Casablanca

Rating:
Summary: Not my fave, but I cannot deny its magnificence!
Review:
There are a few films I enjoy watching more than "Casablanca", but I know of none that approach perfection better than this film (or its forever-linked rival "Citizen Kane") does. That doesn't mean its for everyone at any time, though. You wouldn't want to watch it in the midst of a big house party, for example. This is a film that requires attention, as this film exudes quality in every detail.

I'll try to describe things as succinctly as I can; I could ramble on about this film forever: Bogart in this film is the face of great cinema; Bergman is not so much sexy as she is a gorgeous, living statue; Paul Henreid gets unfairly criticized as being wooden, but I thought he played his part perfectly; he's the moral center of the film, a freedom fighter being hunted by nazis - no time for witty zingers. In fact, far from being naïve or emotionless, Henreid's powerful eyes convey untold amounts of feeling and persuasion throughout the film, he seems to know everything going on without making it plainly so.

The supporting cast easily ranks as one of the greatest ever assembled: Claude Rains is a joy to see and hear, despite his being a scoundrel; Sidney Greenstreet is likewise unforgettable as the big, smooth-talking (other-) café owner; Peter Lorre is as fun as ever to watch; Dooley Wilson seems like a great friend everyone should have; Conrad Veidt could have easily been a caricatured evil German officer, but keeps him human (though still very bad, of course). What lends the film even greater depth is that so many of the supporting/background characters fled the nazis themselves, which helps make the "marsellaise" scene so gripping and emotional.

Miraculously, the chaotic situation behind the scenes lead to an incredibly efficient, spot-on screenplay full of intensity, wit, and memorable lines, wrapped around themes of love, war, regret, sacrifice and honor. The music, of course, is legendary. Scene after scene, line after line, there is no way to find any fault with any part of this film.

Appropriately, the DVD transfer is awesome; it would look like a good transfer for a 1993 film, much less a 1943 film. I didn't hold up a magnifying glass to every little molecule, but I can't imagine the film looking any better. All of the extras are informative and fun, my favorite being Roger Ebert's entertaining commentary. The documentary about the film is none-too-shabby, either.

These two discs are the reason DVD's were invented.


Rating:
Summary: Play it again, Sam...and again and again
Review: I have been told that I am fascinated with a "mediocre" movie. I'm talking about Casablanca, the 1942 classic starring Humphrey Bogart (Rick Blaine), Ingrid Bergman (Ilsa Lund), Paul Henreid,(Victor Laszlo), Claude Rains (Captain Louis Renault).

Detractors may say what they will but Casablanca is a classic, a one of a kind gem, a happy collection of talent and circumstance that happens once in a life time.

Casablanca has at least this much in common with Shakespeare: much of the dialog has become a part of the language. Phrases like: "...here's lookin' at you, kid" and "I stick my neck out for nobody" have become a part of our heritage while "...round up the usual suspects" inspired a movie of its own. Likewise, Casablanca'swit would make Oscar Wilde proud. For example: "I don't mind a parasite; I object to a cut rate one." Also --Rick tells Renault that he came to Casablanca for the waters. Renault objects that Casablanca is in the desert. "I was misinformed", Rick replies. The most famous quote of all is one that was never uttered in Casablanca: "Play it again, Sam." The actual exchange was:

SAM: Leave him alone, Miss Ilsa. You're bad luck to him.

ILSA: (softly) Play it once, Sam, for old time's sake

SAM: I don't know what you mean, Miss Ilsa.

ILSA: Play it, Sam. Play "As Time Goes By."

And that brings up the music. It is the music --as much as the improbable cosmopolitan atmosphere, the smart white jackets and bow ties, the Nazi threat --that conjures up our nostalgia for a past we never knew and perhaps never was. As Time Goes By is not the only standard made timeless by its use in Casablanca. Sam is playing and singing <em>It Had to be You</em> as we enter Rick's Cafe Americain for the first time.

Still, critics will tell you Casablanca is a mediocre movie. Mostly notably, Humberto Eco [From: Signs of Life in the U.S.A.: Readings on Popular Culture for Writers, Sonia Maasik and Jack Solomon, eds. (Boston: Bedford Books, 1994) pp.260- 264] wrote: ". It is a comic strip, a hotch-potch, low on psychological credibility, and with little continuity in its dramatic effects."

Now having told us that it is mediocre Eco goes on to tell us why it is great: <ul>It opens in a place already magical in itself -- Morocco, the Exotic -- and begins with a hint of Arab music that fades into La Marseillaise. Then as we enter Rick's Place we hear Gershwin. Africa, France, America. At once a tangle of Eternal Archetypes comes into play. These are situations that have presided over stories throughout the ages. But usually to make a good story a single archetypal situation is enough. More than enough. Unhappy Love, for example, or Flight. But Casablanca is not satisfied with that: It uses them all. The city is the setting for a Passage.... The passage from the waiting room to the Promised Land requires a Magic Key, the visa. ...But eventually we discover that the Key can be obtained only through a Gift -- the gift of the visa, but also the gift Rick makes of his Desire by sacrificing himself For this is also the story of a round of Desires, only two of which are satisfied: that of Victor Laszlo, the purest of heroes, and that of the Bulgarian couple. All those whose passions are impure fail."</ul>
Eco's language is familiar to anyone who's read Joseph Campbell and so are the ideas influencing a generation of film makers --most notably George Lucas and Steven Speilberg. Quite simply, Casablanca speaks to us with the same force and with the same authority as the Arthurian Legends of whom Winston Churchill wrote: "If they are not true, they ought to be."

My own reasons for loving Casablanca are simpler but sufficient at least for me: I'm a sucker for <em>As Time Goes By</em>; I wanna take on and defeat the Nazi Reich whenever I hear the La Marseillaise; I can't look at Ingrid Bergman without falling in love.

What more do you want from mere celluloid?

Critics will always be held at bay by films like Casablanca. Pointing up its mediocrity they merely prove its lasting greatness. Someday you'll understand that. Not now. Maybe not tomorrow. But soon and for the rest of your life! Here's looking at you, kid.

Rating:
Summary: Why "Casablanca" seems boring to some reviewers . . .
Review: I went on Amazon.com the other day looking for the movie "Casablanca". I thought it would be interesting to take a look first at the lowest rated reviews for the movie. I mean, I thought "Who could possibly give it 1-star and why?" I was at first miffed to see several 1-star reviews stating that the movie was painfully boring and some even stated that they had to fast forward through it to get to the more "exciting" parts. But then on second thought, I'm not surprised at all. Please allow me to explain.

First let me say first that "Casablanca" is without doubt one of the great classics in American film making. It's a movie that has stood the test of time and one that I can watch any day of the week and know I'm going to enjoy it all over again. It is without question one of the top 20 Hollywood movies of the 20th century. But for some folks, it fails to please.

You see the "problem" with Casablanca is it lacks all of the features that makes today's modern movies "great". Let me elaborate. Perhaps it would have been better to have Bogie swear like a trooper throughout the movie, because, I mean, that's how people really talk isn't it? And folks want realism. Or perhaps if the director had only included a torrid bedroom scene between Bogie and Bergman with frontal nudity to kinda' spice things up a bit. That sure would have made it "exciting". Or perhaps they should have actually shown Capt. Renault (Claude Raines) having his way with a few of the local women in order to get their exit visas out of Casablanca. I mean to just loosely imply it is to miss out on a great bit of moviemaking. Or instead of just showing some feeble scuffle between the Peter Lorre character and the local police before he's arrested, why not have them chase him though the streets of Casablanca in some break-neck car chase scene, only to have his car catapult through the air and be killed in a deafening explosion and fireball. That surely would have made the movie 5-stars! And finally, at the end of the film, instead of having Bogie just shoot Major Strasser in some bloodless, antiseptic scene, they could have spiced it up a bit with lots of blood and splatter!!

My point in all of this sarcasm is that unlike today's films, "Casablanca" couldn't have shown any of those things nor did it need to. It relied on great acting, tight direction and a plot that actually made you think. And it did that extremely well. Unfortunately for some folks today to have to sit through two hours of actual meaningful dialogue without the ubiquitous chase scene, nudity, profanity and violence is too much for them to bear. That's boorrring, they say. In conclusion, I say "Casablanca" is one of greatest movies put on film for all the right reasons. It is a movie that Hollywood would never make today. Sadly, I think they have forgotten how.




Rating:
Summary: To criticize Casablanca...
Review: is, in one sentence, to completely misunderstand what the movies are all about, and have been since their inception. Of course it's a dramatic love story, one of 50 made that year, but it's not JUST that; it's indisputably one of the 3 best films ever made, end of story. It's got every ingredient that makes a great film great. To call it old-fashioned, or something that hasn't aged well, or out of touch, again, only serves to underscore your gross ignorance of cinema as a whole. Look up the word "timeless" in your dictionary. Then watch Casablanca again. Repeat the process until you get it.
And if you're fortunate enough to haven't seen it yet... Don't read about it first; just watch it!

Rating:
Summary: Perfection
Review: I really wanted to hate this movie. I hadn't seen it and didn't want to buy into the mythical hype around it. But I finally broke down, and to see it is to love it. It is beautifully written, skillfully shot and tenderly acted. If you're willing to lose yourself in the world of the film, there's no way you can't be swept to tears along with the luminous Ingrid Bergman in the final scene. A great example of what American film was and should be.

Rating:
Summary: TOO MUCH OVERRATED!!!!
Review: Im sorry for what im gonna say... dont kill me.
I think this is the most overrated film in history. Its just plain old boring drama.Its a movie that is planned to make u laugh, cry, suffer, so everyone has to like this film. They will find something and like it. And that guarantees its commercial success. But face it: its a love story like everyone else. Worst of it all, everybody tried to copy it and we were awarded with a lot of movies like this. That`s hell.
Look, american people ( not everyone, but many of you) think that they have the best cinema in the world. the "foreign movie" category at academy award proves it. It goes like saying "we are the best, but you can apply to that consolation prize". Sorry for being cruel, but have in mind that there are better movies and directors in this world. Dont watch casablanca: watch lolita.
Dont buy star wars ( though this one I like): buy 2001 a space odyssey. Dont go to When harry met sally, watch Band of outsiders by Jean Luc Godard. I`m not saying american movies are bad: you have the great Woody allen, Quentin Tarantino, Stanley Kubrick... I could go on and on. Juist have in mind that european films are also great (some are boring, some arent at all. just give them a try). Keep this in mind: did you believed anything that happened in casablanca? it too much acted. Watch JEan Luc Godard. HE inspired Tarantino. you`ll find out why

Rating:
Summary: Ageless Cinematic Masterpiece With Loads of Extras
Review: For the Warner Brothers wartime melodrama it was supposed to be, "Casablanca" feels so much more significant and multi-dimensional, a timeless movie that combines political espionage, romantic intrigue and a clever wit against the broader conflict between democracy and totalitarianism. This is illustrated most memorably by the dueling anthems scene where the German Nazi song "Die Wacht am Rhein" is drowned out by the French, who proudly and tearfully sing their anthem, "La Marseillaise". It's an unexpectedly powerful scene among so many wonderful moments, certainly enough to inspire Neil Simon to recycle it to comic effect in "The Cheap Detective", Peter Bogdanovich to send up another classic scene in "What's Up, Doc?" and Woody Allen to write "Play It Again, Sam" in tribute to the entire movie.

Director Michael Curtiz had a strong track record of success before "Casablanca" (consider "The Adventures of Robin Hood", "Angels with Dirty Faces" and "Yankee Doodle Dandy"), but this is clearly his career capper given the perfectly realized mix achieved of script, camerawork, music and cast. The screenplay written mostly by the Warners-bred Epstein brothers, Julius and Philip, along with Howard Koch, was apparently done in haste well after filming began, but you certainly can't tell from the seamless structure, memorable dialogue and plethora of classic lines. Arthur Edeson's striking cinematography and the legendary Max Steiner's musical score also contribute significantly. But of course, one needs to recognize the chemistry between two amazing legends, Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman. Bogart fully captures Rick's cynicism, sentimental interior and ever-hardening moral code in his individually charismatic fashion. Bergman is so glowingly beautiful and affecting as Ilsa that there is no question why Rick continues to pine over her. It is both a shame and something of a relief that they never co-starred with each other again, as there was next to no chance that they could ever top their teaming here. Warner Brothers regular Paul Henried plays Laszlo, the third corner of this romantic triangle with his continental manner grounded by his character's selfless patriotism. Surrounding them is the best of the Warner Brothers backlot of character actors: Sydney Greenstreet as rival proprietor Senor Ferrari, Peter Lorre as a slimy black market dealer, Conrad Veidt as Gestapo commander Major Strasser, S.Z. "Cuddles" Sakall as the genial German headwaiter, and in particular, Claude Rains as the fey and amusingly corruptible chief-of-police Louis Renault. And of course, there is Dooley Wilson, who effectively plays piano-playing Sam and sings "As Time Goes By" with the perfect sense of nostalgic languor. It is pointless to go further into plot details as the story flows so flawlessly from Rick's Café Americain through a romantic haze of a flashback in Paris to its inevitable conclusion, which ironically was not so inevitable until the last minute. The ambiguity during filming probably added to the romantic tension since Bergman did not know with which leading man Ilsa was going to run off. Such is the stuff of Hollywood lore, and none, with the possible competition of "Gone With the Wind", seems to have as much of it as "Casablanca".

The two-disc special edition package contains plenty of extras, some great, others disposable. The audio commentaries by film critic Roger Ebert and film historian Rudy Behlmer are interesting for the individual perspectives both bring, though I kept wishing there was a survivor from the original production to provide authentic remembrances. On the second disc, the centerpiece is an 86-minute documentary (produced in 1988) recounting Bogart's career in surprising and often fascinating detail and hosted by a still striking-looking Lauren Bacall. There are some interesting bits like alternate takes of "The Big Sleep" and home movies taken during the filming of "The African Queen". There is another half-hour documentary, also interesting and again narrated off-screen by Bacall, on the actual making of "Casablanca". The extra disc also includes an abbreviated radio version of the movie from 1943 with the three stars, a fitfully funny Bugs Bunny-Daffy Duck cartoon takeoff called "Carrotblanca", and a couple of intriguing deleted scenes from the actual movie, sadly without sound. The accompanying outtakes are hardly worth sitting through save for one priceless reaction shot of Bogart as he sits at the bar. There is yet a third documentary, not nearly as interesting as the other two but thankfully brief at seven minutes, which focuses solely on the scripted remembrances of Bogart and Bacall's son, Stephen, and Bergman's daughter, Pia Lindstrom. And certainly the most disposable extra is a rather worthless version of "Casablanca" taken from a TV series in the 1950's, which ends with an incongruous commercial for a GE iron. Regardless, this is a great package for a true classic and an essential addition to anyone's DVD collection.