Casablanca is a classic American romance film directed by Michael Curtiz in 1942. It focuses on the character Rick Blaine, played by Humphrey Bogart, who is the owner of a popular upscale night club in the Moroccan city Casablanca. Set during World War II, Ricks “Café American” is often filled with Nazi officials and refugees trying to escape to the United States. One night Rick is surprised to hear a familiar song from his past he had asked the house piano player, Sam, not to play. Rick goes to confront Sam and is surprised to see his ex-lover Ilsa was the one who requested the song. Ilsa is joined by her now husband Victor, who is a fugitive escaped from a Nazi concentration camp looking to make way to America. German Majors are looking for him to make sure that he does not make it to the United States. Rick, who is known for not sticking his neck out for anybody, must decide if he must help his former flame make it out.
During its production, none of the cast or crew ever expected that Casablanca would go on to be called one of the greatest movies of all time. Despite having a cast of mostly A-List stars it was just seen as an ordinary movie among the crew. I think the stars are the ones to credit for the films popularity. The story line is just a now-typical romance movie formula disguised in an interesting situation. The acting in the film by the main leads is what made the audience become so attached to the film.
I enjoyed the movie but honestly can’t see how it’s considered one of the greatest movies of all time when there were films that came out during the same time that I would consider more impressive.
