Review for Casablanca

Rating: Null/10 (16 October 2011)

Growing up, I'd heard a lot about this movie, but I've never actually seen it. Now that I have, I understand why Casablanca is so well liked. It has a strong, suspenseful plot, excellent acting, an exotic setting, great dialogue, and many humorous moments. Maybe it's best thought of as a drama/romance. It tells the story of two former lovers, America expatriate, and bar owner, Rick Blaine (Humphrey Bogart) and Ilsa Lund (Ingrid Bergman), who meet again and find themselves in a love triangle with the woman's husband, Victor Laszlo, leader of the Czech underground. It's set in the city of Casablanca in unoccupied North Africa during WWII. While the war actually hasn't reached Casablanca, the city is full of Nazi soldiers, who create a constant sense of menace and dread. They're after Laszlo, and he and Ilsa need to escape. In order to do that, they need transit papers. Rick has the papers and needs to decide what to do with them. The story is filled with moments of edge of the seat suspense as we wonder if Laszlo and Ilsa will escape or become victims of the Nazi's. We also wonder if Ilsa will stay with Rick or choose her husband. The acting is excellent. Bogart's Rick is a complex man with a past. A former freedom fighter himself, he's become a jaded man who claims not to care about anyone but himself. Bergman's Ilsa is obviously torn between Rick and her husband. The viewer is faced with asking if Rick will do the right thing and who Ilsa will choose. The movie is made even better by the frequently humorous moments, many offered by Captain Renault (Claude Rains), who does an excellent job as the cynical and corrupt head of the local police. From beginning to end, I found this film to be totally enjoyable.