47. Casablanca
Casablanca is, not-undeservedly, regarded by many as the prime
example of cinematic perfection. Flawlessly acted, written, photographed and
directed, it’s perhaps aged, very slightly, if, indeed, at all. This
acknowledged classic is not just an acting showcase for Bergman, America’s
beloved innocent actress, that is, until she went and had sex with a man, that
sinful little harlot, and Humphrey Bogart, although they do throw in two career-defining
performances. Michael Curtiz also makes little attempt to overly influence the film’s
structure and tone. Indeed, it’s the wonderful simplicity of its plot and
characters which has caused such widespread reverence and adoration. Bogart’s lovelorn, snarky club-owner is the
classic American-down-on-his-luck; Bergman’s shy, dissatisfied femme fatale is
as equally iconic; the supporting characters, especially Sam the house pianist
and Renault, the leader of the local law enforcement, are likably odd and
friendly.
The story of choosing between, as referred to by one of the
characters, ‘love and virtue’, is one more frequently over-used than ‘keep calm
and carry on’ jokes, but never has it been so poignant, and so touching, than
in Casablanca. Rick gives up his lost
love, and very probably his last chance at happiness, but, in turn, this is because
he refuses to give up the good in him, the good in mankind. While love acts as
his temptation to give up his good nature, it is also the incentive for Rick to stick to his moral
principles; it’s love which enables him to let Ilsa go.
However, while the story and
acting are strong, it’s the screenplay which stands out. Possibly the finest
piece of writing to ever emerge from Hollywood, it’s flawlessly paced,
structured and characterised; you can see the layout of each individual act
tear through the seams of the fourth wall. It’s just perfect, there’s no other
way to describe it. Pouring over it online, it becomes abundantly clear why
it’s the textbook script choice for film schools. It understands its story and
characters to an absolute tee, and it’s one of the most quoted (and misquoted)
scripts in history. Like It’s a Wonderful
Life, Casablanca was ‘just
another Hollywood production’ with little expectation warranted at the time of
its release. In spite of its three Academy Awards, it’s taken decades for its
reputation to grow in stature. It remains at the top of many ‘Best of’ lists,
and more importantly, it is easily one of my favourite films.
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