An American in wartime Morocco: pretty good, but too many contrivances

Rating: 7/10 (11 March 2017)

I've seen this film, in part or whole, a number of times over the years. Used to be I thought it was pretty boring, until the climax at the end. Now that I analyzed it in some depth,I appreciate the whole film more, despite various major contrivances. I'm still not convinced that Humphrey Bogart was the right actor to play the main character: American, Rick. He was good in the climactic sequence, but often rather boring before that. I'm not sure how much was due to the script and how much was due to Bogie's basic personality. I suspect some of both.
The plot is divided into 2 parts, both of which are relevant throughout most of the film to the end. There's the question of how Czech resistance fighter Victor Laszio(Paul Henreid) was going to get out of French Morocco, needing a letter of transit to do so. He was considered very dangerous by the Germans. Hence, they sent a patrol, headed by Major Strasser, to Casablanca, where they guessed he would end up, to make sure he didn't leave for a safe haven(the USA). Secondly, the present and future status of the past love affair between Rick and Scandinavian Ilsa(Ingrid Bergman), wife of Laszio, needs to be worked out. Rick and Ilsa had met in Paris, after it was reported that Laszio had been killed by the Germans. When the Germans were about to take over Paris, it was decided they needed to leave France. But, mysteriously, Ilsa didn't show up at the train station where she was supposed to meet Rick. He went south by himself, on to Morocco. Now, she showed up in his café with Laszio. Rick didn't find out until later that they were married before she met Rick, and she only learned that he was alive the day she was supposed to go with Rick. She explained to Rick that she didn't tell him she had been married because it was a secret to help protect her from harm by the Germans. This eased his mind somewhat. This type of love triangle is always difficult to work out, especially if the woman has married her new love: not a factor here. The screenplay keeps the audience guessing which man Ilsa will end up with, whether she makes the choice or it's made for her(it is). I think Ingrid was an excellent choice for Ilsa, having grown up in Scandinavia, her English speech was so European, and she was a lovely and good actress. The occasional close-ups of the faces, especially Ingrid's, helps to define their emotional state.
The all important travel document which we are bothered with from the beginning to the very end was an invention of the script writer, having no historical relevance. In the first and last parts of the film, this document is called a letter of transit, whereas in the middle portion, it's called an exit visa. I'm assuming these are the same thing, but it unnecessarily confuses the audience(at least me).
We have a fairly interesting group of secondary characters: not too many, and of various nationalities and allegiances relating to the war. Renault(Claude Rains), the French chief of police, says he doesn't have strong feelings about the Vichy vs. free French choice. He will bend with the prevailing wind. Rick similarly claims neutrality. But, like the US, still officially neutral, there are several indications that he's not as neutral as he claims.
Clearly, Rick is very depressed about something through most of the film. His café seems to be thriving, so what is it? Partly, the uncertainty of the war, I believe. Also, the void in his romantic life after Ilsa disappeared. He hasn't found an adequate replacement, taking up with a floozy in the meanwhile, and uncertain about what Ilsa wants for the future. When Ilsa pulls a gun on him to hand over the letters of transit he inherited, he remarks "Go ahead and shoot, you'll be during me a favor". He's also cynical about the war, and the world in general. When Laszio answers "If we stop fighting, the world will die", Rick responds. "What of it. That will put it out of its misery". With his depression and cynicism dominating his personality, he's a hard man for audiences to like. That's a big problem with this film. But as Renault observes, despite his cynicism and depression, occasionally, he's a sentimentalist. This is shown when he orders the roulette wheel to be 'fixed' so that it comes up the number for a young Bulgarian refugee so that he will have the money to buy a letter of transit, so he and his wife can go to the US. Similarly, in finally providing letters of transit for Laszio and Ilsa, and giving up claim on Ilsa, he demonstrates compassion.
"Casablanca" is not only a love story and wartime drama, it can be considered a musical! Of course, the most remembered song is "As Time Goes By". I was surprised to learn this song had been kicking around for a decade before. Of course, its inclusion in this film much increased its visibility. Another prominent song is "Knock on Wood": the only song specifically composed for this film. Then, there's the famous competition between the Germans, singing a German song, and the much more numerous other patrons of Rick's cafe, drowning them out with "La Marseillaise". Many others were played at least a little, mostly by Dooley Wilson, as listed under 'Soundtracks' at this site.