Casablanca (Snap Case)
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Movie Reviews of Casablanca (Snap Case)
Movie Review: Perfect Movie...Pristeen DVD
Summary: 5 Stars
CASABLANCA....The name alone conjurs up visions of World War II, Clandestine meetings, Romance and Exotic places.This film has all that and more. To sum up this wonderful story(I'm so thrilled about the DVD I want to get to that too), it is the eve of WWII, the Nazi's are moving their way across Europe, forcing thousands to flee. Many find their way to Casablanca, Morroco, which is under French rule and as of yet is unoccupied by the Nazi's. Most are looking for exit Visa's to get to America but it is easier said then done. Victor Laszlo(Paul Henreid)and his wife Ilsa(Ingrid Bergman)are among those people and it's harder for him then most. He is on the Nazi's most wanted list for leading the Czech Resistance. Rick Blaine(Humphrey Bogart)is his best hope.
Rick, American ex-patriot,doesnt stick his neck out for anybody, until he sees Ilsa. His old flame, that mysteriously left him in Paris,("We'll always have Paris"). Rick still feels the sting of that day,but as Ilsa's story unfolds he does stick his neck out for both Ilsa and Victor to help them get away, even though he loves her still.
This movie has some unforgetable music. including "As Time Goes By",("Play it Sam") and some unforgetable characters. Included in this marvelous cast are Claude Rains, ("Louie, I think this is the start of a beautiful freindship"), Peter Lorre,Conrad Veidt and Sydney Greenstreet. And don't forgot all the unforgetable lines, I've tried to mention a few here. It was directed by Michael Curtiz, and won the academy award for best picture of 1943.
The DVD(Warner Bros) is a Pristeen transfer. The black and white cinematography with all it's shadows and lights that make film noir so dramatic is crisp and clear.I saw no signs of the age of this film. Ingrid's eyes sparkle as much as her diamond earings.The sound is perfect. The disc includes a documentary hosted by Lauren Bacall with commentary by various people involved with the film. There are theatrical trailers for this and other film noirs and there are English and French subtitles for those in need of it.
"Here's looking at you
also available in 3-pack of oscar greats:Best Picture Collection - Epic Dramas (Casablanca/Gone With the Wind/Ben-Hur)
Movie Review: Everyone Comes to Rick's
Summary: 5 Stars
"Casablanca" is widely considered the classic romantic movie of all time. Its themes of love and personal responsibility are timeless. Its simple, straight-forward storyline has enthralled moviegoers for over half a century.
In the French North Africa of 1942, Rick Blaine, a cynical Amercian expatriate with a shadowy past (played by Humphrey Bogart) runs the most popular bar in the City of Casablanca. Casablanca's administrators are under the thumb of the Nazi regime that occupied France in 1940. On the run from the Nazis come a resistance leader named Victor (played by Paul Hanreid) and his wife Ilsa (played by Ingrid Bergman). Ilsa is Rick's ex-lover from Paris, just before the war. The two fugitives seek safe passage to America, a passage they can only obtain from Rick Blaine.
The world-weary Rick is disinclined to stick his neck out to assist the two fugitives, but Ilsa pays him a nocturnal visit to renew old acquintances. She finds to her surprise that she still loves Rick and he her. She abandons herself to his judgement with respect to her future with him and the fate of her husband. Rick is left to choose between the love of his life and the fate of a resistance leader who may be crucial to the defeat of the Nazis, a defeat not yet visible in the dark days of 1942. His dilemma is at the heart of this movie's enduring appeal, as Rick must balance love with personal responsibility for a larger fate.
The movie is populated with an excellent and well-sketched cast of supporting players: a corrupt French Police Chief with a heart of gold who is Rick's best friend in Casablanca; Sam the Piano Player, who renders the classic song "As Time Goes by" to a grieving Rick Blaine; Peter Lorre as an unlucky pickpocket, and Sidney Greenstreet as a seedy deal-maker.
Among the classic moments in the movie are Victor leading the patrons of Rick's Bar in drowning out a group of obnoxious Nazi officers with a rousing rendition of the French national anthem; Rick ordering "play it, Sam" when Sam is reluctant to play Ilsa's favorite tune; and the goodbye scene at the airport, where Rick makes his dramatic choice and must live with the consequences.
This movie is most highly recommended to anyone with an interest in a truly classic, and entertaining, movie.
Movie Review: As close to perfect as a film can get...
Summary: 5 Stars
One of the greatest, and certainly one of the most quoted, films in cinema history, Casablanca brings all the essential elements to the big screen - adventure, romance, intrigue, suspense, and of course, evil Nazi bad guys (if you doubt this last one as an essential element, then reference the success of the Indiana Jones films). With a director and cast second to none, Casablanca makes a strong case for consideration as the best movie ever made - cementing its status as a must-see film.
The story begins in a place called Rick's, a popular watering hole in Vichey controlled Morocco on the outskirts of Nazi dominated Europe. An important travel hub, Casablanca plays host to innumerable colorful characters with any number of varying agendas. Arms dealers, spies, and revolutionaries walk side-by-side through streets littered with pickpockets. But at Rick's, everyone seems to enjoy themselves. Owner Rick Blaine (Humphrey Bogart) seems content with his life of serving customers and making money until she walks in - Ilsa Lund (Ingrid Bergman), the love of his life.
A couple of years earlier, as the Nazis moved into Paris, Rick and Ilsa fell in love. But in the act of fleeing the Nazi advance, Ilsa sent Rick a note at the train station informing him that she could not go with him. She offered no explanation. Now, she was appearing in his establishment with her husband - fugitive and Nazi resistance leader Victor Laszlo.
As the hours unfold, and the Nazis search for Laszlo in an attempt to cut off his escape, Rick learns the whole story. When he met Ilsa in Paris she was married to Laszlo, but she thought he was dead - a victim of the Nazi regime. But before she could flee Paris with Rick, she learned that her husband had escaped a Nazi concentration camp. She stayed behind to care for him.
Needing help to aid her husband's escape to the United States, Ilsa appeals to Rick. It is clear that they still love each other. But will Rick use his influence and connections to help himself and Ilsa or Victor Laszlo? Will his idealism prevail over his hard pragmatism? The Third Reich is closing in on Victor Laszlo and only Rick can save him...
The DVD Report
Movie Review: Study at Rick's School of Management and Behavioral Science
Summary: 5 Stars
For me, the intriguing story of _Casablanca_ is not the story of Rick and Ilsa trapped between the reality of their present and the memory of their past. No, the truly interesting story of _Casablanca_ is that which is revealed in the DVD's supplementary documentary, _You Must Remember This_. The creation of this true work of art in an environment dedicated to the mass production of films gives hope to every artist who's had to perform commercially. Indeed, one almost comes away from a behind-the-scenes exploration of _Casablanca_ with an actual appreciation of the way in which deadlines and pressure can help the artist make a better product.
_You Must Remember This_ is thus useful for its display of the whole "studio system" era in Hollywood. It gives a good glimpse into that time and could serve as a useful jumping-off point to anyone seriously studying the subject.
Likewise, the way in which the film's producers and director led the project is a fascinating exploration of management science. The film became legendary, I think, because the people at the top allowed great flexibility for those they led, and weren't afraid to play around with ideas offered even on the studio floor. I think MBA candidates would do well to look at the way this film was put together for enlightenment.
Still, I can't resist talking about the film itself. For me _Casablanca_ is the legend I return to in my own mind whenever there are romantic crises in my life. I think that part of the reason that this movie has survived is because it offers a unique perspective on romantic disappointment. Instead of concluding with scorn or hatred of partners who've left one hanging, it says that people can have noble reasons for causing pain. It also says that ultimately pain is eased when one achieves understanding of the other person. I'm not sure that any major American film gives such a positive spin to heartbreak as this one.
It's thus not at all hard for me to recommend the DVD version of this product, for the excellent supplementary documentary alone, and the movie itself, for the surprising values it discovers in the heart of a morally ambiguous Morocco.
Movie Review: Most Enjoyable American Movie of All Time
Summary: 5 Stars
The turn of the century produced a lot of lists including "Best Movies". I noted that "Casablanca" ranked right up there with the best American movies of all-time. Many would argue that it is the BEST movie of all time. I certainly have in in my top-ten because it is one of those classics where everything came together just right. The acting is superb and there is a great chemistry between the main characters. The story-line was exciting, believable, and emotional. The audience is drawn into the emotion and no one but the hardest boiled eggs among us gets away without a heart-warming or heart-breaking reaction. The directing is great, the music is memorable, the supporting actors terrific...what else am I missing? It has it all. For some the message may be diluted somewhat by time but most of us know from hindsight that this movie takes places in a time of upheaval. Lives are at stake. The casino setting is an excellent metaphor for the twists of fate that have affected so many in this corner of the world. Into this crossroads of humanity come two former lovers who meet unexpectedly. Their lives have changed since they parted but their love was strong. What will happen now that they meet again? This mixture of romance and adventure makes "Casablanca" a movie for everyone.
The greatness of "Casablanca" might be best appreciated by speculating on what if the movie HAD been made with Ronald Reagan instead of Humphrey Bogart. That was supposedly the person the studio initially had in mind for the role of Rick. Opinions vary on Reagan as President but as an actor he was strictly "B movie" quality. Make that change or any other of a number of possible changes in the acting, the script, the directing etc. and you would end up with a lesser movie. That is why "Casablanca" is so loved even after all these years. It works so well because everything came together just right. If you have not seen this movie, you must do so. I recommend that you watch it with your spouse or significant other. You'll probably always remember the night that you did.