‘Algiers’ from 1938: Before Casablanca, The Casbah

(L-R) Sigrid Gurie, Charles Boyer, and Hedy Lamarr in a publicity still for the film "Algiers" from 1938. Public Domain

Commentary

“Come with me to the Casbah.” If you’re familiar with this line, you might associate it with Pepé le Pew, the romantic French skunk from Warner Bros. Looney Tunes. Pepé frequently said the line to the object of his affections, a black and white cat whom he mistook for a female skunk. This amorous stinker was based on Charles Boyer, particularly in MGM’s exotic drama “Algiers” from 1938.

An English adaption of a 1937 film called “Pépé le Moko,” this film introduced many things into modern culture. It inspired the character of Pepé le Pew, whose name even resembles that of Boyer’s character in the film. It also introduced the aforementioned line about the Casbah, which became permanently associated with Boyer. The line is not actually said in the film, but IMDb states it was in the original trailer, which I haven’t been able to find to verify. The line grew to annoy the actor, who felt it made him seem like a parody.

(L - R seated) Joseph Calleia, Hedy Lamarr, Bert Roach, Claudia Dell, and Charles Boyer in the film "Algiers" in a cropped publicity still from 1938. Public Domain

This film also introduced a beautiful new actress to American audiences, Hedy Lamarr. The Austrian-Jewish actress had made European films, but “Algiers” was the first American film in which she appeared. Her biggest movie to that point was “Ecstasy” in 1932, but the Czech production was too scandalous for this film’s publicity team to even mention it. Nevertheless, advertised with no merit except her loveliness, the refined European actress charmed moviegoers with her role in this groundbreaking film.

An Exotic Story

This whole story takes place in Algiers, the capital of Algeria, and much of the action centers on the city’s native quarter, the Casbah. The film begins with the arrival from Paris of Police Commissioner Janvier (Paul Harvey), who is outraged that wanted jewel thief Pépé le Moko (Boyer) has escaped arrest for the two years he’s been in Algiers. Inspector Slimane (Joseph Calleia), who is on the case, explains that although he sees the sly criminal every day, he can’t arrest him as long as he stays in the Casbah because it would be impossible to get him out with all his friends in the native quarter. Although Slimane has also become friends with Pépé, he knows that he will eventually catch him if he just waits for him to come out of the Casbah.

(L-R) Charles Boyer, Stanley Fields, and Alan Hale in the film "Algiers" in a cropped screenshot from 1938. Public Domain

Meanwhile, the infamous thief is becoming increasingly restless trapped in the Casbah. He dreams of returning to Paris, but he knows that attempting to leave the city will cost him his freedom and maybe his life. Among his many criminal confederates is Pierrot (Johnny Downs), a young man who is one of his closest friends, and Regis (Gene Lockhart), a secret police informer whom Pépé instinctively mistrusts. Pépé has a possessive sweetheart named Ines (Sigrid Gurie), but she doesn’t fully understand him.

One evening, Pépé meets a beautiful young Frenchwoman named Gaby (Lamarr). She is traveling with some friends, including her fiancé, Andre Giraux (Robert Greig), an unattractive but wealthy older man whom she admittedly doesn’t love but who wants to marry her anyway. At first, Pépé seems to only be interested in the beautiful young woman’s expensive jewelry, but further meetings prove that he is deeply entranced by her other charms. As she continues to sneak to the Casbah for furtive meetings with Pépé, they form a deep emotional bond, since they remind each other of happier days at home in Paris. Meanwhile, the police realize that this secret romance may be the key to Pépé’s undoing.

We’ll Always Have Paris

Before Humphrey Bogart told Ingrid Bergmann, “We’ll always have Paris,” Pépé le Moko and Gaby dreamed of The City of Lights while trapped in a North African city. Although the 1942 wartime romance completely eclipsed the earlier movie, “Casablanca” was Warner Bros.’ answer to MGM’s “Algiers.” It’s true that the Academy Award-winning classic which introduced “As Time Goes By” was based on an unproduced play called “Everybody Comes to Rick’s.” However, according to IMDb’s trivia on the film, “Algiers” inspired the title, if not the concept, of “Casablanca.”

(L-R) Joseph Calleia, Hedy Lamarr, Ben Hall, Joan Woodbury, Charles D. Lyon, and Charles Boyer in the 1938 film "Algiers." Public Domain

“Algiers” presented similar problems during production, content-wise, as “Casablanca.” In case you’re not familiar with the system for regulating film content during the 1930s-50s, this was long before the modern rating system, which wouldn’t be introduced until 1968. Instead of classifying movies based on their age-appropriateness, the American film industry collaborated with the Production Code Administration (PCA) throughout each movie’s production to ensure it followed the guidelines of the Motion Picture Production Code. The Code detailed basic standards of common decency, which, when followed, produced movies which were not only entertaining and intelligent but wholesome enough for all ages to enjoy. Unfortunately, this Golden Era only lasted from 1934-1954, during the twenty years when Joseph I. Breen was in charge of the PCA.

One of the PCA’s main concerns about this story was that the two main female characters seemed like “kept women,” mistresses who are supported financially. Early drafts of the script most likely didn’t specify that Gaby is Andre’s fiancée, a change which lessened the implication of her being his mistress. As for Ines, she is written as the typical criminal’s “moll,” also meaning female companion, in a Code film. The extent of their relationship is never stated. By the time the film takes place, Pépé seems barely interested in her, so it’s hard to believe that theirs is an immoral relationship. At any rate, the situation is vague enough for viewers to infer what they want about it. The story’s solution was also problematic, since Pépé is guilty of many crimes. The Code demanded that criminals be punished for their wrongdoing, so we know throughout the film that Pépé can’t ride into the sunset, unpunished and unfettered. I won’t spoil the ending, but it was changed from the play’s original conclusion of Pépé’s committing suicide to escape imprisonment.

Into the Casbah

This story is very intense and dramatic, but the main focus is its exotic beauty. Everything about it is deliberately foreign. The two leading actors have rich European accents, and they speak of their mutual love for their homeland, France. As war was beginning to percolate in Europe in the late 1930s, Americans could share the couple’s wistful longing to return to a lost Paris. This message was much closer to home four years later, when “Casablanca” came out, since the United States had joined the war. Maybe that’s part of the reason why the later film was even more successful.

(L-R) An unidentified actor, Gino Corrado, Sigrid Gurie, and Joseph Calleia in the 1938 film "Algiers." Public Domain

Despite all the intensity and dark subject matter, the focus of this story is romance. Its score struck me as sounding like the background music to a silent film made in the late 1920s with a synchronized soundtrack. Perhaps that is because the main theme and the music played during the end credits are from the 1937 French film of the same name. The sweet, playful melodies are a painfully beautiful accompaniment to the story of the doomed lovers.

“Algiers” may not be a happily ever after story, but it is a very beautiful film.