Critique: Casablanca

“But it doesn’t take much to see that the problems of three little people don’t amount to a hill of beans in this crazy world…”

Casablanca… a movie that is worldwide revered as a classic and brilliance only next to Citizen Kane. Some people believe that it has been overhyped and few others like me, firmly believe that at times love can be overhyped but Casablanca… it will always be an understatement. Three Oscars- Best Director, Best Picture and Best Adapted Screenplay, and five more nominations. Casablanca is a class.

With World War 2 as a background it tells the story of Rick Blaine played by Humphrey Bogart who owns a café in the town of Casablanca. One day he happens to meet his ex-lover Ilsa Lund played by Ingrid Bergman and her husband Victor Laszlo (Paul Henreid) who is a Czech Resistance Leader. Rick fell in love with Ilsa some time back in Paris. Both came close as Ilsa thought that Laszlo was killed by Nazis in mass killings. But when she found that he was alive, she dumped Rick. Now, in Casablanca, Rick has an opportunity to rescue Laszlo from Nazis. He strikes a deal with Ilsa and does the appropriate.

Directed by Michael Curtiz, this movie was a slow starter and gained cult status over age. Just like Citizen Kane. In black and white, the movie has two brilliant scenes- first: Laszlo singing anthem in the café and second: the climax scene of interaction between Ilsa and Rick.

Written By: Sujoy Ghosh