An experience you will never forget.

Rating: Null/10 (11 October 2008)

'Casablanca' is one of those films that you may already know all about even if you haven't seen it. It is widely recognised from critics and movie lovers as being one of the greatest achievements made to date, and not without reason. Although I wouldn't name it as one of my favourite films of all time, there is no denying its brilliance, its mesmerising charm and influential impact it has had on cinema ever since.
Last night I was lucky enough to actually catch a special Valentines Day screening of the film at my local cinema, for what was my second time seeing the masterpiece. I have to say, I enjoyed the experience far more than my first, not just because of the quality of the restored version or that wonderful cinematic atmosphere you get when watching old classics, but because I believe 'Casablanca' is a film that gets better every time you watch it; You already know the characters and you already know the plot, and so the whole experience feels like a distant and personal memory that you share with the characters, something that ties in with the nostalgic tone of the film itself.
With its captivating photography, soundtrack and long segments of real-time shots, the film is one that engages the viewer and sucks them into its world. The whole experience to me was fantastically surreal; there were moments where I would be totally connected to the movie, where I actually felt like I was back in the 40's. Every now and then my attention would be broke by the usual toilet goers etc., and I would realise where I was and as I said; it was surreal. The reason I mention this however that is it is testament to how immersive 'Casablanca' really is.
Undoubtedly the two things that make the film what it is lie in the performances from the whole cast, and the absolutely solid script that was based on the early play "Everybody Come to Ricks". First of all, if watching the film for the first time, you will undoubtedly feel like you've seen it before, and this is no coincidence for you've probably heard a lot of the dialogue quoted elsewhere. Many people have claimed 'Casablanca' as having one of the most influential and well-written scripts in film history, and I would be inclined to agree. Throughout you'll bear witness to some of the most famous lines to be shown on the big screen, and also be treated to perhaps the greatest ending monologue ever written for film, which is just as eloquently delivered by Bogart himself. Then there's the absolutely wonderful use of hard-bitten dialogue throughout, mixed with its very classy equivalent, which provides for some intense scenes whether evoking humour, pity, anger or pride; 'Casablanca' manages to achieve it all.
I can't remember of the top of my head who once said this but whoever did was clearly getting at Michael Curtiz, under-appreciated director of 'Casablanca'. He said that the greatest directors blend into the fabric of their movies, never making their presence openly obvious; they make the rest of the crew look good. As time has gone on to prove, this is certainly the case here as Curtiz is a director who rarely gets mentioned when discussion on the movie is taking place. When watching the film for a second time however I kept this and mind, and noticed the superb amount of skill that did indeed go into making 'Casablanca' the masterpiece it is, and a lot of that comes down to Curtiz, who does a brilliant job bringing the entire production to life.
The people whom he really brings out however are the cast, who unquestionably give some of their greatest performances here, creating characters that are fully dimensional and likable without being submissive to conventional 'hero' stereotypes of the time. Bogart plays 'Rick', the owner of a saloon in Casablanca, outcast from his homeland, and a man with a broken heart, unwilling to 'stick his neck out for nobody' as a consequence. Throughout, Bogart performs expertly, showing his brilliant screen presence that he has become known for, letting his character flow through naturally and with constant emotion. Ingrid Bergman and Paul Henreid play 'Ilsa Lund' and 'Victor Laszlo' respectively, delivering equally emotive and powerful performances that only go to compliment Bogart and the rest of the cast magnificently, creating chemistry that never lets down.
I have deliberately avoided going into too much detail in this review merely on the basis that I feel I cannot and could not fully do this film justice by doing so. Instead I merely state what many others have done before me and advise that if you haven't done so already, be sure to watch 'Casablanca' as soon as you can; it's an experience you will never forget and you'll want to come back to again and again.

A review by Jamie Robert Ward (http://www.invocus.net)