Austrian Poster (23" x 34"); First Post-War Release ;
Very Fine+ on Linen
Warner Bros., 1948

Issued for the film's first post-war release in Austria, the design features stunning black-and-white photographs of the film and shows Humphrey Bogart, Ingrid Bergman, Paul Henreid, Claude Rains, Conrad Veidt, and Sidney Greenstreet displayed around the film's credits. This example, which was folded in excellent condition and shows only mild toning along the folds, was professionally linen-backed with only minor touch-up to the three center crossfolds. Original posters from "Casablanca" remain among the most sought-after by collectors.

"Casablanca" is a romantic drama directed by Michael Curtiz, featuring Humphrey Bogart, Ingrid Bergman, and Paul Henreid. Set and filmed during World War II, the story follows an American expatriate (Bogart) who faces a difficult decision between staying with the woman he loves (Bergman) or aiding her husband (Henreid), a Czechoslovak resistance leader, in escaping the Vichy-controlled city of Casablanca to continue his struggle against the Nazis. Although "Casablanca" was an A-list production featuring major stars and top-tier writers, none of those involved anticipated it would distinguish itself from the many films Hollywood released each year. The movie was hurried into theaters to capitalize on the recent publicity surrounding the Allied invasion of North Africa. Bogart's line "Here's looking at you, kid," said four times, was not in the draft screenplays, but has been attributed to a comment he made to Bergman as she played poker with her English coach and hairdresser between takes. Surpassing all expectations, "Casablanca" won the Academy Award for Best Picture, with Michael Curtiz receiving Best Director and the Epstein brothers along with Howard Koch winning for Best Adapted Screenplay. Over time, the film's reputation has only grown, with its main characters, unforgettable dialogue and timeless theme song becoming iconic, and it consistently appears near the top of lists of the greatest films ever made.