Losing my 'Casablanca- virginity', I was quite pleased!

Rating: 6/10 (11 January 2005)

As with many classics, I waited years to watch this for the first time in a theater in January 2005. Hailed as maybe the best movie of all time... So, how was it? Of course - romance to a hilt, but it's utterly charming, finely produced, with amusing dialog and a clear political (unavoidable in a historical context) and moral human message. And of course, Bogart is massive in his screen presence. So, I was quite pleased to lose my 'Casablanca virginity', to put it fittingly!
But I found it to have problems shaking the fact that it's a filmed stage play, which makes it move a tad too slow for its own good, therefore the dramatic elements feel very controlled, contained and lose vital impact. Best scene I found apart from the classical ones: The old couple rehearsing their newly learned English lines!
Does anyone else feel the need to review older movies both from a cinematically historical perspective of importance... and then neutrally and separately - for what it's actually worth on it's own? I do- that's why this one can't get more than...:
6 out of 10 from Ozjeppe.