I actually didn't bother to take a single note for this film when it aired on Reel 13 on September 13th. I just sat back and enjoyed the movie and after all, what can I say about the film that hasn't already been said? It is pretty much undisputed as one of the greatest American films of all-time is 10 on my personal all-time top ten list of favorites (well ahead of CITIZEN KANE). The film is near perfection in almost every discipline.
Even though I don't have much to say that is entirely original, I don't want to be lazy and skimp on the blog, so I'll briefly elaborate. At the heart of CASABLANCA is a great story, well-told. It features romance, adventure, betrayal, suspense, patriotism, politics and surprising to many first time viewers – quite a lot of comedy, mostly due to the famously sharp dialogue provided by the Epstein brothers, who represent two of the three credited screenwriters. They, along with structure expert Howard Koch, weave all of those elements into a seamless patchwork – a script so tight that you could bounce a quarter off it. What's most amazing about that is, according to many books I've read on the making of the film, they were still putting the screenplay together as shooting was going on. It's almost as if they stumbled onto the perfect movie.
This is not to discount the contribution of Michael Curtiz, who was always a good filmmaker, but had never been given this kind of well-written, multi-layered material. He employs a lot of very unobtrusive tracking shots to incorporate all of the multitude of characters that frequent Rick's Café American (Watching it again, I was reminded of all the little subplots throughout CASABLANCA. For example, do you remember Rick's jilted, mildly alcoholic lover Yvonne who struggles with nationalism or the young Bulgarian newlyweds desperate for an exit visa? It's amazing that they were able to include all of these wonderful details…). Most of all, I think it is the pace that Curtiz uses to get through the story that makes it really click. Even long scenes feel fast (though not overly) due to good cutting between shots and the laser speed with which the quippy dialogue is delivered. Additionally, Curtiz never panders to the audience or dwells too long on information that might be important. You are required to pay attention and follow along and if you do, you are rewarded with a highly satisfactory experience. Quite frankly, even if you miss things, the romance is enough to carry the film on its own and you still walk away with an appreciation for the movie.
Warner Brothers provided Curtiz with its finest talent (though it may not have known it at the time), particularly in the supporting roles. This is not to say that Bogart isn't good. On the contrary, he's pitch-perfect (Bergman, on the other hand, has a few weak moments, particularly in those of heightened emotions, but enough to really derail the movie in any way). However, it is the supporting cast that, in my mind, gives CASABLANCA its life. Character actors like Peter Lorre, Conrad Veidt and Sydney Greenstreet create such wonderful three-dimensioal portraits in their limited screen time. They are key to making the world of CASABLANCA feel real and relevant. Perhaps the finest performance of the film, though, is Claude Rains as Capt. Renault, the Vichy prefect of police. Of course, on several occasions, the plot hinges on Renault's shifting allegiances, but making that balance work in a character is a great challenge which Rains meets with confidence and charm. Technically, he is both a villain and a hero, but he is always likeable and much of that is due to Rains.
I was thinking that, in a way, it is almost unfair that Reel 13 aired CASABLANCA because when it comes to naming the best Reel 13 films of the year in December or January, there won't be any contest. CASABLANCA is everything that any movie could ever hope to be and much, much more.Casablanca (1942)
(For more on this or any other Reel 13 film, check out their website at www.reel13.org)