In Search of "A Night in Casablanca" bits

[Chad Shumaker]

Hi Everyone!

Back in 2017 I wrote up a post about the Super 8 version of "A Night in Casablanca" starring the Marx Brothers. It was a Mountain Films print, 4X400 and turned out to NOT contain the complete film. Mountain released multiple 200ft reels, some of which had scenes not in the 4x400. They also released some single 400 footers.

I just picked up another 200 footer that was not in the 4x400 set and wanted to let those interested know what it was and to see if anyone had the last bits I needed!

200ft Reels

Acting the Fool: Harpo has a sword fight with Kurt. This is not in the 4x400

Playing for Laughs: Harpo and Chico sell tables at the supper club while Groucho romances Beatrice. Chico plays piano. This is not in the 4x400

Pulling Strings: Groucho and Harpo are stuck in the hotel elevator. Harpo discovers the stolen treasure. This is in the 4x400.

Crazy Madness: The boys play hide and seek in the count's suitcases to stall him. This is in the 4x400


400ft Reel
A Night in Casablanca: This is the big finish of the movie in the airplane. This is in the 4x400

Now, Gary Sayers was kind enough to make a list of titles found in the Mountain catalog. He listed all of the above and two others: Double Your Money and Love Happy. My guess is that Double Your Money is the casino scene where Harpo breaks the bank. I have no idea what Love Happy is.

I need the scenes with Beatrice and Groucho leading up to their meeting at the supper club. These include...

Beatrice meets Groucho and asks what's in the lost and found.
Beatrice runs into Harpo who has an extra long cigarette holder.
Chico and Harpo discover Pierre trying to get information from a local.
Harpo and Chico crawl through the crowd waiting to get into the supper club. (Playing for Laughs starts right when they begin to sell tables and ends when Chico's piano number is done)

I then need Groucho returning to the club after Kurt tries to run him down. He meets the young couple outside the hotel.

If anyone knows where I can find these scenes, or better yet has them for sale, please let me know! Thanks!

[Joe McAllister]

When mountain closed its doors a lot of it’s pre-print material ended up in the shop called Clear view. which was located in North London and mainly sold screens and screen material. Amongst the things sold was the fine grain positive, a low contrast 16mm print with a variable density optical track which had been the source of mountain releases from A Night in Casablanca

many of mountains releases were acquired from Heritage films and 8 mm distributor set up by British film director Peter Walker. many of whose features are available from Heritage/Mountain releases. If “Casablanca“ was released by Heritage before being passed on to Mountain maybe some of their prints are out there with extracts

[Brian Fretwell]

Yes that shop in Stroud Green Road was also called "The Chiltern Screen Company" all of my screen material came from there.

[Osi Osgood]

I am betting that Derann got ahold of this negative, as, this was re-released on LPP film stock, with a slightly sharper image. I have this, but I am surprised to hear about that extra footage! Thanks for making this post! I have seen a lot of these little 200fts, but didn't bother with them as I already had the "feature'.

[Joe McAllister]

I regret that I didn’t buy the 35mm level sync print of 'suspicion” that Mountain were about to release when they had to put up the shutters.
somebody used it or so it seems,as there were 8 mm copies around for a time