Car featured in final airport scene of 1942 ‘Casablanca’ to be auctioned in New York

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10/31/13, “Of all the cars in all the world… Convertible  that features in immortal Casablanca finale expected to fetch $500,000 at auction,” UK Daily Mail, Steve Nolan

“It features in one of the most famous movie scenes of all time – and now it could be yours.


The car in which Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman’s characters travelled in to the airport for Casablanca’s immortal finale is going under the hammer next month. The 1940 Buick Phaeton – which belonged to Bogart’s character Rick Blaine in the 1942 film – is expected to fetch $500,000 (£312,000) at auction in New York on November 25. 

It is among a number of iconic movie props and costumes being sold off as part of the Dreams Are Made of This auction at Bonhams.

This car looms large in the final act of Casablanca: Claude Rains as Captain Louis Renault drives the car to the airport at gunpoint, with Humphrey Bogart as Rick Blaine in the front, and Ingrid Bergman playinng Isla Lund and Paul Henried as Victor Laszlo in the back seat. 
 
Throughout the final moments of the film, Rick, Ilsa, Victor and Louis linger on the airport tarmac next to the Buick Phaeton, and the film’s immortal final moments between Rick and Ilsa take place next to the car. 

A QUICK BUICK: WHAT DO YOU GET FOR YOUR MONEY?

The 1940 Buick Phaeton Limited 81C convertible is expected to fetch $500,000 (£312,000) at auction. But what will you get for your money:

• 8 cylinder engine
• Manual transmission with left hand drive
• Mileage around 42,000
  
• Two bench seats, a brown exterior with rag top (replaced), original tan interior with some damage
  
• The car has been mechanically restored with a new wiring harness
• A copy of the DVD of the film and a reproduction still

The car can be seen in the background as Bogart looks into Bergman’s crying eyes and utters arguably the most famous movie quote of all time: ‘Here’s looking at you kid.’
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Despite being 73-years-old the car, which as part of Warner Brother’s fleet it featured in several other films including High Sierra, also starring Bogart, only has 42,000 miles on the clock.

The car itself would be ultra-rare even if its wasn’t attached to Bogart’s star status.

Only 230 Buick Model 81C trunkback convertible Phaetons were built in 1940 – and similar Buicks from that time period have sold for around $500,000 (£311,000), so Bogart’s could go for higher.

The car was originally bought from Warner Brother’s by famed ukelele player Lyle Ritz in 1970 before being sold at auction twice since. It was last auctioned off in 1995.

The auction has been put together with television channel Turner Classic Movies.” (above color image of the car via UK Daily Mail), via Free Republic



At the airport near the end of Casablanca


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