No single motion picture has been held in higher esteem than Casablanca. In spite of Citizen Kane holding the title of “Greatest American Movie of All Time,” Casablanca is more widely regarded — and for good reason. The film appeals to all sorts of audiences with its solid narrative and penetrates the senses with its emotional ending. Conclusively, Casablanca is a timeless classic that defines the word “standard.”
Amid the onset of World War II, Europeans attempt to flee the Nazi regime and arrive at Casablanca, a town in unoccupied Africa that served as a passageway to the New World through Lisbon. Once in Casablanca, each person must wait for his/her letter of transit to officially escape the German influence and live free in America.
Rick’s Café Americain is Casablanca’s hottest nightspot for drinks and entertainment. Run by cynical American expatriate Rick Blaine (Humphrey Bogart), the saloon features a welcoming atmosphere, a gambling parlor, and an impressive piano player named Sam (Dooley Wilson).
After Rick inherits two letters of transit from one of his regulars, he is ordered by the Chief of Police, Captain Renault (Claude Rains) and Major Strasser of the Gestapo (Conrad Veidt) to prevent a Czech underground leader named Victor Lazslo (Paul Henried) from leaving Casablanca. Yet, when Lazslo enters Rick’s, seeking exit visas, Lazslo is accompanied by Rick’s former flame from Paris, Ilsa Lund (Ingrid Bergman).
While attempting to obey the orders he received, Rick tries to renew his love affair with Ilsa. Rick eventually reverts back to his old ways as a freedom fighter instead of a cynic.
One of the picture’s dominant themes is Rick’s transformation. While his reason for not returning to America is irrelevant, his return to patriotism is paramount. Initially a misanthropist who sticks his neck out for no one, Rick succumbs to his heart of sentimentalism. With the return of Ilsa, Rick moves from being solely concerned with himself to being worried about the welfare of others. During the closing specifically, this colossal conversion comes to fruition.
Without Bogart and Bergman, Casablanca certainly would not be the same. Bogart is brilliant as the multi-dimensional broken heart with a tough outer shell, and Ilsa makes every man melt with her longing stares and passionate kisses. Rumor has it that before this iconic duo earned their respective roles, Ronald Reagan and Ann Sheridan were set to be cast as Rick and Ilsa. Can you imagine?
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