Casablanca (A or 4/4 stars)
The year: 1943. The movie: 'Casablanca' -- a classic, through & through. I've seen the film several times, but just watched it again last night and felt compelled put my thoughts down. Set in still-unoccupied French Morocco in the early yrs. of WWII, 'Casablanca' (directed by Michael Curtiz) follows hard-boiled nightclub owner/American expatriate Rick Blaine (Humphrey Bogart, at his all-time best), who slyly agrees to hide some stolen (& highly coveted) transit letters/exit visas, which are used to by refugees to leave Morocco & escape from the Nazis; who are swarming all over the exotic city. What's-in-it-for-me Police Capt. Renault (the always enjoyable Claude Rains) & Nazi Maj. Strasser are tipped-off that Rick might have said letters and, they put some solid pressure on him. Strasser also happens to be hunting Czechoslovakian escaped-from-a-German-concentration-camp resistance leader Victor Laszlo (the dashing Paul Henreid), who arrives at Rick's Cafe Americain with beautiful blonde Ilsa Lund (a stunning Ingrid Bergman) on his arm.
We quickly learn that Rick & Ilsa have an amorous history. In truth, Rick is still deeply angry at Ilsa for leaving him after a tryst they'd enjoyed some time ago in Paris. All was swell, but when the Germans invaded, she abandoned him (and the city) with no explanation. Rick, still madly in love with Ilsa (and she still in love with him), now faces quite the dilemma: While he may be a misanthrope, Rick is a good guy beneath his hard exterior. So. Will he use the 2 exit visas to whisk Ilsa away from Casablanca with him, or will he 'do the right thing' by giving them to Ilsa & Victor? If Victor is free, he can continue to fight fascism. What ensues is a fantastic story of love, regrets, sacrifice, betrayal, escapes and, of course, the most memorable airport tarmac scene in cinematic history.
'Casablanca' is one of the most famous & revered Hollywood movies of all time; capturing a tumultuous time in a fascinating place with such intelligent writing, brilliant direction, & superb acting. The performances by Bogie & Bergman are subtle, complex, & come across as wholly believable. As characters, Rick & Ilsa lead complicated lives with tough, life-&-death choices to make. Rick & Ilsa's relationship is truly romantic. The chemistry btwn. them is palpable; perhaps, the strongest onscreen chemistry of all. Bogart creates Rick as the kind of man who's cynical & tough on the outside, but a real mush on the inside. And Ingrid Bergman lets us see on her face just how much she's keeping her love for Rick suppressed. Their scenes together in the Paris flashbacks are wonderful, but the heartache we see them inhabit in the Morocco scenes are AS integral to showing their love for one another. Paul Henried is excellent as the stoic Victor. Claude Rains reels off his witty dialogues and asides with expertise aplomb. And fun supporting turns by Pete Lorre, Sydney Greenstreet & Dooley Wilson (as Rick's longtime piano-playing pal, Sam) are necessary in showing the kaleidoscope of characters that wander in & out of the multi-faceted storyline.
Speaking of Sam, his interaction(s) with Bogie includes one of cinema's most revered lines of dialogue. i.e., "Play it once, Sam … for old times' sake. Play it, Sam. Play As Time Goes By". The script also includes such gems as: "Of all the gin joints, in all the towns, in all the world, she walks into mine"; "Kiss me. Kiss me as if it were the last time"; "Round up the usual suspect"; and "...here's looking at you kid". The Academy-Award winning screenplay is rich & complex (about a society desperately clinging onto values that disappear during wartime) with memorable dialogue that just flows from the characters' mouths. 'Casablanca' is also impactful with its visuals - the exotic marketplace, the crowded cafe, the crisp costumes, the use of shadows, the final fog-laden airport scene ... all amazing. Also amazing is Casablanca's musical score which blasts through the speakers in the opening credits; almost as if to say, you're in for a real juicy motion picture experience. But then, the score also settles down & creates a distinctly romantic mood for several pivotal moments -- just brilliant. Ah, what more can I say? 'Casablanca' blends a turbulent love story with harrowing intrigue, heroes, villains, & genuine sentiment; all of which makes it a truly iconic work of art.
We quickly learn that Rick & Ilsa have an amorous history. In truth, Rick is still deeply angry at Ilsa for leaving him after a tryst they'd enjoyed some time ago in Paris. All was swell, but when the Germans invaded, she abandoned him (and the city) with no explanation. Rick, still madly in love with Ilsa (and she still in love with him), now faces quite the dilemma: While he may be a misanthrope, Rick is a good guy beneath his hard exterior. So. Will he use the 2 exit visas to whisk Ilsa away from Casablanca with him, or will he 'do the right thing' by giving them to Ilsa & Victor? If Victor is free, he can continue to fight fascism. What ensues is a fantastic story of love, regrets, sacrifice, betrayal, escapes and, of course, the most memorable airport tarmac scene in cinematic history.
'Casablanca' is one of the most famous & revered Hollywood movies of all time; capturing a tumultuous time in a fascinating place with such intelligent writing, brilliant direction, & superb acting. The performances by Bogie & Bergman are subtle, complex, & come across as wholly believable. As characters, Rick & Ilsa lead complicated lives with tough, life-&-death choices to make. Rick & Ilsa's relationship is truly romantic. The chemistry btwn. them is palpable; perhaps, the strongest onscreen chemistry of all. Bogart creates Rick as the kind of man who's cynical & tough on the outside, but a real mush on the inside. And Ingrid Bergman lets us see on her face just how much she's keeping her love for Rick suppressed. Their scenes together in the Paris flashbacks are wonderful, but the heartache we see them inhabit in the Morocco scenes are AS integral to showing their love for one another. Paul Henried is excellent as the stoic Victor. Claude Rains reels off his witty dialogues and asides with expertise aplomb. And fun supporting turns by Pete Lorre, Sydney Greenstreet & Dooley Wilson (as Rick's longtime piano-playing pal, Sam) are necessary in showing the kaleidoscope of characters that wander in & out of the multi-faceted storyline.
Speaking of Sam, his interaction(s) with Bogie includes one of cinema's most revered lines of dialogue. i.e., "Play it once, Sam … for old times' sake. Play it, Sam. Play As Time Goes By". The script also includes such gems as: "Of all the gin joints, in all the towns, in all the world, she walks into mine"; "Kiss me. Kiss me as if it were the last time"; "Round up the usual suspect"; and "...here's looking at you kid". The Academy-Award winning screenplay is rich & complex (about a society desperately clinging onto values that disappear during wartime) with memorable dialogue that just flows from the characters' mouths. 'Casablanca' is also impactful with its visuals - the exotic marketplace, the crowded cafe, the crisp costumes, the use of shadows, the final fog-laden airport scene ... all amazing. Also amazing is Casablanca's musical score which blasts through the speakers in the opening credits; almost as if to say, you're in for a real juicy motion picture experience. But then, the score also settles down & creates a distinctly romantic mood for several pivotal moments -- just brilliant. Ah, what more can I say? 'Casablanca' blends a turbulent love story with harrowing intrigue, heroes, villains, & genuine sentiment; all of which makes it a truly iconic work of art.