Review of Casablanca (1943) by Shahmeer H — 27 Dec 2013

Casablanca is hailed as one of the very best pictures of all time, hands down. A classic, a masterpiece, and a cinematic feat. Others call it the film that shows what true Old Hollywood was made of, showcasing Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman in a love story for the ages. There are only a few of these statements I disagree with, but the one I agree with most is the fact that Casablanca is true Old Hollywood movie magic. Sure, the acting was a bit off here and there, but the screenplay and direction were good, and the story was way ahead of its time. I wont go to lengths to call Casablanca one of the Best Pictures of all time, heck I don't even think it makes the top 100, but it sure is something that film students and movie buffs everywhere need to give a go. And I mostly recommend this film for anyone who hates "old movies" and won't give them a shot, becuase I can surely say that without movies like Casablanca, our cinemas would not be where they are now.

Casablanca is a drama film based in the capital city of Casablanca in Morocco. It is directed by Michael Curtiz and stars Humphrey Bogart, Ingrid Bergman, Claude Rains, and others. At the time of it's release, many thought Casablanca to be another every day Hollywood movie, but also gave it the Oscar for Best Picture. As time went on, Casablanca was viewed more and more, and was slowly hailed as one of the best films ever made, with some giving the film that title. Watching this film, I enjoyed the cinematography and the acting. The direction was a bit to speed up for some reason, and I got used to it, but it's something that leaves the film back in the time it was made. To most, the film is timeless, but for me, it has not aged well except for the acting and the screenwriting. The direction just needed polishing to be honest. The plot, though, was outstanding, for I thoroughly enjoyed the complex War issues going on with some great characters and story arches now and then. I really liked Rick Blaine, and Bogart plays the character so well, you feel as if Bogart was not even acting. The supporting cast was also good, with the only slight weak link being Paul Henreid, for his character was good, but he played him very boring. Other than that, I praise the acting and the entire cast, for their acting would still stand up today and prove to be very good. As the story becomes complex and the audience winds through this neutral zone of Casablanca, the audience learns more of each character with some great dialogue. At first, Casablanca's writing was not that compelling to me, but close to the end of the film when Claude Rains character says "Round up the usual suspects", I really appreciated how the dialogue in this movie has grown to become more and more used in not only every day film, but also in every day language. Casablanca's screenplay from it's story involving World War II to it's memorable dialogue to it's layered characters is one of the best screenplays I have ever seen before the sixties. Only the ending was disappointing, but other than that you can't help but appreciate the film's structure. But Casablanca is not all perfection. When I watched Casablanca, I still felt at times, though not most of the time, but at times that the movie was still a forties film. This was mostly due to the direction which was not as good as I hoped, but it kept the timeless vibe away from it. Not many mainstream movie goers today would go for a film like this. The black-and-white would cause them to be hesitant but it could be boring and a little abrupt at times. This bothers me, for I enjoyed the film, but the timeless sensation did not work for me. If anything, it's a good movie of the forties era, but would not hold up if thrown into theaters today.

Many will agree and many will disagree when I say that Casablanca is not one of the best films ever made. It's not even one of the best romantic films ever made, for I felt the story was to complex and to strong of a propaganda film that it takes away from the romance, although I still greatly enjoyed the plot structure. The characters and acting were good, the cinematography worked and the dialogue practically integrated itself into language that people use even now. The direction was simply not that high of standard, for the pacing was off and the timeless feel does not show itself to me. But in total, with everything from the first scene that showcases World War II propaganda to the last scene with the famous quote, Casablanca is a movie that film enthusiasts can appreciate, but not one the mainstream audience will find fully mesmerizing. I like to consider myself a little bit of both, as almost all film buffs are, and I found the film to be still a richly good one I can see myself going back to check out again in the far future. Hopefully time doesn't wear it out anymore than it had already, but I still think I will like it. 8/10.