Humphrey Bogart had to wear platform shoes to play alongside Ingrid Bergman in “Casablanca” (1942) in order to compensate for the height disparity.
The difference in height between Bogart and Bergman changes throughout the film.
This is because Bergman was actually a few inches taller than Bogart, though to create the illusion that it was vice versa, director Michael Curtiz had Bogart stand on boxes and sit on pillows in some shots, or had Bergman slouch down (as evident when she sits on the couch in the “franc for your thoughts” scene).
Bogart’s wife Mayo Methot continually accused him of having an affair with Bergman, often confronting him in his dressing room before a shot.
Bogart would come onto the set in a rage. In fact, despite the undeniable on-screen chemistry between Bogart and Bergman, they hardly spoke, and the only time they bonded was when the two had lunch with Geraldine Fitzgerald. According to Fitzgerald, “The whole subject at lunch was how they could get out of that movie.
They thought the dialogue was ridiculous and the situations were unbelievable . . . I knew Bogart very well, and I think he wanted to join forces with Bergman, to make sure they both said the same things.” For whatever reasons, Bogart and Bergman rarely spoke after that.
Producer David O. Selznick, to whom Bergman was under contract, at first did not want to loan her out for the movie.
After he heard rumors that Sweden might become an ally of Germany, he was afraid that her career might be in danger because she was Swedish. He changed his mind and loaned her out before her image might get tainted.
“In Paris, when the picture came out, they weren’t too pleased with it.
They didn’t like the political point of view. The picture was taken off immediately and was never sold to television.
A while ago, it was brought in and opened in five theatres in Paris, as a new movie.
They had a big gala opening where I appeared and people were absolutely crazy about it.” (IMDb)
Happy Birthday, Ingrid Bergman!