Shadow Puppet

Rating: 5/10 (25 January 2004)

Noir: the word brings movies like this to mind, but where's the depth behind the fuss? IMDB reviewers have this in the Top 10. I suspect this has to do with a weepy end. So much for thinking.
If I recall correctly, they tried colorizing this in the 80s and failed entirely because 'Casablanca' exists totally in Black and White. Others that cannot be duplicated in color include 'Schindler's List', 'THEM!', 'Third Man', and 'King Kong'. When placed in color, the tone is lost. Speaking as a photographer, I can easily say "I love B&W".
The lighting here is dynamic, even when Bogie is his bored with himself. Morgan Freeman has borrowed a lot from Bogie. It's those shadows that make the film more than anything else. There is competent editing here, but that doesn't help the simple script.
Like 'Rambo', there is 'Casablanca' the movie and 'Casablanca' the phenomenon. If you don't catch with the latter then you are stuck with the former. If only the relationships had been less caricature, more detail, then it would be real learning material.
Final Analysis = = Midrange Material