IA #80: Algiers (1938)

 Algiers (1938) on IMDb

Charles Boyer stars as French jewel thief Pepe Le Moko hiding out in the immense Casbah, or “native quarter”, in Algiers. Hedy Lamarr plays a beautiful French visitor who makes the thief consider leaving his new home, to the displeasure of his Algerian mistress, played by Sigrid Gurie. Boyer was nominated for a Best Actor Oscar for his performance.

Algiers must have made a big impression at the time. The line “Come with me to ze Casbah” was never spoken, but impressionists used it for Boyer as they would use the equally apocryphal “Play it again, Sam” for Humphrey Bogart. Looney Tunes character Pepé Le Pew was a parody of Boyer’s role. And now here is the original in the Internet Archive Top 100.