{"id":5660,"date":"2008-06-10T13:28:59","date_gmt":"2008-06-10T20:28:59","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=5660"},"modified":"2024-08-07T22:46:05","modified_gmt":"2024-08-08T05:46:05","slug":"casablanca-1942","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=5660","title":{"rendered":"Casablanca (1942)"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong>&#8220;It doesn&#8217;t take much to see that the problems of three little people don&#8217;t amount to a hill of beans in this crazy world.&#8221;<\/strong><\/p>\n<table>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2008\/06\/Casablanca-Poster.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2008\/06\/Casablanca-Poster-199x300.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"199\" height=\"300\" class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-56705\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2008\/06\/Casablanca-Poster-199x300.png 199w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2008\/06\/Casablanca-Poster-680x1024.png 680w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2008\/06\/Casablanca-Poster-85x128.png 85w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2008\/06\/Casablanca-Poster-179x270.png 179w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2008\/06\/Casablanca-Poster.png 735w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 199px) 100vw, 199px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>Synopsis:<\/strong><br \/>\nIn Casablanca during World War Two, a cynical cafe owner (Humphrey Bogart) finds his loyalties tested when a former flame (Ingrid Bergman) and her resistance-fighting husband (Paul Heinreid) arrive in town seeking transit visas to Lisbon.\n<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p>\n<strong>Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Claude Rains Films<\/li>\n<li>Conrad Veidt Films<\/li>\n<li>Expatriates<\/li>\n<li>Humphrey Bogart Films<\/li>\n<li>Ingrid Bergman Films<\/li>\n<li>John Qualen Films<\/li>\n<li>Michael Curtiz Films<\/li>\n<li>Nazis<\/li>\n<li>Peter Lorre Films<\/li>\n<li>Play Adaptation<\/li>\n<li>Resistance Fighters<\/li>\n<li>Romance<\/li>\n<li>Star-Crossed Lovers<\/li>\n<li>Sydney Greenstreet Films<\/li>\n<li>World War Two<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Response to Peary&#8217;s Review: <\/strong><br \/>\nAs Peary notes, this classic romantic wartime thriller &#8212; consistently voted <a href=\"https:\/\/theyshootpictures.com\/gf1000_alpha.htm\">one of the best films of all time<\/a> by countless critics and fans &#8212; possesses just about every requirement for a truly &#8220;entertaining&#8221; film: in alphabetical order, it has &#8220;action, adventure, bravery, danger, espionage, an exotic locale, friendship, gunplay, humor, intrigue, a love triangle, a masculine hero, a mysterious heroine, patriotism, politics (without being too political), romance, sacrifice, sentimentality, a theme song, a time factor, a venomous villain, and war.&#8221; (Whew!). Peary accurately points out that seasoned director Michael Curtiz (whose contribution to the film&#8217;s enduring success is often sadly underplayed) &#8220;makes [the] somewhat confusing, overloaded story move at a brisk pace&#8221;, and he&#8217;s helped in no small part by Arthur Edeson&#8217;s masterful cinematography, which effectively highlights the shadowy nature of dealings in Casablanca during this most uncertain time in world history. <\/p>\n<p>While it&#8217;s hard to know just how much of the script is original (Peary argues &#8220;it hasn&#8217;t been sufficiently acknowledged that almost everything in the film was in <em>Everybody Comes to Rick&#8217;s<\/em>, the unproduced source play by Murray Burnett and Joan Alison&#8221;), it&#8217;s difficult to find fault with the end result: a remarkably intelligent and witty screenplay, co-written by (among others) the Epstein twins (Julius and Philip) and Howard Koch. In addition to its countless now-iconic lines (&#8220;Here&#8217;s looking at you, kid&#8221;), one particular exchange &#8212; between Rains and a police inspector as Rick&#8217;s Cafe Americain is about to be shut down for gambling &#8212; remains a personal favorite, and has me giggling with delight every time I hear it. <\/p>\n<p>Much has been made about the fortuitous casting behind <em>Casablanca<\/em>, with Bogart and Bergman making a most unlikely yet inspired pair of star-crossed lovers. Bogart &#8212; who Peary refers to as &#8220;tough, introspective, ugly&#8221; &#8212; hits just the right notes of vulnerability and machismo, and, once we learn his backstory with &#8220;soft, generous, beautiful&#8221; Bergman, it&#8217;s easy to see why he&#8217;s remained so cynical and bitter for so long. Claude Rains nearly steals the show, however, in yet another stand-out performance: he manages to transform the corrupt overseer of Casablanca from a potential villain into a three-dimensional protagonist who&#8217;s both human and humorously droll. Rains&#8217;s friendship with Bogart &#8212; which evolves over the course of the film &#8212; adds yet another level of nuance (and, perhaps, &#8220;romance&#8221;) to this complex, emotionally charged story, one which will likely continue to delight audiences for decades to come.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Redeeming Qualities and Moments: <\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Humphrey Bogart as Rick Blaine<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2008\/06\/casablanca-bogart.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2008\/06\/casablanca-bogart.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"480\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-5662\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<li>Ingrid Bergman as Ilsa Lund<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2008\/06\/casablanca-bergman.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2008\/06\/casablanca-bergman.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"480\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-5663\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<li>Claude Rains as Louis Renault<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2008\/06\/casablanca-rains.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2008\/06\/casablanca-rains.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"480\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-5664\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<li>The fast-paced opening sequence, which effectively sets the stage for the risk and chaos of passing through Casablanca during WWII<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2008\/06\/casablanca-opening.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2008\/06\/casablanca-opening.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"480\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-5665\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<li>A powerful depiction of wartime survival<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2008\/06\/casablanca-survival.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2008\/06\/casablanca-survival.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"480\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-5666\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<li>The timeless romantic chemistry between Bogart and Bergman<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2008\/06\/casablanca-romance.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2008\/06\/casablanca-romance.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"480\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-5672\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<li>Atmospheric set designs and visuals<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2008\/06\/casablanca-sets.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2008\/06\/casablanca-sets.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"480\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-5668\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<li>Arthur Edeson&#8217;s stunning b&#038;w cinematography<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2008\/06\/casablanca-cinematography.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2008\/06\/casablanca-cinematography.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"480\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-5669\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<li>The infamous bittersweet ending<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2008\/06\/casablanca-ending.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2008\/06\/casablanca-ending.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"480\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-5670\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<li>Epstein, Epstein, and Koch&#8217;s Oscar-winning script, full of instantly memorable dialogue: &#8220;You know, Rick, I have many a friend in Casablanca, but somehow, just because you despise me, you are the only one I trust.&#8221;<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2008\/06\/casablanca-lorre.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2008\/06\/casablanca-lorre.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"480\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-5673\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<li>Max Steiner&#8217;s score<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Must See? <\/strong><br \/>\nMost definitely. Discussed at length in <a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?page_id=5986\">Peary&#8217;s <em>Cult Movies<\/em> (1981)<\/a>. <\/p>\n<p><strong>Categories<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?page_id=1784#cult\">Cult Movie<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?page_id=1784#classic\">Genuine Classic<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?page_id=1784#oscar\">Oscar Winner or Nominee<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p> (<span style=\"color:red;font-weight:bold;\">Listed in <a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-static\/1001Movies.htm\"><em>1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die<\/em><\/a><\/span>) <\/p>\n<p><strong>Links: <\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.imdb.com\/title\/tt0034583\/\">IMDb entry<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/1942\/11\/27\/archives\/casablanca-with-humphrey-bogart-and-ingrid-bergman-at-hollywood.html\">NY Times Original Review<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.reelviews.net\/movies\/c\/casablanca.html\">James Berardinelli&#8217;s ReelViews Review<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.rogerebert.com\/reviews\/great-movie-casablanca-1942\">Roger Ebert&#8217;s Review<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.dvdtalk.com\/dvdsavant\/s913casa.html\">DVD Savant Review<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tcm.com\/tcmdb\/title\/610\/casablanca#articles-reviews\">TCM Articles<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.timeout.com\/film\/reviews\/68912\/casablanca.html\">Time Out Capsule Review<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>&#8220;It doesn&#8217;t take much to see that the problems of three little people don&#8217;t amount to a hill of beans in this crazy world.&#8221; Synopsis: In Casablanca during World War Two, a cynical cafe owner (Humphrey Bogart) finds his loyalties tested when a former flame (Ingrid Bergman) and her resistance-fighting husband (Paul Heinreid) arrive in town seeking transit visas to Lisbon. Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors: Claude Rains Films Conrad Veidt Films Expatriates Humphrey Bogart Films Ingrid Bergman Films John&#8230;<\/p>\n<p class=\"read-more\"><a class=\"btn btn-default\" href=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=5660\"> Read More<span class=\"screen-reader-text\">  Read More<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-5660","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-responses-to-peary"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5660","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=5660"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5660\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":98603,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5660\/revisions\/98603"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=5660"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=5660"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=5660"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}