Review of Casablanca (1943) by Ben L — 07 Nov 2014

When a local theater is showing a film that is considered a classic of American cinema, and it's one you've actually never seen, and your wife also expresses interest in seeing it, it's kind of a no-brainer that I'm headed to the theater. The film starts off with a helpful narration to set the historical background of the movie, which was excellent especially for someone like me who barely made it through history in high school. After the intro we are gradually introduced to the cast of characters at Rick's Café Americain. The wit of the film is evident early as there is a lot of snappy banter between the staff and regular customers. Despite the older look of the film it does have a somewhat timeless feel, and tells a story that can impact audiences even today. The look of the movie is actually quite lovely. I particularly liked the contrasts of bright happy days when Rick was in love and the dark shadowed nights now that he is alone. Looking at the film 70 years later I could easily call the plot predictable or derivative, but then I'm reminded that this one actually came out long before all those other films and they actually borrowed from Casablanca. No wonder this is a classic, it's inspired countless war-time love stories, not to mention the number of famous quotes that have been carried down through the ages from this film.

For about the first half of the movie I thought for sure my favorite actor in the film was going to be Claude Rains. His portrayal of Captain Renault was so entertaining, as he had almost an aloof attitude towards the whole war, and was constantly quick with a joke. Then there was a shift and I jumped wholeheartedly on the Humphrey Bogart bandwagon. You see, early in the film he is very stony and standoffish. I started to wonder how he would ever pull off the love story that I knew was coming, and his initial interaction with Ingrid Bergman just cemented my opinion. However he pulled a complete 180 when they showed the scene with Rick and Sam alone in the bar. I was amazed how his guard came down, and my heart broke for him. From then on you find yourself completely sympathizing with Rick and smiling every time his heart shows through the tough exterior he puts on. Ingrid Bergman is absolutely lovely, even when faced with a number of long lingering close-ups. Her emotions were heartfelt for sure, and I believed she was genuinely struggling to know the right thing to do. I liked Dooley Wilson as Sam, too. He was a great sidekick for Rick, and sang well too. I can't mention every single actor, so I've focused on my favorites, but the whole cast was excellent. I particularly wish that Peter Lorre could have stuck around for longer.

What's most interesting about Casablanca is that it defies all categorization. It's not really a love story, although it contains a number of romantic elements; it's not really a war movie, although the entire plot is influenced by WWII; it's not a comedy, although it's got a number of funny lines. The movie refuses to be nailed down and just tells its story, one that should engage audiences even today. I said afterwards that Hollywood could never make a movie like this now. The entire story is built around dialogue. Very little action is done by the characters, because the bulk of the story is reliant on what they say when sitting at a table or on a couch. Yet I didn't feel one thing missing. I think my only complaint would be that this style of film can feel a bit slow to my over-stimulated mind. I could see a young audience being bored. Also it requires you to focus in constantly, because if you miss one line you could possibly miss out on the subtext of a scene later in the film. However these are minor nitpicks to what I found to be a wonderful experience. Casablanca is a classic for a reason, and I can see myself actually seeking out opportunities to watch it again. "I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship.".