A timeless masterpiece

Rating: 10/10 (11 April 2020)

Every time I watch this, my estimation of it grows and grows. The story, of love found and lost and then found again, of choosing principle over expediency, of deciding what really matters, is timeless. The performances are top notch, aided by the fact that many of the actors were actual refugees from the Nazis. I think of the look of hatred and pain on Bogart's face when he sees Ilsa again for the first time, of his look of loss at the train station, of his look of nobility when he tells her that the "good fight" is worth what they have to give up as he says "here's looking at you, kid". A bittersweet romantic outcome for the ages. I think of how luminous Ingrid looks, and how expressive her eyes are as she experiences love, pain, sorrow, joy, and regret. Great, crackling dialogue. It amazes me that the script was essentially written on the fly, and they didn't even decide until late how it would all turn out. One of the all time great films.