Casablanca

Rating:
Summary: Even After So Much Time Has Gone By
Review: Only Citizen Kane was ranked higher when the American Film Institute announced its list of "America's Greatest Movies." (The Godfather, Gone with the Wind, and Lawrence of Arabia complete the top five.) My own opinion is that AFI ranked Casablanca higher than it deserves. Nonetheless, the film remains immensely popular among critics and film historians as well as so-called movie buffs. It received an Academy Award as best film in 1943, as did Michael Curtiz for directing it. Bogart and Bergman are joined by an especially strong supporting cast (notably Greenstreet, Henreid, Lorre, Rains, and Veidt). There really isn't much to the plot but the dialogue is first-rate. (Philip Epstein, Julius Epstein, and Howard W. Koch shared an Oscar for best screenplay.) It is tempting to over-analyze this film by, for example, devoting excessive attention to American versus European sensibilities during World War II, the conflict between what Rick and Ilsa want to do with what they think they ought to do, etc.

Obviously, the war in progress outside of Rick's cafe cannot be denied although he makes every effort to insulate himself and his clientele from it. There is no shortage of social and political issues and yet, in my opinion, the significance of the film -- and its enduring appeal -- is explained by the development of the relationship between Rick and Ilsa. The final resolution is necessarily somewhat ambiguous, I think, precisely because the relationship between two people in war time faces quite different challenges, obligations, and implications than it would otherwise. Ultimately, having recently seen this film again in a special edition, accompanied by an abundance of supplementary features (e.g. Roger Ebert's commentary, Lauren Bacall's Introduction, and about ten minutes of additional scenes and out takes), I think the film now has a special symbolic significance which could not have been evident when it was released in 1942. More specifically, it somehow dramatizes what so many of us also struggle with when seeking a balance of obligations to ourselves and to others as well as to certain values which sustain the human race, especially during crises which threaten its survival. Perhaps I make too much of this film but these are among the reasons why it continues to hold special meaning for me.

Rating:
Summary: Rounding Up the Usual Suspects
Review: (To the reader: This review is about the original MGM DVD release and NOT about the 2-disc edition just released.)

Casablanca!

The very name conjures up an exotic mix of adventure, intrigue, heroism, selfless sacrifice, and romance. Hear the title of this 1942 Best Picture winner and your memory will provide you with images of Humphrey Bogart, Ingrid Bergman, Paul Henreid, Dooley Wilson, Peter Lorre, and Claude Rains. Or maybe you'll hear snatches of Max Steiner's unforgettable score, with its interpolation of Herman Hupfeld's "As Time Goes By" and the stirring strains of "The Marsellaise."

Based on the stage play "Everybody Comes to Rick's" by Murray Burnett and Joan Allison, the movie tells a dramatic story of refugees fleeing from wartorn Europe and making a perilous trip to Casablanca in French Morocco. It is December 1941 and that French colony is under the control of "unoccupied France." Ostensibly neutral in World War II, Vichy France is nevertheless a German vassal state, as the arrival of Major Strasser (Conrad Veldt) clearly demonstrates.

Strasser's mission in Casablanca: to stop Czech underground leader Victor Laszlo (Henreid) from obtaining one of two exit visas stolen from two murdered German couriers and escaping from the Gestapo. Having tracked the defiant Laszlo after his escape from a Nazi concentration camp, Strasser is determined to capture the symbol of anti-Nazi resistance once and for all.

Accompanying Laszlo is the beautiful Ilsa Lund (Bergman), a young Norweigan student whom he married in secret before he was captured by the Gestapo in 1940. Devoted to her husband and his great cause, Ilsa has been at his side since Laszlo's miraculous escape and sudden reappearance in Paris.

Unbeknownst to Laszlo, however, his fate will now rest in the hands of American saloonkeeper Rick Blaine (Bogart). In the months following Victor's escape from the concentration camp he was reported as "presumed dead." In loneliness and despair, the grieving Ilsa met and fell in love with Rick in Paris shortly before the German occupation began. For a brief time the lovers were together, only to tragically part ways when news of Laszlo's return reached Ilsa.

Now, in the eve of America's entry into World War II, Victor Laszlo's fate hangs on the conflicting emotions felt by both Rick and Ilsa, as well as the shifting loyalties of French police Capt. Louis Renault (Rains).

The screenplay by Julius J. and Philip G. Epstein and Howard Koch is a wonderful mixture of romance, intrigue, drama and comedy (the latter provided both by colorful characters and witty exchanges). Director Michael Curtiz and producer Hal B. Wallis made Casablanca as one of many movies produced in 1942, never knowing that it would become a classic of Hollywood's Golden Era.

Rating:
Summary: Dissapointing
Review: I may be the only one that thinks so, but Casablanca was a big dissapointment to me. I am a classic movie buff and have almost all the great ones, but this was so boring and Humphrey Bogart has no romantic appeal and no chemistry with Ingrid Bergman. I think this movie is known more for it's one-liners than the fact that it's a "good movie". I think the movie came out at a time when it was embraced because of world circumstances, but there have been many movies after it that blow it away.

Rating:
Summary: Cheers To Warner Bros For Keeping This Black and White!
Review: Casablanca is a superb film. A bonafide classic masterpiece with outstanding acting from the whole cast, Bogart, Bergman, etc! While Meaning no disrespect towards Leonard Snerdley the reviewer who hates black and white movies and thinks they should all be colorized, everyone is entitled to their opinion but even so I have to very strongly disagree with you! Being a film buff I think the old black and white classics are wonderful works of art and colorizing them is a bad idea and colorized movies look awful and fake! Cheers To Warners Bros for keeping this cinematic treasure in black and white! Black and white is a beautiful art form and colorization is, well it's just lame!

Rating:
Summary: So Many Awards and So Many Memorable Lines
Review: CASABLANCA is the favorite movie of many fans for good reasons. They can really be summed up in the numerous Academy Awards and Academy Award nominations given to the film. The combination of superior direction, acting, cinematography and a superb screenplay doesn't come together in one package too often.

Bogart, Bergman and Paul Henreid work together beautifully. The supporting cast is incredibly deep in talent. S.Z. Sakal, Madeleine LeBeau and Leonid Kinsky are tough to beat. Is it possible that this is only Dooley Wilson's first film? Added to this mix is the veteran star quality of Claude Rains, Peter Lorre and Sydney Greenstreet.

Few movies leave us with so many memorable lines such as "We'll always have Paris" or "Round up the usual suspects" or "Here's looking at you - kid." In this respect CASABLANCA is reminiscent of THE MALTESE FALCON and GONE WITH THE WIND.

For the record the Academy Awards were for best picture, best director (Michael Curtiz) and best screenplay (Julius J. Epstein, Philip G. Epstein and Howard Koch).

The Academy Award nominations were for best actor (Humphrey Bogart), best supporting actor (Claude Rains) and best cinematography (Arthur Edeson).

Rating:
Summary: Round up the family and friends
Review: This sensational new double-disc set reinforces the WWII-era classic with four-plus hours of bonus materials. Some extras are new, others are simply recycled from previous "Casablanca" videos. Most of us won't care.

Viewers can kick off their night in "Casablanca" with the Looney Toons spoof "Carrotblanca." Or they can check out the odd but snappy 1955 TV spin-off, starring tough guy Charles McGraw. Or turn off the TV for the radio adaptation from 1943, with Bogart and Bergman reprising their roles as Rick and Ilsa.

The star of the show is, of course, the show. The movie looks amazing at age 61, digitally scrubbed of almost all wear while somehow retaining a fair amount of contrast and original grain. The new transfer builds on the significant restoration work done for the 50th anniversary, returning to the original nitrate elements.

The DVD's 2.0 mono is muscular, with crisp and clear dialogue. Max Steiner's versatile music sounds lovely, with plenty of oomph reserved for the dramatic exclamation marks. But keep that remote control close at hand: The DVDs' dynamic range gets to be a bit much, especially during the extras. Volume differences between several bonus features are downright jarring -- sloppy work from the audio people.

Roger Ebert's commentary is the loudest track of them of all, appropriate given his enthusiasm level. He's a terrific guy to watch the film with. Who better to provide commentary on the populist masterpiece "Casablanca" than Ebert, the people's film reviewer?

Ebert shoots down some of the myths about the film: Ronald Reagan was never seriously considered for the Bogart part; Bergman wasn't completely in the dark about which man her character would choose. Ebert notes the film's cheesy special effects and gaps in logic, saying they don't matter a bit -- and then goes on at length about the absurdity of the fabled "letters of transit."

The feature-length "Bogart" docu is outstanding, offering a wealth of clips from the tough guy's obscure early films. The cast of witnesses is outstanding: John Huston, Richard Brooks, Katharine Hepburn and Bergman all weigh in on their friend's art and legacy.

The half-hour "You Must Remember This" is less successful, but still worth watching. Henry Mancini covers the vital role music plays in the film, with popular songs of the day providing sly commentary on the action. "As Time Goes By" was almost cut from the film, but was saved at the last minute.

Rating:
Summary: "Here's Looking at You Kid"
Review: As time goes by, Casablanca is a film that will never die. It is my favorite film of all time. Everything about this film is wonderful. The set, the drama, the acting, the music, and the cinamatography all whisk you away to another era. The film has everything a moviegoer wants. It has action, mystery, drama, romance, and at times it is even funny. Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman were the only ones I think that could play these roles right. They were a match made in heaven. They are probably a better on screen couple than Vivian Leigh and Clark gable. This is a timeless piece of film that everybody should see.

Rating:
Summary: A Genre Within Itself.
Review: 3 Oscars,2 Legends Made,and 62 years later,Casblanca is still a flawless classic and is still a favorite for every generation.I can't begin to explain how amazing this movie is,but I'll just start with Ingrid Bergman and the great Humphrey Bogart.These two give the greatest of their careers and quite possibly have the best chemistry of all time.One can even sense real love for each other.This is simply a tale of two separated lovers meeting again,and much more.The supporting cast does many great performances as well(Captain Renault is a favorite among people I know),and the screenplay contains more legendary quotes than all the presidents and Gone With The Wind combined.

The Verdict:I know this review was pretty short,but there's nothing else to say except for one thing:It's A Classic!

Recommended:Yes

Rating:
Summary: good movie but broke (....)
Review: first of all it must be broke cuz theres no color ow well
second of all my dad had this movie when i was 9 and it had much more nudity and john holmes[damn fcc always editing stuff]so dont buy the special edition of assablanca

Rating:
Summary: Everyone Meets At Rick¿s
Review: The suave Bogart, the luminous Bergman, the slimy Raines, the tuneful Wilson all meet at Rick's Café American in Warner Brothers classic of all time, Casablanca. This film is a wonder of cinema and well deserves the first class treatment on this DVD issue.
Thought by many to be the best film or at least the most popular film of all time it is indeed a wonderful movie replete with danger, intrigue and romance.
I will not go through the history of the making of the film but rather leave the discovery of that up to you. There are two wonderful documentaries on this DVD, which will unfurl the fascinating history of Casablanca.
Bogart in this film made his mark as a screen icon with his multifaceted portrayal of Rick. His craggy face and world-weary eyes fill the screen with full star wattage. He is the commanding center around which all the other characters revolve. It is impossible to imagine anyone else in this role. But there were a few other contenders. Thank god or at least Jack Warner that they went with Boggy in the process made him a star.
Ingrid Bergman is compelling and beautiful in her anti Hollywood 40's glamour. She is so natural in the role of Ilsa that she draws you into the world of the film with her tender and desperate performance. When the camera holds her lovely face in full frame, is there a more beautiful face in the entire world?
Dooley Wilson as Sam the piano player takes a thankless sidekick and fills him with humanity and warmth. And of course as time goes by, he play's it again.
The delicious Claude Raines sparkles with wit and chicanery in his role as the chief of Police Renault. It is pure joy to watch this, one of Hollywood's greatest character actors in his best-remembered role.
The cast is rounded out by a who's who of the Warner Brother's A-1 character actors; Paul Henreid, Sidney Greenstreet and Peter Lorre top this list.
The biggest star of the film is the script by the Epstein brothers, Julius and Philip. It is tight, razor sharp and witty. The script of any film is its foundation. Without the writers you have nothing. With Casablanca you get a perfect film script.
The direction by veteran Michael Curtiz is among his best work. The music by Max Steiner is top-notch example of film music from the golden age. The rousing songs are by M.K. Jerome and Jack Scholl, "Knock On Wood". The films most famous song is of course by the incomparable Herman Humpfled.
Don't go to Casablanca with out dropping by Rick's. It gets better with each visit.