Casablanca (1942)
Director: Michael Curtiz
Starring: Humphrey Bogart, Ingrid Bergman, Paul Henreid
Synopsis:
The murder of German couriers bearing transit papers brings heat on an American expat's club in Casablanca, the last stop on the way to Lisbon.
Impressions:
This is one of the most well-regarded and beloved films in cinema history, and there are a number of ways you can approach it. You can just take it on a fairly surface level and enjoy it as a tragic romance wound into a political thriller. You can analyze it as wartime propaganda with some interesting objectives and limitations based on the times. You can see it as a pastiche of cliches and stereotypes that somehow comes together as a whole that's greater than its parts.
For me, the character dynamics are the most rewarding, even if it does get a little melodramatic at times. I also really love the setting, all the tension and maneuvering that goes on. The whole world at war comes together in this one place but everyone is on a tenuous leash to keep the situation from spiraling out of control. There's a nice interplay of cynicism and idealism that guides the story. For instance, Renault and Lazlo represent the poles of the kind of man Rick could be.
From large roles to small, the cast all does memorable work. To name a few, Humphrey Bogart seems tailor-made for the role of Rick, Ingrid Bergman does a good job of delivering Ilsa's conflicted nature, and Claude Rains is delightful as the slimy Renault. Some modern viewers might find some of the dialog a bit stilted, but there's a lot of great verbal jousting, jabs and feints in the dialog that are a lot of fun. The music is iconic as well, so all due credit to composer Max Steiner and Dooley Wilson every time he's on the piano.
If you only know the film through pop culture osmosis, parodies and imitations, you owe it to yourself to experience the real thing. Especially if you get yourself in the vibe of the times it was made, you're sure to have a very rewarding viewing experience. Unsurprisingly, I'm more than happy to give this my highest rating.
Rating:Treasure It