CASABLANCA (1942)
A film by Michael Curtiz
Starring Humphrey Bogart (The Maltese Falcon), Ingrid Bergman, and Claude Rains
By now, this movie has transcended even film itself. I was a late bloomer: it was a long time until I saw Casablanca. Too bad, because when it was all said and done, I thought this really was the beginning of a beautiful friendship. If you are one of those extremely rare people who have never seen this gorgeously amazing film, go right now and rent it. Then watch it again. And again. And again. It's that good.
This, simply, is the best romance Hollywood has ever concocted. It just might be the best picture Hollywood has ever made. Alright, alright, I'm jumping ahead of myself. Let's start at the beginning. Rick Blaine (Humphrey Bogart) is a bar owner in Casablanca, a travel town in Morocco during WWII. It is controlled by the Vichy French Government, but Rick is usually given a free hand to do what he pleases. No one knows what fully goes on in Rick's place but Rick himself, as visas are sold, bribes are issued, and a whole host of other things go on. It is a normal night, with many many people trying to flee Casablanca to America. The plot centers around one of these people: Victor Laszlo, a French Resistance leader. He and his wife Elsa (Bergman) come to Casablanca to seek visas to America.
The catch? Elsa is an old flame of Rick. She used to date him, and they frequented a bar with a black piano player named Sam (the incomparable Dooley Wilson), who came with Rick to set up shop in Casablanca. Elsa dumped Rick on a rainy night in Paris, and Rick's heart has been stone-cold ever since. Rick holds two visas with him that could save the lives of the Laszlos, but he waits, for he feels he shouldn't give them to Laszlo at any price. Finally, after the pleas of Elsa, Rick concocts a plan to get her out of the country.
Bogart and Bergman are simply fabulous in their respective roles. Claude Rains playes police captain Louis Renault to absolute perfection. He is marvelously hilarious, sharing some memorable scenes with Bogart, especially the final scene. The direction is subtly perfect by Curtiz, and everything comes together marvelously. Nothing in this film goes wrong, and if it does, who cares? For all the inconsistencies in the script (fog in Morocco? visas that can't be rejected by the Nazis?), the lines are so good that they make up for it. "Play it again, Sam". That's what we want most of all. After all, "a kiss is just a kiss....as time goes by". The script ends up to be marvelous. This is as close to flawless as Hollywood will ever get.
How can you argue with Bogie? You can't. Watch Casablanca again. It'll be the start of a beautiful friendship.
RATING (out of 4): ****
Movie Reviews by Sridhar Prasad