Casablanca

Casablanca (1942)

Runtime: 102 minutes

Directed by: Michael Curtiz

Starring: Bogie, Ingrid Bergman, Paul Henreid, Claude Rains, Conrad Veidt

From: Warner Brothers

Here's a classic movie which of course I've seen before but not since before I started this Blogspot page. As TCM showed some Bogart movies last night I recorded them and during this big day of college football I fit in the latest viewing of this motion picture. I will return Monday night but now, the Letterboxd review:

Of course I've seen this all-time classic movie before but the last viewing was a long while ago so when Turner Classic Movies showed a number of Bogie films the night before I did some recording and this was one of them, which I watched today. I won't go on and on about it but let me just say a few words.

This is an intoxicating mix of a romance and a suspenseful drama set in the Moroccan city during the beginnings of World War II and how nightclub owner Rick deals with the Nazi's and other colorful characters as he wonders if he should help his ex-love Ilsa and her boyfriend escape and head for safer waters.

I don't need to state all the classic lines and moments that have become legendary and are still remembered more than 70 years later; I will just note that everything is done oh so well (the dialogue, the one-liners, the characters, the incredible romance between Rick and Ilsa, the plot, etc.) and it's deservedly beloved in 2014. You really feel like you're spending a sweltering night in Rick's American Cafe in a wild and tempestuous city which can be treacherous and full of peril and yet I'd still like to be there to hang out and listen to Sam play piano and lead that band.

To mention something different, I am still amused as a car fan that two characters were named Renault and Ferrari.