Casablanca (1942)

In the midst of World War II, the movie studios of the time (Warner Bros, Paramount, Mayer Goldwin Mayer etc) were pumping out dozens of movies a year. Few were any good, and many were forgotten entirely. One movie from the time (when the US were just getting into the war) however managed to not only maintain notoriety and acclaim for the best part of the 20th century, but also permiate almost all of television and Film in some way or another, how many times for example have you heard "here's lookin' at you kid" or "you'll regret it, maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow, but some day". The film was Casablanca.

The epitome of "noir", black and white, whiskey, the Smokey saloons and trilbeys, this movie personifies what we look back on romantically as 1940's America. (even though it's set in Morocco). While the plot and themes could have been used for propaganda, it's used moreso to enforce pride in the countries remaing resliant to Nazi forces. Instead of demonising them, the film seems to make them out to be more like shifty businessmen, merely wanting a clean and easy surrender. While it seems unsettling, it's quite refreshing.

Humphrey Bogart stars in his career defining role as Rick, the owner of the tavern where many a mis-doing occur. A french sergent in his pocket, a gin bar doing extrenely well, Life seemed to be grand, until she walks in. The she being Ilsa (utterly charmingly played by Ingrid Bergman). What unravels is one man's seemingly self preservation turn to ambition for the greater good, it shows a man giving everything and more for a cause greater than himself.

Old? sure. Naive? Most definitely. A little hammy? What pre 1950's film wasn't?
What defines this film is more about how sacrificing ones wants for the good of your country doesn't necessarily mean fighting on the front line or in a cockpit, one can make great contributions in other ways. The film was Long touted as one of (if not THE) greatest film(s) of all time, something I can't say it deserves. Was it great for the time it was made? Absolutely, Director Michael Curtiz uses his exotic setting sparaingly, driving his characters to form the story, and it's a very clean, merely aged film, only relevent to those of the generation and film history ethusiasts. 6.5/10