The Most Beautiful Movie of the Cinema History Ever

Rating: 10/10 (21 December 2007)

In 1942, in World War II, Casablanca is the escape route to America for a few wealthy or influential people and limbo for many others that wait for a chance to raise money and get a visa. The expatriated American and former idealistic rebel Rick Blaine (Humphrey Bogart) owns the Rick's Cafe Americain, the most famous nightclub and casino in the French Morocco's town. Rick is a bitter and cynical man that neither drinks with costumers nor involves with women, and does not stick his neck out for anyone, keeping a neutral political position in times of war. Rick has a good relationship with the corrupt French Chief of Police Captain Renault (Claude Rains), who is bribed to cover the existence of Rick's casino and protect the place. When two German messengers are killed and the valuable letters of transit in their possession are stolen, the Nazi Major Strasser (Conrad Veidt) arrives in Casablanca seeking the document and the Czechoslovakian leader of the European resistance Victor Laszlo (Paul Henreid). The Germans believe Viktor will try to buy the letters of transit and escape to America. Meanwhile Rick's acquaintance Ugarte (Peter Lorre) asks him to keep the letters of transit for a couple of hours, but is captured and killed by the police and the Germans. Later Victor arrives in the Rick's Cafe with his wife Ilsa Lund (Ingrid Bergman), and when she sees the piano player Sam (Dooley Wilson), she asks him to play and sing "As Time Goes By". When the upset Rick complains with Sam for playing the forbidden song, he sees Ilsa and recalls their romantic moments in Paris and the wound in his heart when Ilsa does not leave the town with him without any explanation.
"Casablanca" is the most beautiful movie of the cinema history ever and the number one of my preference. I do not know how many times I have watched "Casablanca", but since the first time I have fallen in love for Ingrid Bergman and Humphrey Bogart and they became my favorite actress and actor. Further, I feel myself emotionally affected every time that I see this film, maybe expecting Rick to stay with Ilsa in the end. But Rick's sacrifice for love is certainly one of the reasons that made "Casablanca" an unforgettable masterpiece, maybe the most romantic film ever made. The sequence in Rick's Cafe with the French costumers singing La Marseillaise causes goose flesh on me  imagine in French people! The wonderful romance is disclosed through a magnificent screenplay, with memorable and witty dialogs, perfect development of the characters and the geopolitical situation of Casablanca in 1942 in a dramatic environment of war and a stunning chemistry of the leading couple. The direction of Michael Curtiz is amazing, using closes, shadows and exploring the talent of the cast at their best with the support of an awesome black and white cinematography. The music-theme is among the most well-known in the world. In the end, "Casablanca" is the perfect movie, and Rick and Ilsa will live forever together in my heart. My vote is ten.
Title (Brazil): "Casablanca"