TCM 365 Project Day 7: Casablanca (1942)

TCM 365 Project Day 7:  Casablanca (1942) directed by Michael Curtiz

As my friend Roger Ebert noted in his "Great Movies"   project, while Citizen Kane "...may be the greatest American film ever made...Casablanca is the most loved."  In the ensuing years, I still find it impossible to watch Casablanca without thinking of Roger.  I first met him at the Conference of World Affairs at the University of Colorado, Boulder in a film panel concerning Foreign Film Societies.  Gracious, witty and indulgent, Roger generously supported our endeavor to create a new film festival in Boulder and promised to help us by introducing a film segment on "The Fireman's Ball".  He ended our time together by briefly deconstructing Casablanca.  I cannot do justice to his impassioned and spontaneous words about the film, and when he concluded, I was admittedly staggered by it .  The following year, Roger made good on his promise and joined me to tape our introduction for Boulder's first annual Central and East European Film Festival. 

During a filmed segment of our introduction, Roger turned to me abruptly- off script- and proceeded to personally implore the audience to appreciate how films...GREAT FILMS...can change your life. Casablanca is one of those films.  It can...and will...change your life.
Thank you, Roger- as I watch tonight, I will always remember your passion for this Masterpiece of American cinema, and the mark it left upon you- and by extension, me at the beginning of our beautiful friendship.


Roger and Jack host the Central and East European Film Festival in Boulder,CO