AFI 100 years, 100 _____ tributes: Passions (#1); Movies (#2); Songs (#2, As Time Goes By); Heros & Villains (#4, Hero Rick Blaine); Quotes (#5); Quotes (#20; "Louis, I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship."); Quotes (#28; "Play it, Sam, Play 'As Time Goes By.'"); Quotes (#32; "Round up the usual suspects."); Thrills (#37); Quotes (#43; "We'll always have Paris."); Quotes (#67; "Of all the gin joints in all the towns in all the world, she walks into mine.")
Runtime: 1h 42min
AFI Quote #5: "Here's lookin' at you, kid." - Rick Blaine
Rick Blaine (Humphrey Bogart) is an exiled American and former freedom fighter. Living in war-torn WW II Casablanca, Rick runs the most popular nightspot in Casablanca, Ricks Caf� Am�ricain.
A friend of Rick's comes to him one day and asks him to hold on to something very valuable: two letters of transit.
When nazi Major Strasser arrives in Casablanca, the sycophantic police Captain Renault (Claude Rains) does what he can to please him, including detaining one Victor Laszlo (Paul Henreid), resistance fighter.
The same day, much to Rick's surprise, his piano player, Sam, begins to play a song forbidden to be played around Rick's ears. The song is, As Time Goes By. Rick knows instantly who requested the song.
Victor Lazslo arrives in Casablanca with Ilsa (Ingrid Bergman), Rick's one time love. Rick is very bitter towards Ilsa, who ran out on him in Paris. However Rick learns she had good reason to leave him. Together again, after all that time, Rick and Ilsa fall in love all over again. And so, they plan to run off again using the letters of transit...
This has to be the greatest movie of all time. Just look at the AFI's rankings at the top of the page. Of the nine lists the AFI did (Movies, Stars, Laughs, Thrills, Passions, Heros & Villians, Songs, Quotes, Film Scores), Casablanca made the list eleven times in six lists. (It failed to make it for Laughs, which is understandable; for Stars where it wasn't eligable), and for Film Scores.) Out of those eleven times, five times it placed in the top five, thrice in the top 2, and had six quotes make the Quotes list! Pretty good for a movie that was expected to flop.
Based on the play Everybody comes to Rick's, Casablanca was a made as a "B" movie with "A" list actors. In those days, studios made a movie a week, never knowing if the movie would flop or be a hit, but just to make money. Usually the big movies with big stars got special treatment. Casablanca, however, prooved to be something of a diamond in the rough. It won 8 Oscar nominations and three trophies including best picture (and deservedly so).
The English language quote book grew heavily after the release of Casablanca. Classic quotes include:
"Here's lookin at you, kid."
"Round up the usual suspects."
"Louie, this could be the start of a beautiful friendship."
"Of all the gin joints in all the towns in all the world... she walks into mine."
And the most well-known of them all: "Play it, Sam. For old time sake."
These quotes entered the English lexicon years ago and have stayed with us ever since. If you ask anyone where even one of these wuotes came from, they could probably tell you. It is a tribute to great writing by great writers. There is no better feeling to a writer than when a something you've written becomes part of our culture so steadfastly like the quotes from Casablanca.
But why did a film like Casablanca become a classic and one of the best films of all time? Was it the sharp dialogue? It's plethora of memorable qutoes? Was it the memorable performances? The great supporting cast? who can really say?
The fact is, Warner Bros. didn't know what they had on their hands when they produced this diamond in the rough. Perhaps because they didn't know made all the difference.
I loved the idea of Casablanca. Two Lovers meet each other in another part of the world but know that they cannot be together because of previous commitments to other people. The 2003 best picture nominee Lost in Translation was based in part on Casablanca.
However, Casablanca is set in a desert locale and there is a wonderful set of supporting characters who all help to the story as good as it is.
Whereas Lost in Translation developed a relationship between the two Americans, in Casablanca Rick and Ilsa already had a past relationship. The twist in these stories is that no matter how much the two people want to be toghter, they know they can't be together, and never end up together. Had Ilsa stayed in Bogey's arms, or had Bogey Left with Ilsa, the story would be just your average "romantic" film where the guy gets the girl. The nazi's win a small victory and the film ends.
The great aspect of Lost in Translation or Casablanca is that they both buck the norm of guy gets girl. A wonderful twsit like this doesn't appear to often, but when it does, is a nice treat.
Plot: 
What can you say about Casablanca? The story is perfect: a love triangle set in French Morrocco against the backdrop of nazis and WW2. The supporting characters help to make this a wonderful story.
Visual Effects:
There are a few special effects shots, and they work well, too. Remember, the special effects are from the 1940's and were sta-of-the-art for their day. This catagory was given 3� stars, but the movie is so good that it's plot and character development make up for this ten-fold.
Sound:
The song "As Time Goes By" was voted #4 all time, and for good reason. It is a wonderful song that sets the tone for the whole movie.
The score is ectionally well done. The different melodies help se tthe tones for each respective scene. When ever entering a new scene in a film, mood-setting music always helps you ease into the plot. Casablanca does a great job of this.
Character Development:
We know that Ilsa and Rick love each other, but once the meet they realize that they can't have each other again. As the plot thickens, so do the characters: will Rick leave with Ilsa? Will Laszlo leave with Ilsa? It isn't decided until the bitter end of the film.
Atmosphere:
This is one of the easiest movies to get into. It is not really a war picture, but here are nazis in it. The focus isn't on the war, but a side bar to the war. If you like Bogey, you'll love this picture. Even if you don't, you'll love it anyway.
Realism:
A nice change to the "always get the girl" Hollywood motif.
Warren�s Rating:
Movies it beat out for Best Picture:
For Whom the Bell Tolls, (1943); Heaven Can Wait, (1943); The Human Comedy, (1943); In Which We Serve, (1942); Madame Curie, (1943); The More the Merrier, (1943); The Ox-Bow Incident, (1943); The Song of Bernadette, (1943); Watch on the Rhine, (1943)
10/10Is the movie worth your time to watch?
20-11-04
