We'll always have Joburg ...

It regularly shows up on everyone's top 100 films of all times, often in the top spot. It won three Oscars including the Best Picture of 1942. It is a classic.

Who can forget when Bogie comes storming out from the back room of Rick's Cafe Americain to shut down Sam's playing of the forbidden "As Time Goes By." Or that single glistening tear slowly snaking down the cheek of Ingrid Bergman? Man, she was a great crier. Or Paul Henreid conducting a rousing Le Marseillaise to drown out the singing of the fuming Gestapo? Boo ... hiss.

Claude Rains. Sydney Greenstreet. Peter Lorre. Dooley Wilson. Conrad Veidt. ...  A perfect cast.

And infinitely quotable. "Play it, Sam. Play 'As Time Goes By.'" "We'll always have Paris." "Here's looking at you, kid." "Of all the gin joints, in all the towns, in all the world, she walks into mine." "Round up the usual suspects." "Louie, I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship."

Of course it is  ...



On an evening whose theme was Romance Night, the movie was shown by the Air Cinema Club. But this time instead of their usual open-air rooftop venue, they moved this uber date night movie inside to the historic Alexander Theatre or The Alex as it is affectionately called. Popcorn and pink champagne. A DJ playing music from the 40's. So romantique!

We dressed for the occasion as best we could. Vince in Aquascutum and Borsalino, me in my Burberry trench.

(I actually own a brown beaver felt hat called the "Ingrid" that I bought at The Hat Shop in Soho which is an homage to Ingrid Bergman's hat in the final airport scene. I wore it to a winter wedding in Ireland. Alas, it is tucked away in storage in the USA. Who knew?)

We've seen Casablanca a hundred times before, although I do not think ever on a big screen. But something about watching it in Africa where it is set - albeit southern versus northern Africa - made it even more romantic.

We'll always have Joburg.







(PS We started the evening off with dinner at  Narina Trogon around the corner. It was excellent! Highly recommend!)