Casablanca, Hitler’s Refugees, and the Hollywood Screen Virtual Lecture

Although the legendary, award-winning Hollywood picture Casablanca (1942) has been called “everyone’s favorite émigré film,” in the memorable quip by the late film scholar Thomas Elsaesser, rarely is it discussed in this vein. Drawing on extensive research undertaken for his best-selling book We’ll Always Have Casablanca: The Life, Legend, and Afterlife of Hollywood’s Most Beloved Movie (W.W. Norton, 2017; paperback 2018), Noah Isenberg seeks to shed new light on this often neglected aspect—refocusing attention on the dozens of refugees at work on both sides of the camera; on the strangely evocative if also veiled commentary on historical events; and on the furtive references to Jews and other targets of Nazi persecution. One of the all-time most cherished love stories and wartime dramas of the studio era may also be seen as one of the earliest and most successful feature films to address the menace of National Socialism, the flight of European refugees, and the personal stories embodied in even the most minor characters portrayed on screen.

Attendees are encouraged to watch Casablanca before the lecture. Click here to find out where to rent and/or stream it.

To request closed captions or ASL interpreters, please email info@arthouseproductions.org at least 72 hours before the event.

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ABOUT B’NAI JACOB

Congregation B’nai Jacob is a contemporary egalitarian synagogue in Jersey City dedicated to supporting the Jewish community in Hudson County.  We strive to foster meaningful spiritual experiences and a sense of Jewish connection by providing a welcoming environment and opportunities for growth and learning.  We dedicate ourselves to a policy of nondiscrimination on the basis of gender, sexual orientation and interfaith family structure.

B’nai Jacob is an urban synagogue with a longstanding tradition of being at the forefront of social change, supporting the struggle for civil and human rights for all. We encourage our members to serve worthwhile causes within our Congregation and the wider Jewish and world communities. We are a community in which you, with your unique talents, skills, background and lifestyle are respected and valued.