|
Actors: Humphrey Bogart, Ingrid Bergman, Paul Henried
|
|
| Review Summary and Plot Commentary about Casablanca |
|---|
Casablanca is a film about World War II's effects on Europe in general, and specifically on Rick (Bogart), Elsa (Bergman)and Victor (Henreid) her husband, who is a very much pursued French Resistance Fighter. In Paris, Rick (an American soldier of fortune, and gun runner to the resistance movements under attack by the Fascists/Nazis of the world) and Elsa,the beautiful wife of Victor Laslow (Henreid) whom she has presumed dead, fall in love.
They are planning to leave Paris together on the train as the Nazis come closer to the city. At the last minute she finds out that her husband (Laslow) has been wounded and is in hiding. She goes to him and leaves Rick a note. At the station, Sam, Rick's pal, confidant, assistant and musician (of "Play It again Sam"-which isn't the exact line from the film) gives a farewell note to Rick. Elsa gives her love and regrets with no explanation. Rick is devastated and is seen standing in the rain with the ink on the Lost Love letter running down the paper. Rick obviously has money from somewhere for we find him a year or so later in Casablanca, in North Africa, owning a bar, night club and casino, where "Everyone Comes to Ricks."
He is cynical, angry, drinking too much, and sour grapes on love, and still very much in love with Elsa (maybe it is pronounced and spelled Ilsa). The local Chief of Police(Claude Raines) is a corrupt French official in Casablanca, where the struggle for France is being played out in miniature: the Vichy French who are pro-nazi versus the Free French who are pro-democracy.
Col. Strausser, a Nazi officer, comes to Casablanca in search of Victor Laslow. Victor and Ilsa/Elsa also come to Rick's in Casablanca. Members of Rick's staff are involved in the underground as well and Laslaw is in town to meet with and encourage them. In a famous scene (one of many) Victor and Ilsa/Elsa come to Rick's and Sam is playing the piano, as he is throughout the move, and ends up playing "As Time Goes By" (Ilsa's favorite song-and formerly Rick and Ilsa's song) against his better judgment. Rick emerges from his office and is angry, reminding Sam that he has told him to never play that song again. There he comes face to face with Ilsa, his old flame, and Victor Laslow, her husband. The anger and depression splash up within Rick as does his love for her. He begins to attack her verbally after this on a regular basis.
There are letters of transit available for purchase if one is to leave Casablanca. The French government in Casablanca demand these letters to be presented for anyone to fly out of the city. In the beginning of the movie, Peter Lorre's character has murdered couriers and stolen letters of transit. They finally track him down and kill him at Rick's Place. Rick has the letters. Ilsa finds out that he has them and goes to him to plead for them for her husband, after her husband has been turned down by Rick, who will not give or sell them to him. When Ilsa shows up she pleads for them from Rick who is sadistically withholding them from her in order to hurt her the way she has hurt him. Finally, she pulls a gun and threatens to shoot him if he won't give up the letters of tranist. He walks right up and presses himself into the muzzle of the small handgun and says,"Go ahead. Shoot. You'll be doing me a favor." But she cannot shoot and they end up kissing with her crying out the reason she left him originally in Paris and how much she still loves him in spite of the fact that she has tried hard not to. They make plans to leave Casablanca together, but Rick secretly hatches a plot to get her and Laslow out of Casablanca without the knowledge of the French chief of police and Major Stasser, the villain of the film.
--KERRY BULLS, Resident Scholar
|
Rick, the owner of a small club in Morrocco gets caught between french freedom fighters and german invaders. He tries to stay neutral, but sympathizes with the french. Out of nowhere his long-lost love shows up with her husband, the leader of the freedom fighters. The german authorities try to stifle the freedom leader, but Rick helps him and his lost love escape to America.
--Brandon Swenson, Resident Scholar
|
Rick runs a club in Casablanca, Morocco. He's the big man in town, until his previous girlfriend, Ilsa arrives. She tells the piano player to play "As Time Goes By", and the two start to fall in love, again. Meanwhile, her new husband, Victor is trying to get out of Casablanca, and to America. They can't find the travelling papers, so Rick decides to help them.
--Estefan Ellison, Resident Scholar
|
Casablanca; The war..."us" vs. "them"; Nazi's , Commies.
Men, women, children, fleeing for their lives, guns going off; spies. (Great stuff)
Rick Blaine (Bogart) finds himself in a triangle with former love, Ilsa, (Ingrid Bergman) who failed to meet with him in a rainy Paris train station. "Time goes by" and one song stands between them. Ilsa's standing next to her husband, Czech Resistance leader, Victor Lazlo. Action galore. See it; since one can't 'explain' a movie that's such a classic. A great supporting cast, Sydney Greenstreet, Peter Lorre. If you haven't seen this by now...When? (it's been out over 60 years)
--Dorothy Renshaw, Resident Scholar
|
You must remember this, a kiss is still a kiss and “Casablanca” is still one of the top movies
ever made! Such memories, such memorable scenes and lines--what's not to like!Humphrey Bogart plays Rick, the owner of the Cafe Amercain in Casablanca, who has fled Paris (just as the Nazis were goose-stepping in) with somewhat of a bit of baggage! Seems he'd been ditched at the last moment by the one true love of his live, Ilsa (Ingrid Bergman). But, alas and voila!, one evening at the Caf, who waltzes in but Ilsa herself (with new husband, resistance leader) who are desperate to get out to safety, as the Germans are hot on their trails! But it's more than just rekindling an old flame (after all, they'll “always
have Paris”), as Rick does the honorable thing and helps them escape. It's pure romanticism and sentimentality--ingredients still going strong after all these years!
--Bill Hobbs, Resident Scholar
|
Rick Blaine and Ilsa are in love and must flee from Paris, but Ilsa deserts Rick at the train station. Rick becomes bitter and opens a saloon in Casablanca. Ilsa comes to Casablanca, not knowing Rick is there, with her husband. Rick must choose between doing what's right and the love of his life.
--Jenna Evans, Resident Scholar
|
| Analysis of Casablanca |
|---|
Our unique search engine provides a wealth of detail about
books by breaking them down into many different literary
elements, all of which are searchable (click here). |
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale (Low to High)
Plot
Time/era of movie:
- 1930's-1950's
Romance/Love/Hugging
Yes
Kind of romance:
- romance (general)
War impact on civilians/veterans
Yes
Kind of conflict:
- war, WW II
Main Character
Identity:
- Male
Profession/status:
- small businessman
- gambler
Age:
- 20's-30's
- 40's-50's
Is this an ordinary person caught up in events?
Yes
Hair color?
- brunette (Brown)
Hair type
- (man) short/standard straight
Body type
- (man) average
Events of movie makes character more...
- caring
Ethnicity/Nationality
- White (American)
How sensitive is this character?
- sensitive to others' feelings
Sense of humor?
- Cynical sense of humor
Physique
- average physique
Secondary Main Character
Identity:
- Female
Hair color
- brunette (Brown)
Hair style
- (woman) medium/shoulderlgn wavey
Main Adversary
Identity:
- Male
Age:
- 40's-50's
Ethnicity/Nationality
- German
Setting
Africa
Yes
Kind of Africa:
- White Enclave
City?
Yes
Misc setting
- bar
Style
Accounts of torture and death?
- generic/vague references to death/punishment
Check here if B&W
Yes
Any profanity?
- None
If lots of song/dance...
- lot of singing
|
| Most similar reviews by Gordonator ranking |
|---|
| To Have and Have Not
starring Humphrey Bogart, Lauren Bacall
|
| Charlotte Gray
starring Cate Blanchett, Billy Crudup, Michael Gambon, Rupert Penry-Jones
|
| Mother Night
starring Nick Nolte
|
| Miracle in the Rain
starring Jane Wyman, Van Johnson, Peggie Castle, Fred Clark, Eileen Heckart
|
| Bye Bye Blues
starring Rebecca Jenkins, Michael Ontkean, Luke Reilly, Robyn Stevan, Sheila Moore, Kate Reid
|
|
Note: the views expressed here are only those of the reviewer(s). | |
|
