Casablanca (1942)

Directed by: Michael Curtiz | 102 minutes | war, romance | Actors: Humphrey Bogart, Ingrid Bergman, Peter Lorre, Paul Henreid, Claude Reins, Conrad Veidt, Sydney Greenstreet, SZ Sakall, Madeleine LeBeau, Dooley Wilson, Joy Page, John Qualen, Leonid Kinskey, Curt Bois

Every year they come back, the lists in which the best films of all time are mentioned. Although those lists are rarely comparable, a number of classics normally end up in the top ten. ‘The Godfather’ (1972) should of course not be missing, nor ‘Gone with the Wind’ (1939) and ‘Citizen Kane’ (1940). ‘Casablanca’ (1942) is also a regular customer in such lists. Quite rightly so, because this unforgettable romantic drama still appeals enormously to the imagination. Take the cast alone, which includes superstars Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman, as well as a battalion of sublime supporting actors. Whoever manages to attract Peter Lorre and Sydney Greenstreet as well as Paul Henreid and Claude Rains for his film is in for a treat! ‘Casablanca’ not only takes full advantage of the talent of the cast and crew, but also manages to forge romance, drama and humor together in an excellent way into an epic epic that is unparalleled. A film that, the more you see it, actually only gets better.

Directed by Michael Curtiz, the film is set in Casablanca in the early 1940s. The Moroccan city is a hotbed where spies and traitors, Nazis and the French resistance gather. Desperate people pay big money for visas to flee to America via Lisbon. Shady traders take advantage of this without scruples. Corruption is rampant here, Rick Blaine (Humphrey Bogart), an American who ended up in Casablanca via Paris and runs a nightclub where all the scum hangs out in the evenings. Rick prefers not to be involved in politics, but in wartime you can hardly avoid it. He is neutral, cynical and indifferent. However, that hardened armor breaks when Ilsa Lund (Ingrid Bergman) appears on the scene. Once, in Paris, they were lovers. But when the Germans invaded the city and he wanted to flee with her, she abandoned him. Now that she is suddenly in front of him again, Rick feels the pain and sadness again. Ilsa is now married to resistance hero Victor Laszlo (Paul Henreid), a prime target for the Nazis, though her heart is still with Rick. She and Victor need Rick’s help to flee the country. He has important customs documents in his possession. But wouldn’t Rick much rather flee to America with Ilsa himself?

Despite a modest budget, the Casablanca from this film has been completely recreated in the studio. The liveliness comes mainly from various colorful characters, each of whom leave their mark on the story in their own way. By far the most eye-catching is the brilliant Claude Rains as the corrupt yet good-hearted police inspector Louis Renault, who does everything to please Nazi leader Strasser (Conrad Veidt). The scene where he is ordered from above to close Rick’s nightclub because of gambling, but at the same time he quickly collects the money he just won is priceless. Like Bogart, Rains also hurls countless striking one-liners at the viewer. Peter Lorre is perfect for the role as Ugarte, the sneaky trader in fake passports and visas, and the imposing Sydney Greenstreet shows up as Signor Ferrari, a shadowy rival nightclub owner. Paul Henreid may at first glance have the thankless job of filling the ‘gaps’ between Bogart and Bergman, but gets his place in the spotlight in an impressive scene in which he incites the nightclub crowd in attendance to drown out singing German soldiers by en masse’ La Marseillaise’. And then there’s the bittersweet final chord, which underscores once again that sadly, movies like this are no longer made in Hollywood today.

Grand and powerful scenes alternate with more subtle – but no less convincing – moments. The scene in which Ilsa asks pianist Sam (Dooley Wilson) to play ‘As Time Goes By’, the song he used to play for her and Rick in Paris, for example. Or a desperate young Bulgarian woman (Joy Page) pleads with Rick to help her and her new husband escape to America. There’s no shortage of humor either: just take the conversation in broken English between two German oldies who are preparing to leave for the US. Many of these scenes are accompanied by immortal one-liners and finger-licking dialogue. Admittedly, sometimes the romantic scenes are a bit too sweet. But the gorgeous Bergman, who often says more with a look than a thousand words, and the ever-cool Bogart can afford it (and to think that producer Hal Wallis initially wanted to cast Ronald Reagan and Ann Sheridan!). Like the viewer, the actors also didn’t know for a long time how the story would end, which probably only benefited the intensity with which they act. These are lifelike, three-dimensional characters that you can’t let go until the words ‘The End’ have appeared on the screen.

The makers had little faith in ‘Casablanca’ beforehand, but the contrary was already proven at the premiere in 1943. The film proved successful with the press and public and won several awards (including three Oscars for best picture, best director and best screenplay). It is not surprising that this film has become one of the best films of all time. Themes such as heroism and sacrifice are universal and timeless and the film, despite its advanced age, still looks quite modern. ‘Casablanca’ performs to stay close to itself, without denying the wishes and expectations of the viewer. Romance and drama, humor and cynicism, are in balance. Characters may be corrupt, but they also have a humane and honest side. War brings out both the best and the worst in people. The sublime cast and a strong script make it complete. It may be a cliché, but in this case it’s more than true: movies aren’t made as good as these these days!