Casablanca
Genre: Romantic Drama
Adapted From: The play “Everybody Comes to Rick’s”, which was never produced.
Review:
Very likely the best film ever made. I agree with Jeff Siegel in his book The Casablanca Companion, “If one movies defines how Americans think of themselves, it’s Casablanca.” Many old movies have been remade, but not Casablanca. It seems that just about everybody agrees that it was as near perfect as possible. There isn’t a better Rick than Humphrey Bogart and Paul Henreid does very well as Laszlo. Even though I don’t really like Ingrid Bergman she does play Ilsa well.
Director: Michael Curtiz
Starring:
- Humphrey Bogart as Rick Blaine
- Ingrid Bergman as Ilsa Lund
- Paul Henreid as Victor Laszl
Co-starring:
- Claude Rains as Captain Louis Renault
- Sydney Greenstreet as Ferrari
- Peter Lorre as Ugarte
- S.Z. Sakall as Carl
- Dooley Wilson as Sam
- Madeline Le Beau as Yvonne
- Joy Page as Annina Brandel
- Curt Bois as the pickpocket
After you’ve watched the movie…
Thoughts to Ponder:
Who does Ilsa really love? Yes, the obvious answer is Rick, but think about it. Laszlo never hugs his wife, yet Rick hugs her. If she really did love Rick could she bear to part with him, knowing that it would be forever? Or does she love him so much that she knows it is necessary to never see him again? I’m not quite sure, but I say that she really loves Laszlo even if she doesn’t know it yet.
Not quite so deep…
- Would Ronald Regan have made a good Rick?
- Would Dennis Morgan have made a good Laszlo?
- What about Hedy Lamarr for Ilsa?
- Or Sam played by Lena Horne?
Random Facts:
- Only three of the main actors are American
- Dooley Wilson was a drummer not a pianist
- Sam’s place in the movie was almost filled by a woman
- Joy Page was Jack Warner’s (head of Warner Studios) stepdaughter
- Humphrey Bogart was a wonderful chess player (he’s playing chess in his first scene)