A Night in Casablanca (1946)

Director:

Archie Mayo

Writers:

Joseph Fields (writer)
Roland Kibbee (writer)
(more)

Release Date:

10 May 1946 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy

Tagline:

The Marx Brothers spend...

Plot:

The Marx Brothers are employed at a hotel in postwar Casablanca, where a ring of Nazis is trying to recover a cache of stolen treasure.

Plot Keywords:

Hotel | Nazi | Marx Brothers | North Africa | Post WWII

Cast

Groucho Marx	...	Ronald Kornblow
Harpo Marx	...	Rusty
Chico Marx	...	Corbaccio
Charles Drake	...	Lt. Pierre Delmar
Lois Collier	...	Annette
Sig Ruman	...	Count Pfferman / Heinrich Stubel
Lisette Verea	...	Beatrice Rheiner
Lewis L. Russell	...	Governor Galoux (as Lewis Russell)
Dan Seymour	...	Prefect of Police Capt. Brizzard
Frederick Giermann	...	Kurt
Harro Mellor	...	Emile
David Hoffman	...	Spy
Paul Harvey	...	Mr. Smythe
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Mary Dees	...	Bit part (uncredited)
Ruth Roman	...	Bit Part (uncredited)
Harry Semels	...	Hotel Chef (uncredited)
Arthur Tovey	...	Military man in restaurant (uncredited)
Philip Van Zandt	...	Headwaiter (uncredited)

Directed by
Archie Mayo		(as Archie L. Mayo)

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Joseph Fields		writer
Roland Kibbee		writer
Frank Tashlin		uncredited

Produced by
David L. Loew	....	producer

Original Music by
Werner Janssen

Cinematography by
James Van Trees

Film Editing by
Gregg C. Tallas

Production Design by
Duncan Cramer

Set Decoration by
Edward G. Boyle		(as Edward Boyle)

Makeup Department
Otis Malcolm	....	makeup artist
Scotty Rackin	....	hair stylist

Production Management
Joe C. Gilpin	....	executive production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Jack Sullivan	....	assistant director

Sound Department
Frank Webster	....	sound

Special Effects by
Harry Redmond Jr.	....	special effects (uncredited)

Editorial Department
Grace Baughman	....	negative cutter

Music Department
Werner Janssen	....	conductor

Production Companies

• Loma Vista Productions

Distributors

• United Artists (1946) (USA) (theatrical)
• Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) (1973) (USA) (TV) (network premiere)
• Warner Home Video (2004) (USA) (DVD)
• Warner Home Vídeo (2004) (Brazil) (DVD)
• Castle Hill Productions
• Warner Home Video (2005) (USA) (DVD)

Also Known As:

Uma Noite em Casablanca (Brazil) (Portugal) [pt]
Eine Nacht in Casablanca (Germany) [de]
Eine Nacht mit Beatrice (Austria) [de]
En nat i Casablanca (Denmark) [da]
En natt i Casablanca (Sweden) [sv]
Marx Brothers - Eine Nacht in Casablanca (West Germany) [de]
Mia nyhta stin Casablanca (Greece) [el]
Noc w Casablance (Poland) [pl]
Thisavroi stin Casablanca (Greece) (reissue title) [el]
Una noche en Casablanca (Spain) [es]
Una notte a Casablanca (Italy) [it]
Une nuit à Casablanca (France) [fr]
Yö Casablancassa (Finland) [fi]

Runtime:

85 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Certification:

Hungary:14 | Australia:G | Finland:S | Germany:6 | Sweden:15 | USA:Approved

Filming Locations:

General Service Studios - 1040 N. Las Palmas, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Loma Vista Productions

Trivia:

Originally intended as a direct spoof on Casablanca (1942), it was changed to a more original story.

Goofs:

Crew or equipment visible: In the scene where Rusty discovers the stolen loot, just before he moves toward the harp, the light shadow of a film crew member can be seen briefly.

Quotes:

Corbaccio: I be-a you bodyguard! I watch-a you like a mother watches a baby!
Ronald Kornblow: Is the mother pretty?
Corbaccio: Why?
Ronald Kornblow: Well, if she is, you watch the baby, I'll watch the mother!

Movie Connections:

References Goodbye, Mr. Chips (1939)

Soundtrack:

Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2

A Fond Farewell

By 1946 the Marx Brothers considered themselves retired as a screen team--but brother Chico's on-going financial difficulties coaxed them back into the studio for a final film. The result is a film that will never compete with their sharp-edged comedies of the 1930s but which possesses considerable charm nonetheless.

Although the film began as a parody of the classic CASABLANCA, the plot changed quite a bit by the time it reached the screen. Groucho has been employed as the manager of the Hotel Casablanca--where three previous managers have met sudden death. Attempts on his life soon follow, and before too long the brothers stumble upon the tale of former Nazis in search of treasure hidden somewhere inside the resort.

Time, it seems, mellowed the brothers, and although they retain their sparkle they perform without the manic edge that characterized their earlier films; the result is a much friendlier, cozier style of comedy that feels as comfortable your bedroom slippers. All three have at least one opportunity to shine, with perhaps the most memorable moments being the ever-shrinking dancefloor and the hilarious packing scene, and it has tremendous charm--and is all the more welcome for following the several uninspired films the brothers made during the early 1940s.

Although the Marx Brothers would appear in one more film, LOVE HAPPY, it is uninspired--and rather curiously the three never appear together in the same scene! So it is perhaps best to regard A NIGHT IN CASABLANCA as their final appearance as a screen team. And while it isn't among their great films, it is indeed lots of fun.

Gary F. Taylor, aka GFT, Amazon Reviewer