Casablanca (1942)

Casablanca (1942) – Classic Legendary Hollywood Film

Casablanca (1942) – 8.5/10 – Classic Legendary Hollywood Film

Casablanca (1942)

‘Casablanca’ is a Hollywood romantic drama classic and is considered one of the greatest films of all time. World War II has broken out across Europe, and France has fallen to Nazi Germany. Nazi Germany installs an independent Vichy France government across French territories as part of its transition plan. While neutral in name, the Vichy collaborate with the Nazis and do their bidding as a puppet government. Initially, the Nazis allowed the Vichy to have freedom within their territory as the Nazis tighten the leash. ‘Casablanca’ takes place in Morocco under the Vichy government, with the Nazis consolidating their power. American expatriate Rick Blaine (Humphrey Bogart) owns a nightclub, Rick’s Cafe Americain, in Casablanca. One day, his former lover, Ilsa Lund (Ingrid Bergman), walks through the door. Ilsa had ghosted Rick years earlier in Paris after an affair, and she appears with her husband, Victor Laszlo (Paul Henreid), a former Czechoslovakian resistance leader. Now, with the Nazis closing in, Victor and Ilsa are desperate to flee to America. Their only escape was in the hands of Rick, who held two letters for free passage out of Europe. However, Rick felt betrayed by Ilsa and unwilling to give the letters he intended to use for himself.

I watched this film many years ago and thought little of it—probably because I slept through most of it. I was meaning to rewatch it one day, and here it is. Casablanca is a spectacular, charming film as it attempts to bring together various themes in a clash over love. Rick represents cynicism, opportunism, and sentimentalism. Victor represents resistance and courage to stand up against evil. Ilsa is stuck in the middle, trying to choose between love (Rick) and duty (Victor). The chemistry between Bogart, Bergman, and Henreid is remarkable from the first scene to the last. The writing and witty dialogue lines are memorable and perhaps the best parts of the film. I can’t say enough about the direction, tight editing, and production that still shines after 82 years. The brilliant lighting and intricate scenes make you lose track of the fact it is film noir. The background music was also fitting for the emotions of the moment. I can’t think of any flaws except perhaps a couple of middle scenes that dragged.

A few interesting tidbits. Many of the extras in this film were European refugees who had fled the Nazis to America. The director, Michael Curtiz, kept Ingrid Bergman in the dark about who her character ends up with until the ending scene was filmed, reflecting the character’s own confusion to the audience. America was still neutral when the film was being made, but that didn’t stop Warner Brothers studio from making this film anti-Nazi. In fact, they refused to distribute their films in Nazi-occupied territories.

Would I recommend this? Yes. I would consider it a must-watch before you die. Bogart and Bergman are legendary actors and Casablanca shows why that is. It’s a beautiful film in not just the filming, but also the relationship between the characters.

silver
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