A movie that it's almost impossible not to love.

Rating: 9/10 (6 September 2010)

"Leave him alone, Miss Ilsa. You're bad luck to him."
There's not much I can say about Casablanca that hasn't already been said countless times in the sixty-eight years since it was released. The story about a chance meeting of former lovers in French Morocco during World War II is as classic as any movie can possibly be. It's endlessly quoted and nearly universally beloved, and my opinion after seeing it doesn't differ from popular opinion. This is a fantastic movie.
If not for Grace Kelly, Ingrid Bergman would be my favorite classic actress of all time. Stunningly beautiful and as talented of an actress as there ever was, she's the heart of this movie to me, even more than the central character, played by Humphery Bogart. Casablanca is my introduction to him, and he gives an expert performance of a brooding, bitter man with a past that's covered his true soul with cynicism. His character was layered and complex, and he delivered the amazing dialogue expertly. Paul Henreid and Claude Rains were also excellent in their roles, with special mention going to Dooley Wilson, who has probably the best role of any black actor that I've seen from that film era.
You see old movie trailers describing their respective films with bold proclamations of "Danger!", "Intrigue!", "Mystery!", and "Romance!", and those all are perfect descriptors of Casablanca. It just feels like a film that was made to endure across the ages. The music is brilliant, I've already mentioned the acting, the characters are memorable, and the story hooks you with mystery and delivers an ending that couldn't be more perfect. Seeing Casablanca should be mandatory for every movie fan, it deserves all the critical and fan acclaim and every award it's ever gotten, and more.