When you hear the term “classic” to
describe a Hollywood film, there are only a handful of movies that come to mind
and one of them should definitely be director, Michael Curtis’s legendary movie, Casablanca .
The timeless film, starring Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman as former
lovers, Rick and Ilsa, during World War II, whose paths cross once again,
during unfortunate circumstances.
I actually own the DVD of this
unforgettable film, and having the opportunity to be apart of the Warner Bros.
blu-ray elite program, I get to catch this flick on a crystal clear screen, and
enjoy the beautiful sounds, especially when Sam (portrayed by Dooley Wilson)
plays the memorable song, As Time Goes By.
The character of Rick is a sullen,
lonely bar owner who comes alive at the sight of his one true love, Ilsa. The
audience learns early on that Rick and Ilsa had a passionate romance in France ,
and when events got worse, they decided to run away together. When it’s time to
meet at the train station to run away, Rick is left standing in the rain
reading a letter from Ilsa stating she can never see him again, no explanation
why. Until, one random occurrence in Morocco when Ilsa walks into Rick’s
‘gin joint’, Rick's Café Américain,
and a whole other war begins. Rick’s own personal war, as he is torn between
being with the woman he loves and knowing that he will be happy, and she won’t
or helping the woman he loves and her husband escape Casablanca to continue
their fight against the Nazis.
The storyline in this film is at times confusing, the characters discuss
‘letters of transit’ which allows the person who carries them, roam freely
through German-controlled Europe and Poland , but I didn’t quite
understand that the first time I watched. Also, a lot of the scenes that concentrate
on the war are somewhat difficult to comprehend. But, if you’re anything like
me, and purely enjoy the love and romance aspect of the film, you don’t have to
understand the war scenes.
The acting in this film is remarkable; Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman
have amazingly intense chemistry. The pair is beautifully loving and at the
same time heart wrenching. Bogart is great as the suave, confident Rick Blaine
who doesn’t ‘stick his neck out for nobody’ yet if you know how the film ends,
that is not true at all. Bergman is captivating as the vulnerable Ilsa who is
torn between two incredible men. The way she can shed tears during a scene is
heartbreaking and impressive. The passion and romance Bergman and Bogart share
is irreplaceable.
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