Rick’s Café and the film Casablanca: what is real and what is not

Thanks to Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman, Casablanca may be the most romantic name in cinema. But if you come looking for the city of the film, you need to know a few things first.

The film was not shot here

Casablanca (1942) was made almost entirely on the Warner Bros. lot in California. No scenes were filmed in Morocco, and the famous bar was only ever a set. The story of refugees waiting for visas was based on an unproduced stage play and had a real background, as the city was under Vichy French control when the film was written. Allied troops landed in Morocco in November 1942, shortly before the film’s premiere.

The real Rick’s Café

For decades, visitors arrived looking for a bar that did not exist. Then, in 2004, Kathy Kriger, a former American diplomat, opened Rick’s Café in a restored mansion against the walls of the Old Medina. With its white arches, brass lamps, potted palms and a piano, it looks very much like the set, and the film is often shown upstairs. Kriger died in 2018, but the restaurant continues.

Planning a visit

• Book ahead: tables go quickly, especially at weekends and when cruise ships are in port.
• Dress smartly: it is not a casual café, and beachwear will not do.
• Come for the evening: the mood is best at night, with live piano music on many evenings.
• Expect international prices: this is a splurge by local standards.

The real Casablanca

The city itself has plenty of real history. In January 1943, Roosevelt and Churchill met nearby at the Anfa Conference to plan the next stages of the war. For real period atmosphere, walk through the Art Deco streets of the centre, many of which were already standing when the film was made.

Tips

• And no, nobody in the film says “Play it again, Sam”. The actual line is “Play it, Sam.”
• Combine dinner with an evening walk on the esplanade of the Hassan II Mosque, a short taxi ride away.
• Check opening hours before you go, as they can change during Ramadan.