Great characters, classic dialogue, teary-eyed romance...

Rating: 6/10 (11 September 2007)

Humphrey Bogart in his preeminent role, that of the marvelously tough nightclub owner Rick Blaine, living in Algiers and sheltering refugee ex-girlfriend Ingrid Bergman and her new husband from the invading Nazis. Bogart is so ideally cast, the minute you see him on-screen in his white tuxedo jacket is a welcome sight. Bergman is somehow less interesting, and director Michael Curtiz keeps her crying all the time (usually in close-up), which, although appropriately tender and moving, becomes repetitive. The screenplay, reportedly the victim of frequent change on the set, is loosely structured and is often handled indifferently by Curtiz, who nevertheless stages some classic sequences, particularly the finale at the airport. But what does Rick mean by his line, "I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship"? Has Ilsa's emotional devotion sworn him off women for good? Beautiful cinematography by Arthur Edeson; Max Steiner's score is used to underline everything, but Herman Hupfeld's "As Time Goes By" makes up for the oversell. *** from ****