Starring: Humphrey Bogart, Ingrid Bergmen, Claude Rains, Sydney Greenstreet & Peter Lorre
Directed By: Michael Curtiz

1941 was the year of the landmark classic Citizen Kane a movie which broke all the rules and made some new ones of it's own, then one year later came Casablanca. If Citizen Kane was a mould breaker and revolutionary picture then Casablanca can earn equal praise for being something less ambitious and that is an example of terrific Hollywood movie making, complete with a incredible cast, great script and a mould breaking ending for the books.

Romantic films are usually not my cup of tea. Though I tend to dislike most romances I do adore a romantic film if it is done right examples being Chasing Amy, Manhattan, Before Sunrise and many other offbeat but effective romances. Casablanca though widely known as a romance it is much more than a romantic picture about a man and woman there are plenty of other romantic themes to
it which give it such power and lastabillity. The theme of sacrificing your love for your country is perhaps it's most romantic theme.

The story to Casablanca is about Rick (Humphrey Bogart) a cynical, depressed man who though tough and has had his bad times with women he is essentially a likeable and good intentioned person. Rick had a love affair with a beautiful girl in Paris (Ingrid Bergmen) who eventually unexpectedly deserted him and broke his heart. Now several years later Rick owns a cafe in Casablanca a place during world war two were refugees can find away to get to America. Who walks in to Rick's cafe but that same girl, whose husband and her happen to need something which Rick has.

Casablanca is well remembered for Bogart's great performance and is a great performance. Bogart playing the sort of character he usually plays is in top form in this film portraying Rick's cynical but essentially nice nature perfectly. Bogart gets a lot of help though from a terrific script full of snappy lines and an all star supporting cast which includes his Maltese Falcon co. stars Sydney Greenstreet and Peter Lorre.

Casablanca is a treasure of a film the kind which gets better as the years pass and better every viewing. It has it all the classic lines, great cast, wonderful story and a unforgettable ending. This is Hollywood in it's golden years, a must see.

5 STARS