IT CAME FROM THE BOTTOM SHELF!

Boutique label ClassicFlix announced that they will release the Marx Brothers’ A Night in Casablanca (1946) on Blu-ray on December 15th.  Most Marx Brothers fans consider A Night in Casablanca to be the gem of the latter part of the team’s career, so this release should be very welcome news.  The disc will also include a few intriguing audio rarities.

Here’s the full announcement from the ClassicFlix website:

The Marx Brothers’ A Night in Casablanca Comes to Blu-ray in December

This December 15th, the Marx Brothers’ fast-paced, laugh-a-minute comedy A Night in Casablanca (1946) makes its Blu-ray debut.

After being absent from the silver screen for five years, the legendary trio are in top form as they set out to bust up a Nazi spy ring in this light spoof of the iconic 1942 wartime drama Casablanca.

Ronald Kornblow (Groucho Marx) is the new fill-in manager at the Hotel Casablanca—fill-in because the last three managers have met sudden and mysterious deaths. At the center of the intrigue is Heinrich Stubel (Sig Ruman), disguised as “Count Pfferman”, who’ll go to any length to gain control of the hotel, host to an array of hidden treasure smuggled out of France by the Nazis after the invasion.

Oblivious to the untimely demise of his predecessors, and infatuated with Nazi-vamp Beatrice (Lisette Verea), Kornblow is aided by Yellow Camel Company operator Corbaccio (Chico Marx) and hotel roustabout Rusty (Harpo Marx) who are on to Stubel’s plot to become the new hotel manager and make off with the loot.

With more one-liners, jokes and gags that you can shake a cigar at, A Night in Casablanca recaptures the Marxes at their zany best. Also featured are Charles Drake, Lois Collier and Dan Seymour.

BONUS FEATURES:

• A Night in Casablanca Trailer
• Audio excerpt of a rare, on stage performance of the Marx Brothers in August 1945 where they tested out material before a live audience prior to filming A Night in Casablanca (5:28)
• Various radio commercials promoting A Night in Casablanca (4:25)
• Image gallery featuring rare stills, posters, lobby cards and other promotional material