Ranking #3 on the AFI film top 100 movies, Casablanca deserves to be on the list. This is a phenomenal movie. Humphrey Bogart (Rick) and Ingrid Bergman (Ilsa) were at their best during this film. Of course, no one can forget Dooley Wilson as Sam and the very famous song “As Time Goes By”.
Rick runs a bar in, where else, Casablanca during World War II. The Germans have occupied France and refugees from Europe try and sometimes succeed in escaping to America through the unoccupied French Casablanca. Two unfortunate refugees are Ilsa (Rick’s x-girlfriend) and underground resistance leader Victor. The Germans want him to stay and pressure the Captain of the police to force him to stay. The only way out is to have the letters of transit stolen from two murdered Germans. Rick’s got the papers and Victor has the girl. And the Germans and French have a contest on who can sing their anthem the loudest (great scene).
The rights to for the film were bought for $20,000 and the film cost a little over $1 million to make.
I love how old black and white movies use shadows to accent the actor’s eyes. It’s a quality that is missing from newer movies. There was a colorized version of the movie in the 1980’s but was unpopular.
No sequels were made, but there were two books that continued the story (one office and one unofficial). Two TV shows and a two radio dramas were also made. But nothing is like the movie!
Signature Quotes:
• “Here’s looking at you kid.”
• “If you can play it for her, you can play it for me.”
• “We’ll always have Paris.”
• “Louis, I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship.”
Directed by:
Michael Curtiz
Staring:
Humphrey Bogart
Ingrid Bergman