Post by Mike Sullivan on Nov 28, 2005 16:36:03 GMT
Casablanca
Director: Michael Curtiz
USA 1942
Occupied French Morocco, 1941. In Casablanca lives an array of characters; people from all walks of life from pickpockets to freedom fighters to Dutch bankers all with one objective: to fnd their freedom. The camera moves from a group dining in an intriguing restaurant by the name of "Rick's Cafe' American" and tracks onto a shot of a hand making his signature on a check. The camera pans up and reveals Humphrey Bogart in a dinner jacket and pants. indeed, this is the owner of the restaurant, Rick, a hard-boiled cynic brought to "Casablanca" by circumstances unknown to the friends he's made here since his arrival. He sticks his head out for nobody, not even willing to save a little man by the name of Ugarte (Peter Lorre) who seems to of been mixed up in a small matter regarding letters of transit which can ensure safe passage to Lisbon which can be a port to ensure passage to the Americas (which he has left with Rick. He doesn't have time; he's got a bar to run, loopy dames to deal with, corrupt prefects of police (played by the incomparable Claude Rains). And of course, to top it all off a ghost has just walked into his establishment; a beautiful, graceful creature whom he once loved and lost and whom is now married to an anti-Nazi freedom fighter.
Listening to a commentary on the new DVD edition of Casablanca, Roger Ebert enlightened me and pointed out a fact that Casablanca is the film that is seen on most international lists of the greatest films ever made. Indeed, he'd never even heard of a single bad review for this classic film, and I won't break such a precedent.
Of all the films to be released in during the studio system era, "Casablanca" stands as a crowning moment in which every element in a film morphed and created an undeniable masterpiece that stands as fresh today as it did upon it's release in late December of 1942.
And there in lies the conflict of "Casablanca". It is about a man who changes and finds himself again despite all the travails and troubles he has seen. It is also about selfless sacrifice and about the nature of love, only disguised by the danger and intrigue of the desert locales.
The script is nothing short of a masterpiece. Written by Julius and Irving Epstein with Howard Koch contributing vastly during their hiatus, the screenplay not only plays out these themes perfectly but does so that it doesn't drag. it's fast paced and it Crete's witty, intriguing characters.
The technical direction of Michael Curtis isn't that great yet what we do see is his incredible collaboration with Cinematographer, Arthur Edson, whom created such visual settings and knew how to master shadows and lights. Along side the technical crew we see Max Steiner who creates a lush and beautiful score and transforms a song relegated to obscurity ("As Time Goes By") into the basis of most of his orchestrations throughout the film and with good effect.
Let's not forget the acting. Bogart's tough guy persona shines here showing true character evolution, becoming amicable and showing humanity without betraying the world-weariness that still belongs with the character even after Ilsa (Ingrid Bergman) has brought back to him what he lost that day on the train platform in Paris.
She also acts marvelously as a woman torn between two men, one whom she is obligated to and the other whom she truly loves. She had such a great gift and had such fragility that you couldn't help but fall in love with her. Paul Henried, who gets third billing is also a good straight man, not too fascinating but a linchpin to remind us of nationalism (As seen during some of the pro--Allies propaganda displayed like the sining of "Le Marseilles). Of course, you couldn't ask for a greater supporting cast with the likes of Claude Rains playing the amoral police chief of Casablanca with a taste for women, nor the sleazy Peter Lorre or the many others who are seen throughout the film. All of them, along with all of the other people involved in the production do truly bring us one of the greatest films yet made.
CREDITS
Director
Michael Curtiz
Producer
Hal B. Wallis
Screenplay
Julius J. Epstein
Philip G. Epstein
Howard Koch
based on the play Everybody Comes to Rick's by Murray Burnett and Joan Alison
Director of Photography
Arthur Edeson
Original Score
Max Steiner
Film Editing
Owen Marks
Art Direction
Carl Jules Weyl
CAST
Humphrey Bogart[/b]
Rick Blaine
Ingrid Bergman
Ilsa
Paul Henreid
Victor Laszlo
Claude Rains
Captain Renault
S. Z. Sakall
Carl
Conrad Veidt
Major Strasser
Dooley Wilson
Sam
Marcel Dalio
Emil
Peter Lorre
Ugarte
Sydney Greenstreet
Signor Ferrari[/size]
Director: Michael Curtiz
USA 1942
Occupied French Morocco, 1941. In Casablanca lives an array of characters; people from all walks of life from pickpockets to freedom fighters to Dutch bankers all with one objective: to fnd their freedom. The camera moves from a group dining in an intriguing restaurant by the name of "Rick's Cafe' American" and tracks onto a shot of a hand making his signature on a check. The camera pans up and reveals Humphrey Bogart in a dinner jacket and pants. indeed, this is the owner of the restaurant, Rick, a hard-boiled cynic brought to "Casablanca" by circumstances unknown to the friends he's made here since his arrival. He sticks his head out for nobody, not even willing to save a little man by the name of Ugarte (Peter Lorre) who seems to of been mixed up in a small matter regarding letters of transit which can ensure safe passage to Lisbon which can be a port to ensure passage to the Americas (which he has left with Rick. He doesn't have time; he's got a bar to run, loopy dames to deal with, corrupt prefects of police (played by the incomparable Claude Rains). And of course, to top it all off a ghost has just walked into his establishment; a beautiful, graceful creature whom he once loved and lost and whom is now married to an anti-Nazi freedom fighter.
Listening to a commentary on the new DVD edition of Casablanca, Roger Ebert enlightened me and pointed out a fact that Casablanca is the film that is seen on most international lists of the greatest films ever made. Indeed, he'd never even heard of a single bad review for this classic film, and I won't break such a precedent.
Of all the films to be released in during the studio system era, "Casablanca" stands as a crowning moment in which every element in a film morphed and created an undeniable masterpiece that stands as fresh today as it did upon it's release in late December of 1942.
And there in lies the conflict of "Casablanca". It is about a man who changes and finds himself again despite all the travails and troubles he has seen. It is also about selfless sacrifice and about the nature of love, only disguised by the danger and intrigue of the desert locales.
The script is nothing short of a masterpiece. Written by Julius and Irving Epstein with Howard Koch contributing vastly during their hiatus, the screenplay not only plays out these themes perfectly but does so that it doesn't drag. it's fast paced and it Crete's witty, intriguing characters.
The technical direction of Michael Curtis isn't that great yet what we do see is his incredible collaboration with Cinematographer, Arthur Edson, whom created such visual settings and knew how to master shadows and lights. Along side the technical crew we see Max Steiner who creates a lush and beautiful score and transforms a song relegated to obscurity ("As Time Goes By") into the basis of most of his orchestrations throughout the film and with good effect.
Let's not forget the acting. Bogart's tough guy persona shines here showing true character evolution, becoming amicable and showing humanity without betraying the world-weariness that still belongs with the character even after Ilsa (Ingrid Bergman) has brought back to him what he lost that day on the train platform in Paris.
She also acts marvelously as a woman torn between two men, one whom she is obligated to and the other whom she truly loves. She had such a great gift and had such fragility that you couldn't help but fall in love with her. Paul Henried, who gets third billing is also a good straight man, not too fascinating but a linchpin to remind us of nationalism (As seen during some of the pro--Allies propaganda displayed like the sining of "Le Marseilles). Of course, you couldn't ask for a greater supporting cast with the likes of Claude Rains playing the amoral police chief of Casablanca with a taste for women, nor the sleazy Peter Lorre or the many others who are seen throughout the film. All of them, along with all of the other people involved in the production do truly bring us one of the greatest films yet made.
CREDITS
Director
Michael Curtiz
Producer
Hal B. Wallis
Screenplay
Julius J. Epstein
Philip G. Epstein
Howard Koch
based on the play Everybody Comes to Rick's by Murray Burnett and Joan Alison
Director of Photography
Arthur Edeson
Original Score
Max Steiner
Film Editing
Owen Marks
Art Direction
Carl Jules Weyl
CAST
Humphrey Bogart[/b]
Rick Blaine
Ingrid Bergman
Ilsa
Paul Henreid
Victor Laszlo
Claude Rains
Captain Renault
S. Z. Sakall
Carl
Conrad Veidt
Major Strasser
Dooley Wilson
Sam
Marcel Dalio
Emil
Peter Lorre
Ugarte
Sydney Greenstreet
Signor Ferrari[/size]