Casablanca

[JonathanLB]

FINALLY, I got around to seeing Casablanca tonight in a losing battle to see and review all of the AFI's top 100 greatest films before spring break (my current pace looks to put me at about 90-94 at best... ugg). I have now at least seen exactly 90% of the list, though, just haven't reviewed a number of the remaining movies I've seen.

Anyway, I don't understand how/why I hadn't seen Casablanca before, but WOW, that is *easily* one of the greatest films ever made. Here I thought it was all about some romance or something, nah, it's an awesome movie that just happens to include a love story (phew, hehe).

Wow that script has to be maybe in the top 5 best I have ever seen (of course you know my love of the SW scripts, so I exclude them in my assessment here). I loved the script of Rear Window (every line, to me, seemed painstakingly chosen), but Casablanca, wow, it may very well have the best script of any AFI Top 100 film except Star Wars. Although Citizen Kane gives it a run for its money (I like Kane better for Gregg Toland's brilliant cinematography, among the best ever, and Welles' remarkable performance to say nothing of the story, which I also find compelling).

Not to mention there are like 5 of the most famous lines in movie history in Casablanca. Much like Star Wars, everyone has heard those lines whether or not they've seen the movie (Round up the usual suspects, This is the beginning of a beautiful friendship, play it once, Sam, Here's looking at you, kid, etc.). I had heard all of those lines before many times, but not seen the film.

I think everything about that movie is great. I only thought Bogart was good in the first movie I saw of his, The African Queen, which strikes me as a lot of fun but not a great film (I gave it 3.5...), then I saw him in The Maltese Falcon and he's brilliant in that (I don't see that movie with anyone else, it just wouldn't be as effective), and finally this is his best work I have seen at least. I'm glad I finally got around to watching the darn thing.

I think it's high ranking on the AFI list is well deserved; there are few other films on that list I would want to place above it except, indeed, Citizen Kane (which IS above it, #1 vs. #2) and Star Wars, perhaps a few others would be close. I mean for sentimental reasons, Raiders of the Lost Ark, but I think Casablanca is in many ways a better film. It's a tough call though because the two movies are so entirely different I think comparing them is simply idiotic. Raiders, IMO, is the greatest pure adventure film ever made. Casablanca, if it is "a love story" at heart, is the greatest of its kind.

I think I better add that movie to my DVD collection, lol.

I know it is blasphemous of me (to some people), and perhaps even not "manly" (lol), but on first impression I like Casablanca more than I like The Godfather. I was very impressed with The Godfather, which I will be watching again before I review it, this time even more carefully (I own the trilogy on DVD), but I did not think The Godfather was honestly leaps and bounds above Casino or Goodfellas. My opinion is subject to change, of course, but I love Pesci, first of all, and second, I have seen Casino perhaps 4 times, Godfather only once (well same with Goodfellas), so perhaps it is not as fair of a comparison. I realize which is the more classic, endearing movie of those three, yet I'm not convinced it deserves respect as "unquestionably the greatest movie of all time," as so many people seem to think (IMDB users especially; incidentally, I think IMDB users are, as a whole, fools, but that's just my opinion).

[CMJ]

If I remember right both Figrin and Jedieb have it as their favorite film of all-time. Obviously you won't get much disagreement here on it being a great film.

I think it's a classic too, not sure I have it rated quite as high as you though.

[Figrin D'an]

:D


Glad you enjoyed the film. I could gush about Casablanca for hours, but suffice to say, it is at the pinnicle of my top films list. It's enjoyable in a purely basic sense, from it's overall story to the great characters, but there are so many wonderful subtleties laced into the dialogue and the character personalities. I'm a big Bogart fan (surprise, surprise, **points at avatar** ;) ) and have enjoyed nearly all of his films that I have seen, but Casablanca just kind of grabbed me and completely drew me in when I first saw it. It's a great film for the "hopeless romantic," but it's love story is surrounded by other elements that make it greater than the sum of it's parts.

[Jedieb]

CMJ has an excellent memory. It is quite simply my favorite all time Hollywood film. It comes down to Bogart. He's an American film icon. He and Bergman give great performances. Throw in Syndey Greenstreet, Peter Lorre, and Claude Raines and you've got one old time legend after another at their best. That ending is one of the most memorable in Hollywood history. A lost man regains his idealism. The cost? The woman he loves. Bogart and Raines head off into the fog to fight the good fight and leaves us with one of Hollywood's most memorable lines, of which the film has many. Like Figrin I could babble on and on. It's not that I think it's the greatest film ever made, it just happens to be my favorite. It's that simple.

This day and age we're living in
Gives cause for apprehension
With speed and new invention
And things like fourth dimension.
Yet we get a trifle weary
With Mr. Einstein's theory.
So we must get down to earth at times
Relax relieve the tension

And no matter what the progress
Or what may yet be proved
The simple facts of life are such
They cannot be removed.

You must remember this
A kiss is just a kiss, a sigh is just a sigh.
The fundamental things apply
As time goes by.

And when two lovers woo
They still say, "I love you."
On that you can rely
No matter what the future brings
As time goes by.

Moonlight and love songs
Never out of date.
Hearts full of passion
Jealousy and hate.
Woman needs man
And man must have his mate
That no one can deny.

It's still the same old story
A fight for love and glory
A case of do or die.
The world will always welcome lovers
As time goes by.

Oh yes, the world will always welcome lovers
As time goes by.

:cool

[JMK]

I bought it about a month ago on DVD and loved it too. Too bad it came as widescreen. :(

[Jedi Master Carr]

Its a great movie too a classic one of my favorites of all time, I love the last 15 minutes of the film their are some great lines there and great acting by the cast.

[JonathanLB]

I agree with what you guys pointed out. I wrote a five page review last night after watching it. It'll be on site Wednesday...

The dialogue was my favorite part, I think. It is one of the best scripts I have ever seen. The final scene is fantastic, the movie is really funny in parts, and Rains and Lorre are both notable.

You guys also notice the German Major? That is Conrad Veidt, who played Cesare in the famous German expressionist film twenty-two years earlier, The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari. He was in several other major German works like Waxworks and The Hands of Orloc, both in '24. I guess he's not a well known actor in America, but when I saw his name I was like, "WHOA, awesome! That's Cesare!" It's just odd seeing the German directors/cinematographers/stars who came to America and worked on various films. He died just a year later of a heart attack. Casablanca was his 2nd to last film.

I think that Bogart's best performance is in Casablanca, though I also love The Maltese Falcon, largely considered the first true American film noir. Now that movie has some great dialogue, too.

[Jedieb]

Much of that script was written AS the film was being made. Pretty remarkable I think.

[Dutchy]

Jonathan, amazing you liked it so much. I personally was bored like hell. Couldn't care for it one bit. Well made, but uninteresting.

[JonathanLB]

LOL, you are shocking sometimes Dutchy. That is one of the most acclaimed films of all time, I'd really think you would like it. How could you be bored by that movie?!?! Wow...

Well to each his own, but I am surprised. I've never heard anyone not liking it. I was actually always like, "Eh, I haven't seen it, bah, must be another romance movie, don't have a lot of interest," but that was years ago when I wasn't very open-minded in my film tastes or very sophisticated yet. When I actually gave it a chance, I was blown away.

I read a very disappointing comment from an IMDB user on Casablanca the other day. It was not ON the film, just was under the reviews for it. Well anyway, he said how he really like Casablanca, but "most old classics are really boring, poorly made, and have ridiculous acting." I was just thinking, "My god, this must be the stupidest person on the face of the Earth." I hope that person was about 12 because such a viewpoint is unacceptable from anyone who even claims to have the tiniest bit of taste in art whatsoever. If old = bad or poorly made, then I guess everything is bad because it'll all be old soon enough in the sands of time. What a stupid attitude. The best philosophy I have ever read is generally the older stuff, like Plato's Republic, rather than new philosophy. Somehow I'm not really that impressed by anything new in philosophy. There is a lot of great work from the 19th and 18th centuries, but forget about the 20th century. Maybe it just comes across as revisionist to me so far, there must be some good work, but it's not as elegant for some reason. The stupidest philosophy reading I have done so far was this idiotic feminist crap about "The Ethics of Care" and how women have "different ethical viewpoints" or something. It is an idiotic way to justify emotions being used in reasoning when emotions have NO PLACE in ethics or reasoning at all. It was sickening and stupid, but fortunately we only read two essays like that and then we moved on quickly.

[Mu Satach]

"What nationality are you?"
"I'm a drunkard."
--
"I am shocked! Simply shocked to find gambling going on in this establishment."
"Your winnings sir."
"Oh, thank you."
--
Good stuff. :)

[JonathanLB]

Well one of my favorite parts is when the guy is like (this is in my review so I am totally paraphrasing), "We always knew that exit passes were being sold here, but the reason we never shut this place down is because we know you don't sell them." Then Bogart says, "I thought it was because I let you win at roulette." The police captain says, "That's another reason."