Friday, March 5, 2010

Classic Film Friday: A Night in Casablanca

This 1946 classic is a Marx Brothers movie, which means it's a comedy. A is loosely based on Casablanca, but not really. Ronald Kornblow (Groucho) is hired as a hotel manager, after the previous 2 managers were killed. Count Pfefferman (Sig Ruman) also known as Heinrich Stubel, a Nazi, wants the job as there is quite a treasure trove in the hotel, he is responsible for the previous two managers' deaths.

Of course the Count can't go out in public, because Rusty (Harpo) his valet, has vacuumed his toupee right off of his head, and he cannot let anyone see who he really is, and hilarity ensues.

Beatrice Reiner (Lisette Verea) is supposed to seduce Kornblow, and thus help The Count put another manager on ice. Groucho is seduced, but he is never in any danger since his "friend" Corbaccio (Chico Marx) is his "bodyguard" and he pesters him into leaving, and thus cannot be seduced.

From there we see the Count is sneaking out, with his treasure, which really isn't "his" treasure... more like his loot. And this is when the Marx Brothers shine, as they rearrange all of the Counts clothes, while not being caught and then we have a car/plane chase.



The movie includes the song "Who's Sorry Now?", and I put a copy of it here, thought it is not sung by Connie Frances in the movie. But because she made the song so famous, it is the only one I could find.

1 comment:

Bob G. said...

MH:
A funny movie and a beautiful song (Mom loved Connie Francis)...and I have to admit to having a "crush" on her as a very young boy.

Nice chocses.
Have a great weekend.