Why we keep playing it again, Sam

HERE’S looking at you kid — again.

The film that possibly gave popular culture the most quotes since Shakespeare is 70 years old this year. Casablanca, that classic old black and white movie starring Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman premiered at the Hollywood Theatre in New York on Nov 26, 1942. On March 27, Casablanca will be rereleased on an anniversary DVD, and is being shown in 450 cinemas across America

Although it was not considered anything special at the time of filming, Casablanca swiftly captured the public imagination — and three Oscars, for best film, best director, and best screenplay. Today, it is considered one of the greatest romantic films ever; US film historian and critic Leonard Maltin went one further, describing it as “the best Hollywood movie of all time”.