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By Britt Gillette
One of the greatest, and certainly one of the most quoted,
films in cinema history, Casablanca contains all the essential
elements of a Hollywood blockbuster: adventure, romance,
intrigue, suspense, and of course, evil Nazi bad guys (if you
doubt this last one as an essential element, then reference
the
success of the Indiana Jones films). With a director (Michael
Curtiz) and cast second to none, Casablanca makes a strong
case
for consideration as the best movie ever made. And although I
loath clichés, it is true that they just don’t make ‘em like
this one anymore…
Casablanca unfolds in a place called Rick’s, a popular
watering
hole in Vichey-controlled Morocco on the outskirts of Nazi
dominated Europe. An important travel hub, Casablanca plays
host to numerous colorful characters with any number of
varying
agendas. Arms dealers, spies, and revolutionaries walk
side-by-side through streets littered with pickpockets. But at
Rick’s, everyone seems to enjoy themselves. Owner Rick Blaine
(Humphrey Bogart) seems content with his life of serving
customers and making money, at least until the day she walks
in, Ilsa Lund (Ingrid Bergman), the love of Rick’s life.
Less than two years earlier, as the Nazis moved into Paris,
Rick and Ilsa fell in love. But in the act of fleeing the Nazi
advance, Ilsa sent Rick a note at the train station informing
him that she could not go with him. She offered no
explanation.
Now, she was appearing in his establishment with her husband,
fugitive and Nazi resistance leader Victor Laszlo.
As the hours pass, and the Nazis desperately search for Laszlo
in an attempt to cut off his escape, Rick learns the truth
about Ilsa and her reason for leaving. For the moment,
Laszlo’s
fate is in his hands. Since his days in Paris, Rick’s made a
habit of being practical, both in his business life and in his
personal life… But will Rick use his influence and connections
to help himself or Victor Laszlo? Will his idealism prevail
over his hardened pragmatism? The Third Reich is closing in,
and Rick must make a decision regarding Ilsa and Laszlo before
time runs out…
The recipient of widespread critical acclaim in the more than
six decades since its release, Casablanca is one of the few
films deemed as a “cinema classic” that actually lives up to
the mega-hype surrounding it. The set design, costumes, and
direction are absolutely flawless. The dialogue is superb.
Bogart and Bergman are perfect as the lovers torn apart, and
Claude Rains is unforgettable as Captain Renault. If you have
an aversion to pre-1980 movies or some other strange reason
for
missing out on this one, then I highly encourage you to watch
Casablanca. You won’t regret it.
About The Author: Britt Gillette is author of The DVD Report
(thedvdreport.blogspot.com), a blog where you can find
more reviews like this one.
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