Will time erode Casablanca's popularity?

Rating: Null/10 (8 September 2000)

Is Casablanca one of the great movies, or is it a cheesy WWII propaganda film. For the record, it was a propaganda film. Art and propaganda do not generally mix. This movie has a tremendous cast, a good sound track and great director. But all the characters on "our side" were stereotped as generous, heroic or lovable. The characters on the "other side" are pathetically sterotyped as evil in Nazi uniforms. My critque of this movie is not about Nazi's and the good guys. As time passes, and this movie is viewed by generations who have no personal contact with the period portrayed in this movie, the major defect that I see in this great film will become evident to more people. Movies made during war time, on all sides had to overcome this hurdle. Stanly Kubrick's Dr. Strangelove, made during the early 60's at the height of the cold war, is a better movie because his characters and plot are not plastic imitations of good or evil people.