Still a classic as time goes by

Rating: 8/10 (12 January 2006)

It is easy to see why Casablanca is one of the most beloved films of all time. There's something for everyone...romance, intrigue, suspense and humor. There's a great story here, driven by some truly memorable characters who are brought to life by terrific acting performances. Everyone will remember Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman in the lead roles but the performances of a number of actors in smaller roles are brilliant as well and vital to the film's success. A film about a rather unique city and unique situation during a very specific time period, World War II, Casablanca still holds up today as a terrific achievement.
In the film, Casablanca, a city in the French Morocco, serves as an exit route for refugees seeking to escape the encroaching Nazis. Freedom is not easy to come by. In a plot contrivance created to drive the story forward two letters of transit, which will allow anyone to leave Casablanca with no questions asked, end up in the hands of Rick Blaine, played by Bogart. Rick owns the café in Casablanca which will be the center of most of the activity in the film. He has carved out a comfortable existence for himself amongst all the chaos the war has created around him. As we meet him, Rick is cynical, jaded, not interested in sticking his neck out for anyone. Bogart brings all of this out with a truly memorable performance. Then Ilsa, as played by Bergman walks into his life. Or shall I say, back into his life, because we shall soon see that Rick and Ilsa are far from being strangers. Here is part of the genius of Casablanca, as by going back in time we learn so much more about the man Rick was and begin to understand why he is the man he has become. Soon, Rick's rather comfortable life will be turned upside down as the film moves toward its truly memorable conclusion.
Bogart is undeniably brilliant and his scenes with Bergman are remarkable, filled with passion, intrigue and some of the most memorable dialogue ever put to film. But all the Bogart-Bergman hoopla ignores so much of what makes Casablanca great. As resistance leader Victor Laszlo, the other man in Ilsa's life, Paul Henreid is easily overlooked, perhaps seen as the third wheel. But his character is undeniably vital to the story and Henreid plays it with great conviction and talent. Conrad Veidt as the requisite bad guy, Nazi Major Strasser, gives a fine performance. As Sam, the piano player at Rick's, Dooley Wilson provides some memorable songs you may well find yourself still humming hours after the movie ends. Peter Lorre, Sydney Greenstreet, S.K. Sakall...all have small but memorable, well-acted roles. And stealing quite a few scenes is Claude Rains as Captain Renault. Much of the humor in the film comes from Rains' terrific performance.
A classic for its time, Casablanca holds up remarkably well today. Some of the dialogue and situations may seem a little hokey by modern standards but that doesn't really detract from the experience at all. Casablanca gives us truly memorable characters, places them into a unique situation and then races towards a fascinating conclusion. One would think that Casablanca will always be remembered fondly, no matter how much time goes by.