Casablanca

A series of film reviews, spending some time poring over some of my old favourites and sharing it with the world, what better place to start than the ultimate Wartime Drama, the film that is remembered even today for its incredible cast, script and how well everything sits together.  Casablanca shows us the Hollywood studio system in full swing; Casablanca shows us a timeless cliched old story in what was a staggering poignant contemporary light.  There are no rolling mountains and vastly extravagant shots, Casablanca is a film that plays out through a narrow window, we are part of the scene and part of the experience, it draws us into its world and most of us never tire of visiting her like an old family Photo Album.  Casablanca will be around as long as humanity recognises raw beauty, both the physical and the mental, she is a treat to our eyes.

That's enough sentimental nonsense and lets talk Casablanca.

The plot to Casablanca is the stuff of legend these days but for those of you who aren't sure there won't be any major spoilers in this blog, although truth be told the term spoiler isn't all that appropriate in any case, as this is not a film I have ever found a way to spoil.  Rick (Bogart) is a cynical bar owner in Casablanca (a city in the French possession of Morocco) during the second world war.  Rick's life is turned upside down when the love of his life Ilsa (Bergman) turns up in his bar fleeing the Nazi's with her husband Victor, whom Rick never knew she had.  Fate conspires that Rick has something that Ilsa and Victor need and from there a tale of love, greed and passion plays out before our eyes.  Accompanying us on our journey are the customers of Ricks bar, the staff and the local law officials.

This brief synopsis opens the book on the first thing which I really love about this film, the characters are excellent, even the minor roles are played by established actors of their time and each character gets at least one great moment.  Everyone is on their A game from Casablanca from Bogie and Bergman all the way down to a delightfully horrible Peter Lorre and the subtly arrogant Sydney Greenstreet.  The only actor who gets anywhere close to not delivering his best is Paul Henreid who puts in a slightly wooden turn, but as Henreid plays Victor the character who keeps Bogie and Bergman apart it feels right that Victor is not a particularly likable character which is ironic because truly he is the one character in the film with a truly moral purpose.

At the end of the day the sizzle between Bogie and Bergman is the glue that holds everything together.  From their first scene together to the final dance of their romance both actors put in the best performance of their career as well as one of cinemas greatest partnerships.  Both characters are brilliantly played in their own right but it is when they are together that they each take on another level, as they dissolve and let the romance create one from the two of them.

Casablanca gives us some of the finest lines in cinematic history, the script never feels forced and the plot keeps the characters where they need to be with no fluff at the edges.  We are treated to some of the most iconic lines in cinema history: "Round up the usual suspects", "Of all the gin joints..." and of course "Here's looking at you kid".

Casablanca will give millions more the thrill of the perfect picture, it is a screenshot of life, of love and of honour; it is perhaps the studio systems finest hour and we will love her forever.