Movie : Casablanca

Casablanca is the passageway refugees hope to find out of the WWll conflict and escape to America.  Passport visas are a hot item with all sorts of desperate people trying to obtain them.  They will pay any price and do almost anything to get them. This atmosphere breeds corruption at all levels including the local authorities.  Two Nazi officers are murdered and are robbed of two exit visas.  These become the hottest tickets in town.  Everyone wants them including the Nazis and a Czech resistance fighter and his wife.  The visas end up in an American club owner’s hands who now holds the fate of so many.  The wife of the Czech comes to the American asking for the Visas.  They know each other.  Years before she jilted him and disappeared leaving him messed up.  He is in no hurry to give them to her.  The hurt is still there. Along with this twist and many more we are stuck in Casablanca until this plays out.

CB caught this at an old repertory movie house.  They would show double bills of old films and more obscure off the radar movies.  Obviously I had heard of Casablanca.  I figured this film would be old and dated and maybe I’d get a little something out of it. Well I ended up getting “something” out of it.  I was swept away right from the start into Casablanca and the story.  Michael Curtiz uses everything at his disposal and takes advantage of it.  From the story,  cinematography (Arthur Edeson), to the performances.  Edseson catches so many cool shots.  He knows how to get a closeup.  The first shot of Rick (Bogart) playing chess with himself is a beauty and it also tells a story in itself.

So many great characters and because of that we get a smorg of great actors. Peter Lorre, Sydney Greenstreet, Paul Henreid, Conrad Viedt all shine.  So many memorable bit parts. Rains, Bergman and Bogart are made for each other. The relationships between them are full of such great moments. Ingrid Bergman as Ilsa is perfect casting.  She brings so much truth to the role. Beautiful.  Claude Rains for CB’s money just about steals the show.  His Captain Lois Renault is a favorite screen character and Rains brings him to life. The corrupt little bastard.  Humphrey Bogart is high up on CB’s favorite actor chart and he keeps himself there with his performance as Rick.  Lots of actors could have played this role but not like Bogart.  He hits on every note he plays.  Two things I wanted to do after watching this movie, have a smoke and open up a bar.

Turn the lights off, get comfortable, grab a beverage, a snack and jump into the world of Casablanca.  It’s worth a watch or two or three ….

“I’m not interested in revolution, I’m a saloon keeper”.