Casablanca: The star of the cult films had no idea how the story would end until the last moment

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This year Warner Bros. celebrates its 100th anniversary! To celebrate this anniversary, the legendary studio invites viewers to rediscover some of the greatest films in the history of cinema, whether on the big screen or from the comfort of their own homes.

Find 25 of the best Warner Bros. classics now. In Exclusive Blu-Ray set, accompanied by a 32-page booklet in French.

Among the iconic films that make up Warner’s impressive catalog, Casablanca moved audiences back then, as well as those discovering it for the first time today. because ? A passionate and heartwarming love story at the heart of the film!

However, if Michael Curtiz’s masterpiece made such an impression, its chaotic filming greatly disturbed its main interpreter, Ingrid Bergman, who nevertheless gives a masterful performance on screen. Indeed, until the last moment, the Swedish actor did not know the conclusion intended for his character…

We will always have Paris

In 1942, the American public discovered Casablanca on the big screen, and 5 years later, the French could enjoy this feature film. A real springboard for Humphrey Bogart, who rose to international stardom, even if the actor had already achieved success thanks to his role as a detective in The Maltese Falcon in 1941.

Here he plays cynical Rick Blaine, a Moroccan nightclub owner who turns a blind eye to the misery of World War II… until the day his ex-girlfriend Ilsa Lund walks into his establishment and forces Rick to choose between. Lives with the woman he loves and becomes the hero he needs.

But Isla, interpreted by Ingrid Bergman, then already known for her roles in Intermezzo or even Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, does not arrive alone, as she is accompanied by her husband Victor Laszlo (played by Paul Henreid). And between these two men her heart revolves…

If the love triangle that brings Casablanca to life has fascinated the audience, it has also kept the actor confused for a long time. When the shooting of the film begins, the script is not yet finished. Therefore, it is impossible for Ingrid Bergman to know which of the two men her character will choose in the end and interpret the heroine accordingly.

When she asks the headmaster for advice, he gives her advice “play in the middle”. Despite the uncertainty, Ingrid Bergman brilliantly portrays Isla’s love woes in one of the most memorable roles of her career. Only two weeks before filming ended, he discovered the young woman’s final decision!

And if you’ve forgotten how Casablanca ends, I won’t tell you any more: rediscover this masterpiece now in the Great Classics box set from the Warner Collection, celebrating the studio’s 100th anniversary!