Play
it again and again and again and again...
"Casablanca"
is like a warm blanket. You can wrap
yourself up in it and drift away into wistful
remembrances of loves lost, unrequited flames
and fleeting glances of a someone you never got
to meet.
This film
makes me think of Stephanie, Emjay, the
Shortcakes girl, Hedy Lamarr, Erica, Rebecca,
Justine, Carla, Jenny, the Eddie Munster chick,
Brielle, Tabitha & the chick with the funky
socks.
Who does it
make you think about?
You see, that
is the power of this film. It has the
ability to resonate with the audience. We
empathize. We care. For that reason,
it is safe to claim that "Casablanca" is one of
the finest films of all time.
It is the
most quoted film of all time... often
incorrectly. Did you know that the words,
"Play it again, Sam" never occur in the film?
Bogart and
Bergman represent one of the enduring screen
couples in cinema. The oddly mismatched
and yet perfectly romantic couple are pillars of
the silver screen. The rough and gruff
American paired with the elegant and delicate
European make an iconic duo.
I love
virtually everything about this film. It
is one of the best films to watch late at night,
right before going to sleep. It will make
you want to lean over to your bed-mate and kiss
them goodnight... unless of course your
bed-mate's name is Rover or Spot or Pillow.
And even then... it's tempting.
I cannot
praise a film any higher than this.
"Casablanca" is a permanent fixture in my All
Time Top 10. There is nothing I would
change about it. I love it all... even the
imperfections.
©
Written by TC Candler
Richard
Propes' Comment
This film
rests comfortable in my Top 100, and yet I've
never been able to consider it the masterpiece
it is proclaimed. It is most likely one of the most
romantic films ever made, and even in its
imperfections is simply beautiful to behold. Who
knows? Maybe one day this film will claim the
title of perfection and earn my A+ rating. For now, I can simply acknowledge it is
one of the finest films ever made.
Jacob
Hall's Comment
Just
because it is an old film, that doesn't mean it
can't make a modern day viewer cry, and it
doesn't mean that a modern day viewer will not
be thrilled, and it proves that Humphrey Bogart
remains the ultimate in movie heroes and Ingrid
Bergman remains one of the great screen beauties
of all time. "Casablanca" is one of the greatest
films ever created. It's just about perfect in
every way. Director Michael Curtiz chooses to
let the material speak for itself and presents
in a straightforward manner that allows the
story to come across clearly and easily. The
story is one of the great ones of all time. It
is genuinely romantic, exciting and intriguing.
It has more quotable lines than any other movie
in existence. One must wonder what the
screenwriters ate for breakfast each day. The
dialogue is that good. The chemistry between
Bogart and Bergman is classic, and the
supporting roles by Paul Henreid and Claude
Raines are brilliant. This is one of the most
re-watchable films ever made, and I have yet to
see someone not tear up during the scene with
the singing of the French anthem.
