Good but not that good

Rating: 8/10 (20 September 2000)

Casablanca is one of those films who's hype blinds people from giving their real opinion on it, because if you don't say it's one of the greatest then you can't be taken seriously. I'll admit that I think it's a very good film with some very good performances and the romantic chemistry created by Bergman and Bogart is awesome, but being a massive Bergman Fan I've so far got 20 of her films and I wouldn't include Casablanca in her top 10. (Casablanca is in my opinion not as good as Gaslight, Notorious, Arch of Triumph, Under Capricorn, Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, The Inn of the Sixth Happiness, Goodbye Again, Indiscreet, Joan of Arc, Voyage to Italy, Cactus Flower, Anastasia). There are some great moments like when Bergman tells Sam `play it, Sam' then Bogart walks in. The Paris flash back. The Le Marseillaise bit and of course the ending. Bad acting by some of the support actors is the only real downer. Out of 10 I'd give it 8.