what can I say?

Rating: 10/10 (25 February 2002)

I have practically nothing to say about this film. Apparently, some people seem not to like it. This is utterly baffling to me. The vast majority of people seem to love it, which is my idea of justice. This film deserves to be adored.
There are two different kinds of Great Films, in my mind. One is the film that quite obviously sets out to be great, and succeeds. Something like "Lawrence of Arabia", "Citizen Kane", "Schindler's List", just about everything Kubrick ever did. That sort of thing. Films that are oozing with ambition, and manage to carry it off. "Casablanca" isn't like that. "Casablanca" is a small film, a simple film, and it doesn't have that ambition behind it. This film isn't trying to make a statement, or to do something bold, new, and shocking. It's great simply by virtue of being very, very good.
The primary credit for this goes to those responsible for the script, including the actual scriptwriters, and the authors of the play upon which it was based. The central premise of this film is the bizarre tangle of motivations involving Rick, Ilsa, and Victor. That idea is both elegantly simple and breathtakingly effective. [There again, a common theme in my reviews of late... simplicity and power are natural allies.] The performances by Bogart, Bergman, and Henreid are fully up to the task, bringing out every nuance of the situation.
This film also sports one of the all time great supporting casts, including big names like Claude Rains, Sydney Greenstreet, and Peter Lorre. But there isn't a single performance in the entire film which rings false. This also has a lot to do with pulling this film up from a good one to a great one.

For those who don't like this film, well, I don't know what to say. The attitude is incomprehensible to me. But that's all right. As long as you've seen it, that's enough. I think there are a few things that are so good, so useful, and beneficial, that everyone should do them at some point. Take piano lessons. Study elementary economics. Watch "Casablanca". And if you don't like it, fine, you don't like it. But you just have to see it.