Casablanca is a 1942 movie starring Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman. It is set during World War II and focuses on a man torn between “love and virtue.” Bogart’s character, Rick, has to choose between the being with the woman he loves, or helping her “Czech resistance” husband escape Casablanca to continue his fight against the Nazis.

The movie is based on an unproduced stage play entitled, Everybody Comes to Rick with the rights purchased by the film’s producer Hal Wallis in 1942. Filming began in May with the entire movie being filmed at Warner Brothers Studios in Burbank, except for the final sequence which was done at the Van Nuys airport in Van Nuys, California.

The score was written by legendary composer Max Steiner who had previously received an Academy Award Nomination for Gone with Wind. He based the Casablanca soundtrack on dueling themes: the French anthem La Maseillaise; and a song written by Herman Humphrey in 1931, As Time Goes By, sung by the character “Sam” (actor Dooley Wilson) in the film. The song has forever been linked to the movie through Wilson’s performance and the repition of the popular melody throughout the score.

Both Casablanca and As Time Goers By have been greatly honored – Casablanca, as one of the most popular movies of all time and receiving Oscars for Best Picture, Best Director and Best Screenplay; and As Time Goes By, receiving the number two spot for most popular film song of all time. Max Steiner was nominated for Best Score for his achievement.