Curtiz's Magnum Opus

Rating: 10/10 (2 July 2013)

A film that is regarded as a classic from most but does it hold up for me? Definitely. Michael Curtiz is the director of Casablanca, who has done a mountain full of films including The Adventures of Robin Hood and Mildred Pierce. I came into this with high expectations, even in my subsequent viewings, as it has an established cast, a well known composer, a prominent director and an experienced cinematographer. The film is definitely excellent but some elements, due to nitpicking, sinks this film a little.
The screenplay is developed by the Epstein brothers who had a reputation at their time, and with this project they seem to be in the top of their game. The film's story is packed, exploring a love story, a rebellion and the life of a citizens or immigrants in Casablanca. The film is generally well known for its love story but that wasn't the area that hooked me as I felt it was dragged by it's melodrama. The shifty and uneasy life in this desert city is what kept me hook and it dominates the first half of the film. It is from the start that the film establishes the importance of the city as a character along with the leading actors. The first and start of the second act is dominated with humor as a break from the main storyline which held my interest. I do not hate the love story but I just feel it doesn't hold up with me as compared to the more later love stories in Hollywood, Annie Hall, Vertigo and Beauty and the Beast. Then again, this is a product of its time and I can't frown upon it too much just because of that.
This is the only film I have seen of Curtiz's work but it isn't the only one I am aware of. He is an underrated director and one of the hardest working. With Casablanca, he just got hold of a fantastic script which got the general public to really notice him. Curtiz wanted this film to move quickly but also giving key moments in exploring the relationship between Bogart and Bergman's characters.
The year before Casablanca, Arthur Edeson did the cinematography for The Maltese Falcon and in that film, Edeson used shadows well and using lighting to create the mood of the scene. He brings it back here but more. This film is dark, for the most part as most of the intimate scenes took place indoors and at night. Shadow casts on scenes with Bogart and Bergman but at the same time not overshadowing the actors, especially Bergman's beautiful face as her beauty and vulnerability expressed by her face as both are important components of Ilsa. Edeson and Curtiz always have the camera moving, whether it is inside Rick's club or outside in the streets of Casablanca. It keeps the film at a pace that doesn't feel stationary and gives us a sense of exploration of the setting. This pace is also supported by great editing. In intimate moments, Curtiz really wants Edeson to have the camera get close on the actor's faces to not only have us focus on it but to create that sense of intimacy and closeness. Casablanca still has great photography, even in this day and age, and is an important piece in making it an iconic film.
Max Steiner was nominated in 1939 for his iconic work in Gone With The Wind and he was also nominated a few years later for score in Casablanca. His work here in Casablanca is definitely something to be remembered by fan when remembering this film. This should have been an area where it definitely should have won the academy award but sadly it lost to The Song of Bernadette.
For a film focused on the love story and is this intimate requires actors that bring that chemistry in order to create a memorable performance. Bogart and Bergman definitely work well together but I felt that Bogart is a little too old for Bergman. I would rather have the age of Bergman's character be nearly level with Bogart's and replace her with an older actress, but would the film still be regarded as a classic if the casting choices were different? I think so and I am only nitpicking. Both Bogart and Bergman bring it their all, even if the script is a little melodramatic they make it work for the most part. I definitely enjoyed Bogart's embodiment as this stoic and tortured character who distances himself from letting people in. Bergman has the more overly dramatic lines but she still delivers by showing emotion and care for Bogart's character. As soon as she was introduced in the film and meets Sam (Dooley Wilson), you can see that pain and sorrow rising to the surface. The supporting cast are fine and are either used for plot tools or comedic relief. The actors giving comic relief, especially Claude Reins, had me smiling every time they say something witty.
A film that definitely still holds a strong place in this day and age and is regarded as one of the greatest films ever made. It is a fascinating story of a love story and an interesting take on the life of Casablanca during the second world war. It has its flaws but it's overshadowed by its strengths. Casablanca is definitely worth your time and demands repeated viewings.