truly great, truly satisfying

Rating: 10/10 (2 December 2010)

Ingrid Bergman & Humprey Bogart co-star in this drama of early WW-II intrigue that was nominated for 8 Oscars (& won 3: best picture, screenplay, actor). Its supporting cast was magnificent and huge (Claude Rains, Paul Henreid, Conrad Veidt, Sydney Greenstreet, Peter Lorre, S.Z. Sakall, Dooley Wilson). "Casablanca," at this moment, ranks #16 of IMDb's All Time Best 250 films and it's also on Roger Ebert's list of Great Movies.
It's a tale pitting those who are (or have been) active in resistance to the Nazis mixing with those who are just trying to survive by hook or crook AND officials of Nazi Germany as well as those French officials with mixed loyalties to occupied vs. unoccupied France.
Rick (Bogart) was active in the French resistance to the Nazis during which time he met and fell in love with Ilsa (Bergman). Hurriedly fleeing the Nazi occupation of Paris but feeling unexpectedly deserted by Ilsa's failure to accompany him, Rick's moved into a 'survivalist' mode in French Morocco.
Ilsa has a husband (Henreid) with whom she's reunited after believing him to be dead; the couple show up unintentionally, unexpectedly, in Rick's café, searching for passage to a safer place.
Claude Rains' performance, in his role as the head of French military/ security forces in Casblanca, gives THE most pivotal of all performances in elevating this film into its stellar level in the opinion of some (see comments to this effect in the Message Board for this film). After reading and reflecting on this, I fully agree.
IMO, Ebert's review is VERY worthwhile & helpful (see IMDb's "External Reviews" of this film, then click on Chicago Sun-Times/Ebert's). In that, among other things, we learn the narrative/dialog wasn't written until they filmed it so Bergman (& others) didn't know the outcome until it was actually shot.
Also, IMDb's Bio on Dooley Wilson ("Sam, the piano player"--see IMDb's "Cast"/"bio") shows us that his career took off after this movie.
Sam's music in the café was seamlessly integrated into the narrative and becomes, essentially, a great, additional, supporting cast member.
I don't recall Bergman ever being so lovely--but how in the world did women of that time pack and travel with those hats?