Casablanca: easy to enter, but much harder to leave, especially if your name is on the Nazis' most-wanted list. Atop that list is Czech Resistance leader Victor Laszlo (Paul Henreid), whose only hope is Rick Blaine (Humphrey Bogart), a cynical American who sticks his neck out for no one... especially Victor's wife Ilsa (Ingrid Bergman), the ex-lover who broke his heart. So when Ilsa offers herself in exchange for Laszlo's safe transport out of the country, the bitter Rick must decide what's more important - his own happiness or the countless lives that hang in the balance.
Directed by
Michael Curtiz
Written by
Murray Burnett (play) and Joan Alison (play). Julius J. Epstein (screenplay) (as Julius J.) and Philip G. Epstein (screenplay) and Howard Koch (screenplay).
Starring
Humphrey Bogart (Rick Blaine); Ingrid Bergman (Ilsa Lund); Paul Henreid (Victor Laszlo); Claude Rains (Captain Renault); Conrad Veidt (Major Strasser); Sydney Greenstreet (Signor Ferrari); Peter Lorre (Ugarte); S.Z. Sakall (Carl - as S.K. Sakall); Madeleine LeBeau (Yvonne); Dooley Wilson (Sam); Joy Page (Annina Brandel); John Qualen (Berger); Leonid Kinskey (Sascha). Please contact SFC to add other cast members and characters.
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For one time only - Casablanca
Mark Banks (United Kingdom)
Opinion: Recommended
Casablanca is one film I cannot imagine anyone attempting to remake, and for good reason, the film is simply a beautifully classic example of film-making at its best. Many might question Rick's advice to Ilsa come the end of the film, but its this decision that makes the film work so well - Ilsa has to go off and support Victor in his work; that's what she was born to do. It might be comforting to think of two head-strong people such as Rick and Ilsa settling down together to live happily ever after, but it wouldn't work for the simple reason that it wouldn't go anywhere. It's also interesting to note how many of the romance films of times past worked well despite the fact that the male attitude towards the women was at times quite condescending. I fear things have moved too far in the other direction though these days, with scarcely a good male role model to be found. How good it would be to get that balance right and have films being produced today that could compete with Casablanca for the title of the greatest romance ever filmed. Well, maybe it will happen, maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow...
