Rating of
3.5/4
Casablanca review
Daniel Corleone - wrote on 09/19/11
Rick Blaine (Humphrey Bogart) owns Rick's Café Américain in Casablanca. He bumps into an old flame Norwegian Ilsa Lund (Ingrid Bergman) with her husband Victor Laszlo (Paul Henreid) who is a fugitive Czech Resistance leader that escaped from a Nazi camp. Captain Louis Renault (Claude Rains) is a friend of Rick’s and a corrupt official. Political tensions arise in the Café and Major Heinrich Strasser ensures that Laszlo doesn’t conduct any revolt against the German’s. The priceless "letters of transit" have been used to flee Ilsa and Victor. Some of the many memorable quotes that I enjoyed: Rick –"Maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow, but soon and for the rest of your life." Louis, I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship." Victor – “Apparently you think of me only as the leader of a cause. Well, I'm also a human being. Yes, I love her that much.”
One the best screenplays crafted for the big screen. Evidently one of the most quoted and recognized. The cinematography, soundtrack and performances were monumental. The only trepidations I had were the unlikable character if Ilsa trying to have an affair because of her yearning for Rick, pace of the story and how dated the film looks during the Paris flashbacks. Other than that, its plot was top notch and dialogues were well delivered by the artists. Its main protagonist is enough reason to watch this bona-fide classic. The drama, romance and humor were never forced, and the soundtrack used matches the mood on each scene. Topics ranging from sacrifice, morals, friendship, regret to trust, and the film’s figures symbolize all these without being too preachy. In the words of the humane Rick – “We all try. You succeed.” Casablanca has succeeded in being one of the greatest movies produced.
