You Must Remember This

Rating: 10/10 (17 January 2010)

It doesn't get much better than this drama about war time intrigue and romance. Bogart gives the best performance of his storied career in the quintessential role of the tough, cynical loner with a soft heart. Bergman is simply luminous. Henried does well in a thankless role. Rains nearly steals the film as a crooked but lovable police inspector. The script has more memorable lines than any other, the cinematography is crisp, and nobody sings "As Time Goes By" like Wilson. Curtiz, an underrated director, deserves much of the credit for the iconic images of this unforgettable classic. Thankfully, to paraphrase a line from the film, we'll always have "Casablanca."