Movie Review: Casablanca (1942)

Casablanca (1942) directed by Michael Curtiz

Refugees from all over Europe flee the Nazi advance, coming to Casablanca with the hope to continue on to Lisbon and then on to the Americas. Casablanca is hard to get to and even harder to get out of. Officially it's still Free French but the Germans have a strong influence on the local French government, especially Captain Renault (Claude Rains). The situation becomes more intense when two German bureaucrats, who had open letters of transit (which are basically "get out of Casablanca free" cards), are killed. The letters are worth a lot, maybe even more than money can buy. Ugarte (Peter Lorre) has the letters and plans to sell them to Victor Laslo (Paul Henried) and his traveling companion Ilsa Lund (Ingrid Bergman). Ugarte is arrested in Rick's Cafe Americain, a local nightclub and gambling joint run by Rick Blane (Humphrey Bogart). Ugarte was wily enough to have Rick hide the letters. Rick is tough as nails and quite callous, not helping Ugarte who begs for help. When Victor and Ilsa show up after the arrest, Rick recognizes her as his former lover in Paris. Their breakup is part of why Rick is so hard-hearted and cynical. Laslo is a famous Nazi resistance leader who has led many groups and left a trail of escapes across Europe. The couple starts negotiating for the letters so they can escape while the French and the Germans put pressure on to get the letters or, better yet, get Laslo.

The movie is a classic in many ways. Most of the script is highly-quoted ("Here's looking at you, kid", "We'll always have Paris", "This is the beginning of a beautiful friendship", and on and on). The song As Time Goes By was an old jazz standard when the movie came out but is now always linked to the movie, much like Thus Spake Zarathustra is forever linked to the opening of 2001: A Space Odyssey. The movie deftly blends comedic moments, romance, and drama, while depicted the chaos at the beginning of World War II. Most nationalities are represented as are all sorts of people, from idealists to opportunists, from the good to the evil, though most everyone is a mixture of both. The cast is uniformly great in their roles, from the main stars to all the bit players. 

The heart of the movie is Rick trying to sort out his situation. He runs his bar with intelligence and smoothness. He's not above bribing officials to get what he needs. He also takes care of his own people, though he is very particular about who fits into that category. He has sentimental moments but often downplays them or hides them. Ilsa's return sends him into an angry and self-centered spiral. He rises to the occasion at the end, remembering the bigger issues involved and, more importantly, the welfare of the other people. 

Highly recommended.

The movie is discussed in A Good Story is Hard to Find podcast #259., the inspiration for rewatching this beloved classic.