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Casablanca

Casablanca

They have a date with fate in...

1942102 minPGMidcredits score: 99th percentile of all films
Director
Michael Curtiz
Starring
Humphrey Bogart, Ingrid Bergman, Paul Henreid, Claude Rains

In Casablanca, Morocco in December 1941, a cynical American expatriate meets a former lover, with unforeseen complications.

Where to watch

Where can I watch Casablanca?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists Casablanca streaming on HBO Max.

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Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about Casablanca?

Casablanca earns 13 badges, led by Top 1% of films and Best Picture winner.

Show 5 more
  • Rank
  • Reception
  • Craft and mood
  • Awards and box office
  • Cast

Reception

Is Casablanca worth watching?

Casablanca's Midcredits score is the 99th percentile of all films, from 1.6M ratings across 6 sources. 90% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

99th percentile

Better received than 99% of films

99th percentile among Drama99th percentile among 1940s
Acclaim (how much people like it)99th
Approval (how many liked it)98th

85 /100

99th percentile of all films

99th percentile among Drama99th percentile among 1940s

Critics 100 · Audience 84

Critics liked it more than audiences did.

Rating distribution

Ratings pile up at 9–10 with almost no detractors — near-universal love.

90% liked it

98th percentile of all films

98th percentile among Drama99th percentile among 1940s
90% rated it 7–1010% rated it 1–6

Critics 99% · Audience 95%

On Rotten Tomatoes, critics and audiences approve at similar rates.

Awards

3 Oscars won · 5 Oscar noms · 17 wins / 12 noms overall

  • WonAcademy Awards· Best Director
  • WonAcademy Awards· Best Picture

98th percentile

1.6M ratings across platforms

99th percentile among Drama99th percentile among 1940s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 5% in 30 days

Box office

Budget$950K
Opening weekend$181K
Domestic gross$4.2M
Worldwide gross$4.8M

Returned 5.0× its budget — 78th percentile earner in its genre.

What reviewers say

Common ground

It's a well-crafted wartime romance with great dialogue, a memorable score, and a morally complex love triangle, but opinions divide on whether it feels timeless or merely a period curiosity.

Fans praised

  • legendary quotable dialogue that permeated pop culture
  • Bogart and Bergman's chemistry and Bogart's iconic weary-cynic performance
  • the perfect balance of romance, wartime intrigue, and patriotic sacrifice

Detractors panned

  • overrated and boring despite historical importance
  • dated acting style and pacing insufficient by modern standards

What stands out

Dialogue98

unceasingly quotable lines that became cultural catchphrases

ActingDivisive95

Bogart's career-defining weary-cynic, Bergman's luminous sadness, magnificent supporting cast including Rains, Lorre, Greenstreet

Sound and music92

"As Time Goes By" as iconic theme; Steiner's sweeping score

Atmosphere92

exotic, smoky Rick's Cafe Americain as a world-in-miniature

Emotional impact91

cathartic sacrifice, patriotic fervor, heartbreak and hope

CharactersDivisive90

nuanced, morally ambiguous; Rick's journey from cynicism to sacrifice

Cinematography88

shadowy noir lighting, high-contrast black-and-white, atmospheric close-ups

Plot and storyDivisive85

wartime love triangle with stolen letters of transit; some detractors found it confusing or thin

Preferred by

No notable difference between any of the groups: each pair ranks it within 10 percentile points.

  • Women vs men 2 points apart
  • Under-30s vs over-30s 3 points apart
  • Critics vs users 1 point apart
  • US vs non-US 1 point apart

Watch experience

What is Casablanca like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

No single mood: browse every movie of this kindNo one kind of watch fits it, so it is described by how heavy it is.

Watch this when you want something dark and affecting.

It takes its time, has a few laughs and leaves you bittersweet. Skip it when you want things to move fast.

ToneFeelDemandwhat the answer rests onexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

Patience.

What it feels like

Moods
RomanticTenseBittersweetMelancholic
Heaviest: late
Wry humor: Amused and slightly dry about it.
Register
Romantic · 8% of filmsSentimental · 8% of filmsSolemn: Grave and dignified; treats its subject with weight and respect.
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.Nonlinear · 6% of films: Events shown out of chronological order.
ToneThe film plays its melodrama and romance with earnest sincerity, never undercutting its emotional stakes despite the cynical protagonist.
The rideThe film sustains a romantic, tense atmosphere that swells into a heavy, bittersweet climax at the airport as Rick makes his sacrifice.
StructureThe main story is chronological, with a single extended flashback to Rick's time in Paris.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Bittersweet.

BittersweetHopeful
Why it leaves you this wayThe sacrifice of Rick's love for Ilsa leaves a bittersweet ache, while his renewed commitment to the cause inspires hope.
How it ends · evidence
Bittersweet ending

Story archetype

where it sits among all films
Monster — 21% of films. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of films. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 10% of films. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 4% of films. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 11% of films. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 9% of films. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 13% of films. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 7% of films. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 22% of filmsPredator — 6% of films. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 6% of films. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of films. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 2% of films. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of films. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of films. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of films. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of films. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of films. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of films. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — under 1% of films. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of films. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of films. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of films. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of films. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 4% of films. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 5% of films. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of films. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — 1% of films. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of films. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 2% of films. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — 1% of films. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of films. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — 1% of films. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 4% of films. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of films. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of films. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of films. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 1% of films. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of films. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — 2% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 2% of films. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 2% of films. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 3% of films. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 3% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 5% of films. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of films. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 2% of films. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of films. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 5% of films. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 2% of films. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).Rebirth
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 21%: Predator 6% · Tyrant 6% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 2% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent under 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 10%: Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 4% · Mission 5% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage 1%
  • Voyage 4%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 2% · Survival ordeal 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent 1%
  • Comedy 11%: Romantic comedy 4% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 1%
  • Tragedy 9%: Hubris 1% · Obsession 2% · Corruption arc 2% · Doomed love 2% · Crushed by fate 3%
  • Rebirth 13% (this title): Redemption 3% (this title) · Healing 5% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 2%
  • Mystery 7%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 5% · Enigma 2%
  • No archetype 22%

Rebirth: A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed. · Redemption: Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).

13% of films fit this archetype

with Quest underneath

Why this archetypeRick Blaine's journey from cynical detachment to selfless sacrifice mirrors a redemption arc, framed as a rescue mission for his former lover and her husband.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 27% of filmsSelf — 22% of filmsPower — 7% of filmsMorality — 16% of filmsSurvival — 15% of filmsSociety — 9% of filmsIdeas — 5% of filmsRomantic love — 15% of filmsMarriage — 2% of filmsFamily bonds — 21% of filmsParenthood — 2% of filmsFriendship — 9% of filmsLoyalty — 4% of filmsIdentity — 14% of filmsComing of age — 5% of filmsAging — under 1% of filmsSelf-worth — 7% of filmsAmbition — 7% of filmsPurpose — 9% of filmsMemory — 3% of filmsObsession — 3% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 2% of filmsCorruption — 3% of filmsGreed — 3% of filmsClass — 3% of filmsOppression — 4% of filmsFreedom — 5% of filmsJustice — 13% of filmsDuty — 2% of filmsRevenge — 4% of filmsGuilt — 3% of filmsRedemption — 6% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — 1% of filmsSacrifice — 4% of filmsBetrayal — 5% of filmsDeception — 9% of filmsSurvival — 17% of filmsWar — 1% of filmsViolence — 4% of filmsMortality — 2% of filmsGrief — 6% of filmsTrauma — 7% of filmsMental illness — 1% of filmsAddiction — 1% of filmsIllness and disability — under 1% of filmsCommunity — 14% of films. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 5% of filmsPrejudice — 3% of filmsDisplacement — 1% of filmsFaith — 3% of filmsTradition vs change — 2% of filmsFame — 3% of filmsLegacy — 4% of filmsFate — 1% of filmsFree will — under 1% of filmsTruth — 4% of filmsHope — 5% of filmsNature — 2% of filmsArt — 4% of filmsTechnology — 1% of filmsSelfSacrificeMorality
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27%: Romantic love 15% (this title) · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 21% · Parenthood 2% · Friendship 9% · Loyalty 4%
  • Self 22%: Identity 14% · Coming of age 5% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 7% · Purpose 9% · Memory 3% · Obsession 3%
  • Power 7%: Power 2% · Corruption 3% · Greed 3% · Class 3% · Oppression 4% · Freedom 5%
  • Morality 16% (this title): Justice 13% · Duty 2% (this title) · Revenge 4% · Guilt 3% · Redemption 6% · Forgiveness 1% · Sacrifice 4% (this title) · Betrayal 5% · Deception 9%
  • Survival 15%: Survival 17% · War 1% · Violence 4% · Mortality 2% · Grief 6% · Trauma 7% · Mental illness 1% · Addiction 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 9%: Community 14% · Isolation 5% · Prejudice 3% · Displacement 1% · Faith 3% · Tradition vs change 2% · Fame 3% · Legacy 4%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 4% · Hope 5% · Nature 2% · Art 4% · Technology 1%

Morality

Sacrifice · 4% of filmsRomantic love · 15% of filmsDuty · 2% of films
Celebrates its theme: Affirms its theme — this is good and worth having.Global stakes: Consequences reach the world.Single lead
How it treats its themeRick's journey is defined by the choice between personal happiness with Ilsa and the moral duty to help Laszlo fight the Nazis — a sacrifice that also redeems his cynical past.
StanceThe film affirms the moral value of personal sacrifice for a larger cause, celebrating Rick's redemption without undermining its cost.

The world

ContemporaryUrbanDomesticIn transitRealistic
Orchestral classicalForeground music · original score · Max Steiner
SettingCasablanca, French Morocco during World War II — a cosmopolitan refugee hub and crossroads of intrigue.
MusicThe score weaves 'As Time Goes By' throughout as a romantic leitmotif.

Content guide

Is Casablanca okay for kids?

PG

Casablanca is rated PG: “Rated PG for mild violence” (MPAA). As of September 28, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at mild (29/100), sexual content at minimal (11/100), language at minimal (4/100), drug and alcohol content at moderate (43/100) and frightening material at mild (26/100). Overall it is heavier than 36% of PG-rated films.

Ratings in 25 other countries
  • UKU
  • CanadaPG
  • AustraliaPG
  • Germany6
  • FranceTP
  • South Korea12
  • Brazil12
  • ArgentinaATP
  • Belgium14
  • Czechia12+
  • Denmark11
  • FinlandK-16
  • Greece13
  • Hungary12
  • ItalyT
  • LTN-13
  • MexicoA
  • Netherlands6
  • Norway12
  • Poland12
  • PortugalM/12
  • RO12
  • Russia12+
  • SpainA
  • Sweden15
Overall
Mild · all five categories
Heavier than 10% of all filmsHeavier than 36% of PG-rated films
Violence & Gore
Mild
typical for a PG-rated film
heavier than 33%
Sex & Nudity
None / Minimal
light for a PG-rated film
heavier than 17%
Profanity
None / Minimal
light for a PG-rated film
heavier than 5%
Alcohol & Drugs
Moderate
heavy for a PG-rated film
heavier than 91%
Frightening / Intense
Mild
typical for a PG-rated film
heavier than 26%

Point along a line to see a well-known title at that level.

Nothing here is extreme. The strongest element is drug and alcohol content, heavier than 91% of PG-rated films.

Source: Midcredits content scores, 0 (none) to 100 (severe) per category, with each standing ranked against other films that have them.

What content warnings does Casablanca have?

MovieCove's classifier found 1 depicted content warning in Casablanca: Gun violence (mild). 2 more are mentioned only, in dialogue or backstory: Sexual violence, Suicide. Each is backed by a verbatim quote from the parents' guide notes; a missing warning is not a guarantee of absence.

MildGun violence
MentionedSexual violenceSuicide

Mentioned: referenced in dialogue or backstory, not shown in the story’s present.

Cast and crew

Who is in Casablanca?

Cast

Humphrey Bogart
as Rick Blaine
Career best: Their highest-reaching film role by billing, audience size and rating.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Ingrid Bergman
as Ilsa Lund
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
newcomer then · star now
Paul Henreid
as Victor Laszlo
Breakout: Their highest-reaching film role at the time, and they went on to a career at least 3 times their standing then.
Claude Rains
as Captain Louis Renault
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Conrad Veidt
as Major Heinrich Strasser
Sydney Greenstreet
as Signor Ferrari
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Peter Lorre
as Ugarte
S.Z. Sakall
as Carl
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Madeleine Lebeau
as Yvonne
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Dooley Wilson
as Sam
Screen debut: No prior film or television role.

Crew

More like this

What are movies like Casablanca?

Movies like Casablanca include Morocco (1930), Passage to Marseille (1944) and Notorious (1946). Of the 12 closest matches, two are films by Michael Curtiz, and several are stories about spies.

Balanced: every group counts the same, and production only breaks ties.

7 of these 12 share its world: World War II. Those cards say what else they share.

Explore by

What else shares a premise, people or place with Casablanca?

1.1K other films share the rarest tag below, premise: protector on a journey. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.