Casablanca

For years (decades) I avoided watching this film thinking that it was just another syrupy, overly-sentimental romance. Though that is a major key to the plot (which, in my opinion, borders on cookie-cutter), the element that stands out for me to make this a great picture is the dialogue. It is excellent. It just pops. By that, I mean it is so cohesive and well-thought out that even if you have never watched the film, you know what the characters are going to say. This is not to say that the dialogue is mundane and on-the-nose. It is simplistic and real. The characters say exactly what they are supposed to say – not something they are not supposed to say. I’m not even referring to the iconic dialogue (“play it again Sam…” etc.) The way the dialogue comes at you, line after line is just mesmerizing. I wish I could write dialogue like that. You sit there watching the film and you end up nodding your head and smiling after a line of dialogue because it is EXACTLY what the character is supposed to say. Brilliant.

Bogart kind of grows on you after a few showings – even as the film progresses, his stiff and aloof style at the beginning of the film generally evaporates into a soft, caring characterization that you grow to like. He's even better in 'The Caine Mutiny' - his finest performance. The great Ingrid Bergman puts in a good performance (she is better elsewhere, ‘Notorious’ for example) but the character that she plays is too wrapped around the theme of romance and is not enough of a tortured soul for Bergman to really sink her teeth into the role. The real performance here is put forth by Claude Rains. He is excellent and steals every scene that he is in.

In the end, I’m glad that I finally watched Casablanca to see what fans of the film have been raving about for years. Is it a good film? Yes. But is it a great film? Okay… yes.