There was a lot going on at Bishops Bay last week, including an extra special celebration for a member of our Golf Team, Jeromy Toutant, Family Night with balloons and chicken and waffles, and our latest installment of our Saturday Supper Club experience.

This week, we’re keeping the good times going with a special Valentine’s Day meal on Friday. But if you’re looking for a fun date night before Valentine’s Day, we’re hosting our second Film and Fork event, and this one is a double feature for adults and kids! The adults will enjoy a showing of Casablanca on the movie screen, paired with a Moroccan-inspired meal of Roasted chicken and cous cous. Meanwhile, the kids will have a chance to make their own pizza and watch Inside Out 2. 

To get ready for the evening, we thought we would bring you ten facts you might not know about Casablanca. 

Improvised Iconic Line: Humphrey Bogart’s famous line, “Here’s looking at you, kid,” was not in the original script. Bogart improvised it during filming, and it became one of the film’s most memorable quotes. Keith & the Movies

Unfinished Script During Filming: The cast and crew began shooting Casablanca without a complete script. The screenplay was written during production, with elements being changed to suit the Hays Code. Continue reading after the list for a short history of the Hays Code. ScreenRant

Multiple Television Adaptations: Casablanca inspired two short-lived TV series. The first aired in 1955, and the second in 1983, which was a prequel featuring David Soul as a young Rick Blaine. Mental Floss

Legal Battle Over Rights: In 1983, the original authors of the play Everybody Comes to Rick’s, which Casablanca is based on, filed a lawsuit against Warner Bros. seeking to reclaim their rights. Although they initially lost, Warner Bros. later compensated them and granted the right to produce the original play. Mental Floss

Most Quotable Movie: According to the American Film Institute’s list of 100 top movie quotations, Casablanca is the most quoted film, with six lines making the list, including “Here’s looking at you, kid” and “Louis, I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship.” Mental Floss

Rushed Release: Casablanca was rushed into release to capitalize on the publicity from the Allied invasion of North Africa. It had its world premiere on November 26, 1942, in New York City and was released nationally in the United States on January 23, 1943. Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Uncertain Ending During Production: The filmmakers were uncertain about how the story would end during production. Ingrid Bergman, who played Ilsa, was unsure whether her character would end up with Rick or Victor, leading director Michael Curtiz to advise her to “play it in between.” Mental Floss

Ingrid Bergman’s Height Advantage: Ingrid Bergman was two inches taller than Humphrey Bogart. To compensate for the height difference in their scenes together, Bogart had to stand on blocks or sit on cushions. Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Cultural Impact: Over time, Casablanca has grown in reputation and is now considered one of the greatest films in history. Its lead characters, memorable lines, and pervasive theme song have all become iconic. Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

AFI Recognition: The American Film Institute has recognized Casablanca in several of its lists, including ranking it as the #2 greatest American film in AFI’s 100 Years…100 Movies list.

The Hays Code

The Hays Code, officially known as the Motion Picture Production Code, was a set of moral guidelines that governed the content of Hollywood films from 1934 to 1968. It was created in response to growing concerns about the influence of movies on society, particularly regarding sex, crime, and violence.

Origins

• In the 1920s, Hollywood films were becoming increasingly provocative, featuring risqué content and themes, and depictions of crime and corruption.
• Scandals involving Hollywood stars, such as the Fatty Arbuckle trial and drug-related deaths, led to public outcry and calls for government censorship.
• To avoid federal regulation, the movie industry self-regulated by forming the Motion Picture Producers and Distributors of America (MPPDA) in 1922, led by Will H. Hays, a former Postmaster General.
• In 1930, the Production Code was drafted, but it wasn’t strictly enforced.
• In 1934, the Production Code Administration (PCA) was established with Joseph Breen as its head, and film studios were required to submit their films for approval before release.

Key Rules and Restrictions

The Hays Code focused on moral decency, banning:

• Profanity, including specific words like “damn” or “hell.”
• Explicit sexuality, including nudity, lustful kissing, or suggestive dances.
• Interracial relationships, which were deemed controversial at the time.
• Ridicule of religion, particularly Christianity.
• Crime glorification, ensuring criminals were always punished.
• Drugs and excessive alcohol consumption, unless portrayed negatively.
• Homosexuality, which was considered “sexual perversion” under the code.
• Abortion and childbirth scenes, which were forbidden.
• Graphic violence, including excessive bloodshed and gruesome deaths.

Impact on Hollywood

• The Code shaped Hollywood’s “Golden Age”, forcing filmmakers to rely on subtext and suggestive storytelling to navigate restrictions.
• Classic films like Casablanca (1942) and Gone with the Wind (1939) were influenced by the Code. For example, Rhett Butler’s famous line—”Frankly, my dear, I don’t give a damn”—was nearly censored.
• It led to a more formulaic approach to filmmaking, emphasizing moral endings where good triumphed over evil.

Decline and End

• By the 1950s and 1960s, cultural shifts, changing social attitudes, and competition from European films challenged the Code.
• Directors began pushing boundaries, with films like Some Like It Hot (1959) and Psycho (1960) testing the limits.
• In 1968, the Hays Code was officially abandoned and replaced by the MPAA film rating system (G, PG, R, X), which still influences film classification today.