Humphrey Bogart and Mary Astor as the treacherous female foil. Bogart's sharp timing and facial expressions were praised by the cast and director as vital to the quick action and rapid-fire dialogue. The film was a huge hit in theaters and a major triumph for Huston. Bogart was unusually happy with it, remarking, "it is practically a masterpiece. I don't have many things I'm proud of ... but that's one". Bogart gained his first real romantic lead in 1942's "Casablanca", playing Rick Blaine, a hard-pressed expatriate nightclub owner hiding from a shady past while negotiating a fine line among Nazis, the French
Humphrey Bogart for old times' sake." When he feigns ignorance, she persists, "Play it, Sam. Play 'As Time Goes By'." Later that night, alone with Sam, Rick demands, "You played it for her—you can play it for me." Sam once again resists, prompting Blaine to shout: "If she can stand it, I can! Play it!" Humphrey Bogart Humphrey DeForest Bogart (; December 25, 1899January 14, 1957) was an American film and stage actor. His performances in numerous films from the Classical Hollywood era made him a cultural icon. In 1999, the American Film Institute ranked him as the greatest male star of