This 1942 Michael Curtiz film is stone cold classic with a cast including Humphrey Bogart, Ingrid Bergman, Paul Henreid, Conrad Veidt, Peter Lorre, Sydney Greenstreet, Dooley Wilson and Claude Rains.
Plot: It’s Casablanca. Okay, Cynical American expatriate Rick Blaine (along with friend and pianist Sam) runs a cafe in french Morroco. The 3rd Reich is rampaging across europe and Casablanca is the city where so many are fleeing to get to Lisbon, from there, America. A legend of the resistance Victor Lazlo has arrived in Casablanca, very soon after Rick comes into possession of transit papers that will get anyone out of town, just as the Nazis arrive to find Lazlo. The problem becomes that Lazlo’s wife Elsa is the great love of Rick’s life. Now caught between the corrupt local police chief, a Nazi Major, a hero of the resistance and the woman who broke his heart, Rick has to decide to do what’s best for him, for the encroaching Nazis or for this heroic man who has the woman he loves.
In the end, he decides to do the right thing, give up the woman he loves, for the man who’s loved her longer and get back into the world, maybe do some good while he’s there.
Plot: It’s quoted so often, it’s cliched. “You played it for her, now play it for me.” “Here’s looking at you, kid.” and the whole final monologue. It’s a story about love and the nobility it moves us to, the sacrifices we make for others and the belief that the happiness of another is worth more than our own.
It’s not perfect, the staging is off at times, the pacing is weird to a modern audience and the dialogue is at times incredibly stilted, but there’s a charm here. Bogart oozes cool and charismatic as Rick and the plethora of jilted lovers is as plausible as anything. His act as a broken man is far more believable than his happy and in love one, but at the end, you can see the lover underneath the cynic. Honestly though, my favourite character in this, is Claude Rains’ police chief. He plays both sides of the fence, feathering his own nest, but it comes from a pragmatic place. He abuses his authority a little, but mostly to have some fun. His friendship with Rick is full of professional tension, but it has lots of genuine affection. He’s also responsible for my favourite exchange in the film.
“I am appalled to learn that there’s gambling in this establishment.”
“Here’s your winnings.”
“Thank you.”
How can you not love that?
It’s not a perfect film, but my fondness for it continues. 10/10
A Munky on Merseyside 