Luke
stu-kicks
CibbuanoCasablanca
May 24th 2006 14:51
Featuring a stellar cast of 1940s talent, and filmed at the height of WW2, 'Casablanca' somewhat surprisingly promised little more than another off-the-production line mainstream film at it's time of release. The reaction that it would get would canonise all involved, and lead to a blanket critical agreeance on it's status as an all-time classic and one of the greatest films ever made.
As they say, it has it all. Action, romance, comedy - this is pure Hollywood at it's best, and it's use of character and adventure would become hallmarks of mainstream cinema in years to come. It doesn't get any classier than Bogart and Bergman, and the assortment of colourful characters are indelible - from Peter Lorre as the snivelly thief who sets the events of the film in motion, to Claude Reines as the corrupt and jolly French Captain who runs the town.
The film's strength lies in the fact that it's strengths lie everywhere. Characters, acting, plot, dialogue, etc, etc. The dialogue itself is a masterful blend of class, sarcasm and wit, so many famous moments and lines have become so etched into popular culture that they have now become cliches. The use of redemption and character sacrifice is used to brilliant effect, and I suspect that this is what forms the crux of the film's almost ludicrously large status in cinema history.
'Casablanca' still stands up today, 60 years down the track, and despite being set and made during WW2, it doesn't seem to have dated at all. The snappy direction and dogged intention to entertain ensures it a place in the attention spans of future generations (should they ever deign to watch it), and it's wide-spread fame (in lines like "here's looking at you kid" and "I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship") and cultural significance will ensure it retains it's critical glory for as long as such a thing can exist.
TRIVIA: 'Casablanca' was nominated for 8 Academy Awards - Best Actor (Bogart), Best Supporting Actor (Claude Reines), Best B/W Cinematography, Best Score, Best Film Editing, Best Director (Michael Curtiz), Best Film and Best Screenplay. It won the latter 3 Awards.
The script was based on an un-made play 'Everyone comes to Rick's'.
Dooley Wilson (Sam) couldn't actually play the piano, and was a professional drummer.
The film's ending wasn't even written until a few days before it was filmed. Ingrid Bergman was unaware of who she was meant to end up with until this scene was filmed, and the film's famous final line was added some time after filming was finished.
A lot of the actors who played the Nazis were Jewish.
Casablanca (1942)
As they say, it has it all. Action, romance, comedy - this is pure Hollywood at it's best, and it's use of character and adventure would become hallmarks of mainstream cinema in years to come. It doesn't get any classier than Bogart and Bergman, and the assortment of colourful characters are indelible - from Peter Lorre as the snivelly thief who sets the events of the film in motion, to Claude Reines as the corrupt and jolly French Captain who runs the town.
The film's strength lies in the fact that it's strengths lie everywhere. Characters, acting, plot, dialogue, etc, etc. The dialogue itself is a masterful blend of class, sarcasm and wit, so many famous moments and lines have become so etched into popular culture that they have now become cliches. The use of redemption and character sacrifice is used to brilliant effect, and I suspect that this is what forms the crux of the film's almost ludicrously large status in cinema history.
'Casablanca' still stands up today, 60 years down the track, and despite being set and made during WW2, it doesn't seem to have dated at all. The snappy direction and dogged intention to entertain ensures it a place in the attention spans of future generations (should they ever deign to watch it), and it's wide-spread fame (in lines like "here's looking at you kid" and "I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship") and cultural significance will ensure it retains it's critical glory for as long as such a thing can exist.
TRIVIA: 'Casablanca' was nominated for 8 Academy Awards - Best Actor (Bogart), Best Supporting Actor (Claude Reines), Best B/W Cinematography, Best Score, Best Film Editing, Best Director (Michael Curtiz), Best Film and Best Screenplay. It won the latter 3 Awards.
Immortal
Dooley Wilson (Sam) couldn't actually play the piano, and was a professional drummer.
The film's ending wasn't even written until a few days before it was filmed. Ingrid Bergman was unaware of who she was meant to end up with until this scene was filmed, and the film's famous final line was added some time after filming was finished.
A lot of the actors who played the Nazis were Jewish.
| 72 |
| Vote |
subscribe to this blog
Comment by Glen
Reggae
Comment by Laura