often. This book tells the whole story -- and more than you'll ever want to know. Ever hear of Bugs Bunny cartoon "CarrotBlanca?!" One will enjoy CB even more after listening to this book.