One of the most iconic films ever made, Casablanca still hits all the right notes over 80 years later. With great storytelling, outstanding performances, and memorable lines, It's rightfully held in the same light as other classics such as Citizen Kane and The Godfather.
During the early events of WW2, cynical American Rick Blaine owns a nightclub in Casablanca, Morroco, a place that has attracted both refugees and Nazi officials. Rick finds himself reunited with Ilsa Lund, a former lover from his past. Ilsa's husband Victor Laszlo is a Czechosovok residence leader attempting to flee to America with Ilsa. With the Nazis closing in, Rick may be the only one who can help them both flee the Nazis to America.
Casablanca couldn't have come out at a better time. As the world was in the thick of WW2, it was an easy time to be a cynic and long for the better times in the past. This is the kind of message the film presents in the main character Rick Blaine. Rick presents himself as dispassioned and sarcastic after being part of the losing side on multiple occasions. He ran guns to Ethiopia and fought on the loyalist side during the Spanish Civil War. But most importantly he had his heart broken when living in France with what he thought was his soul mate in Ilsa. When the Germans begin their occupation in Paris, circumstances force Ilsa to flee without Rick, leaving him emotionally shattered. Humphrey Bogart brilliantly presents this all on screen with a timeless performance that has him playing at his greatest strengths. Igrid Bergman as Ilsa shines in more ways than her beutey. The sense of sadness in her at being reunited with her former lover is brought on by the happiness she truly had with him. It's a moving portrayal of a tragic love story and that's thanks to the chemistry between Bogart and Bergman.
The film is one of the best examples of a bittersweet story. The film's message of holding on to something even with the world crumbling around you is a story that many people are familiar with, and this is one of the best examples of it in action. Both Rick and IIsa long for the better days that they once shared, but as Ilsa puts it "With the world crumbling, we pick this time to fall in love". Even if Rick wants Ilsa back, he acknowledges bigger things are going on right now and sends Ilsa on the plane with her husband. As sad as that ending is for them, the two are still satisfied that they can look back at their time together in a positive light, "We'll always have Paris" as Rick famously puts it.
Watching Casablanca today truly feels like you are being transported in a way that few films can do. The story and imagery are so memorable that even if you haven't seen it, you are probably familiar with it. The film's final moments at the airport on a foggy night are so cemented in pop culture that it transcends the film itself. In the 80s they released are controversial colorised version of the film that was met with overwhelming backlash. It's easy to see why as the black and white plays a big part in giving this film its identity. I don't that the previously stated final sequence held up very well with color either.
Casablanca has truly cemented itself as an all-time classic. Anyone who loves the art form of film needs to watch this movie.
Comments