No idea for the actors. Someone who does honorable and frustrated well? Liam Neeson (too old?)? Zachary Quinto (a la Star Trek; too young?)

And then there are directors and plot to consider - would s/he make it darker? Same setting? Different war? Would they be crazy enough to do a different, but still fitting, ending?

The soundtrack would be epic, that is one thing I have no doubt of.

I wonder if it would look better in the new black and white digital, color, or color but limited color scheme?

I know. *sighs* At best, it would be a pale imitation. Although it would be nice to see a homage or two to such an amazing work of art (and there is no doubt of this, as shown from the amount of background you know - it's mind-blowing in the effort, emotion and life that went into it). Then again, it maybe that I also agree with you on an unconscious level - explaining why I've never seen anything that even looks like Casablanca (or have, and then calling it lackluster and cliche in comparison)

Also, I did not know about LeBeau escaping from France. Thanks for that tidbit. I really need to refresh my film history...