| Rating: | ★★★★ |
| Category: | Movies |
| Genre: | Classics |
And after one such extended day-off period, I kicked back and watched this wonderful film.
From what I remember, back in the day they made films in sets. Looking at this movie, you'd be surprised at how natural everything looks. Casablanca, located at the tip of French Morocco, is like the Catholic notion of Purgatory--you can't go to the New World or go back to German-occupied France, so you're stuck there until you get a visa. Now you really can't get a visa unless you're filthy rich, because you "buy" it from the Captain of Police--which is pretty much like the Philippines in that respect.
Underneath the rich political storyline is the romantic one that accompanies it. Rick Blaine (Humphrey Bogart, who rocks) is a bitter, cynical, jaded, younameit cafe owner who "doesn't stick out (his) neck for anybody." Suddenly Ilea (Ingrid Bergman, all needy and good at it) pops out of nowhere, and the flashback explains why Rick was smoking and drinking himself to pieces after Ilea left the cafe. It appears that they had a wonderful affair in Paris, but when the Germans marched into France and Rick and Ilea were set to leave, she didn't come along with him. Which explains the bitterness and et cetera.
Dialogue was witty, too: I found myself chuckling at more than a few scenes. This film may also induce some tears. Not in my case, though. Hahaha.
From this point I'll stop because I'll get ahead of myself and not let you watch it. It may be a hard find in video stores, but once you find it, it's a gem.
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