Yes, I like the whole idea of getting the feel of a movie like Casablanca into a modern context, but I can think of other fine movies that that could more easily make the jump to a modern context. How about Bad Day at Black Rock? Instead of a murdered Japanese American out there in the desert, you could have a murdered Muslim immigrant. Maudlin anti-American lefties would be weeping in their popcorn. Instead of Spencer Tracy coming home from WWII to deliver to the murdered immigrant the medal posthumously awarded to the immigrant’s son, killed in the war, you could have a Marine vet of the battle of Falujah on his way to deliver to that murdered Muslim a special award posthumously awarded to the Muslim’s son, an Iraqi translator horribly murdered during the battle. Us patriotic types would be cheering for the vet. Two other great movies that come to mind for updating are Watch on the Rhine and The Best Years of Our Lives, especially the latter.
