"You must remember this..."

Rating: 10/10 (4 March 1999)

Though IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE, THE BEST YEARS OF OUR LIVES, STAGE DOOR, ALL ABOUT EVE, and many many others I can't think of right now are very close, CASABLANCA is my favorite from the so-called "classic" era of Hollywood. It brings together all the elements of entertainment and transcends them into a work of art. Story, direction, music, theme, acting, dialogue; all are operating at perfection here. If studios were regularly turning out movies like these today, the movie industry wouldn't be in any trouble. Pauline Kael once said CITIZEN KANE was more fun than any other great movie she could think of. For me, it's this one. A masterpiece.