The original: Casablanca is almost synonymous with classic films. Alongside Citizen Kane it's one of the best-regarded productions in cinema history and, well, it's mostly deserved. It very nearly didn't happen, being adapted from a failed stage play at a time when political tensions such as the ones the plot hinges on were kind of fraught. Against all odds, it wound up being one of the most-quoted, influential and enduring love stories in the history of film. But nobody says Play it again, Sam, remember. The sequel: Just to prove that studios were as money-hungry during Hollywood's Golden Age as they are now, the moment Casablanca became a hit, Warner Bros were clamouring for a sequel. Set to be title Brazzaville, after the Free French-held city Renault recommends he and Humphrey Bogart's Rick flee to following the beginning of their beautiful friendship, the sequel would've begun with the reveal that the pair were undercover agents fighting the Nazis all along. Also, they kill off Ilsa's freedom fighting husband Victor Laszlo fairly early on, so she's free to start chasing Rick again. The perfect bittersweet end to one of cinema's most perfect romances, thrown away in an instant! Good work, everyone.
Tom Baker is the Comics Editor at WhatCulture! He's heard all the Doctor Who jokes, but not many about Randall and Hopkirk. He also blogs at http://communibearsilostate.wordpress.com/
