Classic

Rating: 10/10 (27 August 2006)

There is no term to describe this other than classic, but not the type of classic that a film like THE WIZARD OF OZ or GONE WITH THE WIND are. That is because when this film was being made, it was just another assembly line production from it's studio (Warner). When you see it today, the cast appears so great that you would think it was something special, but this supporting cast, great as it is, worked together often. What this has in common with the WIZARD is a great script.
The writers of CASABLANCA came up with a script that tops all other films in classic moments of quotes that have become a part of Americana. So many quotes from this film are used in other films & media that they have become cliché almost. Even miss-quotes like "Play It Again, Sam" from this film have become American folk-lore. "Round up the Usual Suspects" has become it's own film later. "You & Me, Kid"- the list goes on & on.Other than the Great Oz, these quotes just flow from this film to 100's of other works since this film was made.
What makes this film really special is the unfulfilled love between Bogart & Bergman's character that is left hanging at the end. In an era, where love always had to have a happy ending, this movie gloriously leaves us with people in love who are forced away from each other by circumstances beyond either of their control.
This theme is closer to real life than most Hollywood products of any era. Almost everybody can identify with it because haven't we all had a love in our life who we yearned for very much, but due to circumstances beyond us, we never had a chance to fulfill? That is too me what makes this film stand above all others.
This is a film that has action, but not much of it. This film has comedy, but only enough to make the film great. It has subtle patriotic themes that carry the film along. Most importantly, this film has the heart of every viewer who ever watches it because the film, by accident, touches themes that many films aspire to reach, but never achieve.
Ironically, this all happened by the greatest of chance & rarely has any movie ever come close to what this film is. If I were a filmmaker, actor, or had a career in this industry, this would be the film I wish I had worked on. Nothing gets better than this one.