OLD COMFORT RECS: CASABLANCA

Year Released: 1942

Runtime: 102 minutes

Directed: Michael Curtiz

Produced: Hal B. Wallis

Starring: Humphrey Bogart, Ingrid Bergman, Paul Henreid, Claude Rains, Conrad Veidt

Oscars: Won: Best Picture, Best Director, Best Screenplay Nominated: Best Actor (Bogart), Best Supporting Actor (Rains), Best Cinematography, Best Editing, Best Score

IMDb Plot Summary: A cynical expatriate American café owner struggles to decide whether or not to help his former lover and her fugitive husband escape the Nazis in French Morocco.

Casablanca as a Comfort Rec

The Story and Characters of Casablanca. The way that this film tells its semi-twisty, emotionally complex story is foundational for romantic dramas that are still being made today. It is cinema’s quintessential love triangle, filled with political intrigue and commentary. Its patience in introducing the main source of conflict, Rick and Ilsa’s past, allows us to live in the diverse and dangerous vision of Casablanca that the film conjures. The mystery of the letters of transit and Ugarte’s killing of the couriers makes up most of the first quarter of the movie’s runtime, but their purpose to the story only becomes clear over halfway through, which is a fascinating pacing choice. The film then flows in sections, with this mystery being the first, us learning of the romance being the second, and the fight for the letters of transit making up the third. We’re given plenty of political drama throughout, but first and foremost on this film’s mind is character. Our characters do things because of who they are, and in the process of them doing that we learn more about them. It’s quite refreshing to return to this type of storytelling in today’s plot-driven landscape.

Thematically, this film is rich with the kind of stuff that comfort movies is made of. The evil Nazis (and we do spend some time learning just how evil), are thwarted in a small way during Lazlo’s “anthem battle”, and in a big way by the end of the film. In the process, Rick and Captain Renault discover their heroism, so we get not just one but two redemptions. We also get a complicated love triangle the resolution of which becomes the resolution of the movie, and the noblest outcome is what we get. Oh, and it’s all starring incredibly charming movie stars and actors.

There isn’t enough room on the page to praise this film’s vibrant cast of supporting characters, most of which were actual refugees from war-torn Europe. This includes Conrad Veidt, who portrays Major Strasser as a very one-dimensional Nazi but crucially avoids the satirical or cartoonish. Claude Rains’ Captain Renault may be my favorite character in the film, who early on matches Rick’s cynicism with his own lack of scruples and matches his wit and humor to the end that finds both beautifully redeemed. Paul Henreid’s Victor Laszlo is a great foil to Rick, the stoic and thoughtful hero who doesn’t hesitate to do the right thing, danger be damned. Ingrid Bergman and Humphrey Bogart’s chemistry is undeniable, and both play off each other terrifically; the work that Bogart does on his own is among the best of his career and that propels the film towards its twisty finale; Rick Blaine is an icon.

Technicalities. It’s hard to make black and white look so good, but Casablanca does it so damn well. The rich, creamy visuals of the era were actually a result of camera filters and the lighting is perfect – the resulting look of the movie is as timeless as the movie itself. The camera movements are pretty minimal here save some pushes and pans, but the reason this film works despite that is due to its simple editing and reliance on framing each shot with the utmost intentionality. The production was all done on a studio lot, but the sets the designers conjured up have only grown more iconic in pace with this film, and the extras fill up the space quite naturally. The close-ups of each character and the double shots of our romantic leads are the most indelible images and complicating it beyond that is unnecessary. It would never fly in a commercial or critical hit today, but the choice to rely on simple storytelling over flashy filmmaking has aged beautifully.

The Legacy of Casablanca. The ultimate comfort movie? If you’re into romantic dramas, popcorn escapism, movie stars, quotability, and character redemption, then it’s hard to find anything that does it better in as concise a timeframe without plunging the audience into despair. Plenty of this film hasn’t aged a day, particularly its pacing and performances, but everything else has aged like fine wine. Come for an iconic film, stay to be reminded of how this film’s themes, power, and comfort level ensure it will never vanish from our consciousness; nor should it.

John’s Highlight Reel

• Wait, and wait, and wait. Opening with narration that drops the viewer right into the bustling, vibrant, semi-dangerous world of the movie is a stroke of genius – we don’t even meet Rick until about 10 minutes or so into the movie, but this patient build-up is worth it when that camera pans up to reveal him smoking, drinking, and playing chess with himself.

• Of all the gin joints, she walked into his. Even if you’ve never seen this before, and know nothing about it, you know that something significant has happened when Ilsa and Victor walk through the door. The following scene jumps straight into the awkward and the interesting as Rick seems to break all his own rules, before drinking alone in the café in a timeless scene of self-loathing; the reason why has yet to be fully clear.

• Flashback. It’s getting close to the middle of the movie, and we suddenly get an extended flashback showing Rick and Ilsa’s previous relationship in Paris; the reason why he was dumped is still a mystery, but it’s to this film’s credit that it waits this long for this flashback, allowing us to meet our characters in the present and get extended interactions between them first.

• “Have you tried 22 tonight?” Rick’s a good guy after all. If you’ve been paying close attention, you’ll have seen the young Bulgarian couple in the background of many scenes, or just to the side, growing increasingly desperate. This is not only a terrific moment for Rick’s character, but Captain Renault’s bemused-but-impressed reaction shows us he may still have a sentimental soul buried beneath as well.

• La Marseillaise. This moment will never age. The staging and framing are pretty simple, but as La Marseillaise plays on and we’re treated to close-ups of the café customers singing along – many of them played by real refugees, I’ll remind you – it’s hard not to be moved. It’s also a great character beat for Victor, as we realize his bravery is likely to get him into trouble, but he just can’t help himself.

• Serious offers. In the final 30 minutes, we’re brought through some twisty plot stuff, all involving who Rick will choose to use the letters of transit on, who wants them, and what they’re willing to give him. He makes a lot of promises, there are multiple double-crosses, and both Ilsa and Victor are willing to remain in Casablanca to ensure the other one gets safe passage out. We know that Rick isn’t truly evil due to the previous scenes, but both offers seem to have some nobility to them, so when he allows Ilsa and Victor to leave and stay together, it’s even more unexpected.

• “Round up the usual suspects”. This is how you end a movie, folks. Captain Renault’s compassion manages to top Rick’s, and the two of them walking off into the fog to go join the Resistance is the stuff of Hollywood legend. This triumphant, feel-good ending to the movie is the perfect cherry on this movie’s sundae that is still causing people to fall in love with the art form.