Casablanca at 80

The all-encompassing home of media discussion - including music, film, and television.

Moderators: Gnome, last.caress, Wilko1304, Rio, bristolhammerfc, the pink palermo, chalks

Post Reply
User avatar
Cuenca 'ammer
ex 'ouston 'ammer
Posts: 40710
Joined: Thu Dec 05, 2002 4:19 pm
Location: Journey to the dead of night. High on a hill in Eldorado
Has liked: 1904 likes
Total likes: 1612 likes

Casablanca at 80

Post by Cuenca 'ammer »

https://www.theguardian.com/film/2022/n ... id-bergman

The list of invaluable contributors must also include the supporting cast, too, which gives unique life to a North African city that serves as both refuge and purgatory to varying parties during the second world war. Foremost among them is Claude Rains as Louis Renault, a local police captain whose shameless corruption is also a form of political savvy, his way of handling an area of “unoccupied France” that nonetheless feels like disputed territory. The great Peter Lorre has a small but crucial role as Ugarte, a shady character in possession of two precious “letters of transit”, taken from two murdered German couriers, that would allow passage from Casablanca to neutral Lisbon and finally to freedom in the United States.

Ugarte is arrested for the crime, but not before leaving the letters with Rick Blaine (Bogart), an American expat who operates Rick’s Café Américain, a nightclub and gambling den that serves as a way station for stranded refugees as well as the Germans and Vichy French. Only a hardened cynic could run such a treacherous operation, and Rick, the ultimate bruised idealist, has exactly the right temperament: “I stick my neck out for nobody,” he says. That changes, however, when the woman who broke his heart, Ilsa (Bergman), strolls into the club with her husband, Victor Laszlo (Paul Henreid), a Czech resistance leader whom the Nazis are desperate to capture. The papers in Rick’s pocket are a valuable commodity to all parties – a test of his courage and the “sentimentality” that Louis suspects he still possesses.


Classic is a bit of an understatement imvho. perhaps it depends up your own age, what you enjoy about cinema etc. etc. but to me this will never "age" although the period in which it is set surely has come and gone.
User avatar
last.caress
Star Raid-er
Posts: 16725
Joined: Thu Nov 23, 2006 11:38 pm
Location: Eyes that shine, burnin' red. Dreams of you all through my head.
Has liked: 1222 likes
Total likes: 1639 likes
Contact:

Re: Casablanca at 80

Post by last.caress »

Only saw Casablanca a couple of months ago. It had never struck me as especially my "thing" but I finally decided I wanted to take a look at it because, over the last couple of years, I'd taken something of an interest in movies from the fifties and earlier, particularly the noir movies of the forties, and across the course of half a dozen or so movies I'd found Bogie to be a magnetic actor; a real "Star", unafraid to throw himself into flawed, even sometimes doomed (but always fascinating) characters. Anyway, I thought it was a terrific movie, even if it relied a little too heavily upon the insipid As Time Goes By.
User avatar
Cuenca 'ammer
ex 'ouston 'ammer
Posts: 40710
Joined: Thu Dec 05, 2002 4:19 pm
Location: Journey to the dead of night. High on a hill in Eldorado
Has liked: 1904 likes
Total likes: 1612 likes

Re: Casablanca at 80

Post by Cuenca 'ammer »

I thought of you immediately I read the article as I remember you delving into the "noire" cinema scene at that time.

I'd guessed you'd seen it and was hoping for your review. it's easy to hope that others "see what you see" and I'd agree on Bogart as you've described him. you would have seen The Maltese Falcon too I'd imagine. right off the other end of the scale is of course another magnificent film The African Queen.

for pretty much just the two of them in most of the film, it's an incredible piece of cinema too.

imvho of course.

:newthumb:
User avatar
last.caress
Star Raid-er
Posts: 16725
Joined: Thu Nov 23, 2006 11:38 pm
Location: Eyes that shine, burnin' red. Dreams of you all through my head.
Has liked: 1222 likes
Total likes: 1639 likes
Contact:

Re: Casablanca at 80

Post by last.caress »

Cuenca 'ammer wrote: Sat Nov 26, 2022 1:13 pm you would have seen The Maltese Falcon too I'd imagine. right off the other end of the scale is of course another magnificent film The African Queen.
Those two are indeed at other ends of the scale from one another, both in terms of tone and of the trajectory of Bogart's career. The Maltese Falcon wasn't his first film by a long shot - he'd worked steadily all the way through the thirties - but it was his first proper starring vehicle, The African Queen - for which he won his only Oscar; he'd deserved at least a couple more imho but there we are* - wasn't his last movie or even his last significant project, but he was nonetheless dead as a doornail six years after its release.

Of those two, my preference is for the early noir classic, The Maltese Falcon with its rat-a-tat-tat delivery of all that delicious Dashiell Hammett dialogue, and with Peter Lorre in gleefully villainous mood. The African Queen manages to be both more epic and more intimate at the same time, but it generally strikes a lighter tone; it's an old-school romp and as such feels like something I'd happily stick on on a Sunday without wanting nor needing to pay huge attention to it as it ambled along.

Been on a mini Bette Davis kick this weekend. Bought What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? (Aldrich, 1962) yesterday, and All About Eve (Mankiewicz, 1950) the day before, both of which have drawn comparisons with Billy Wilder's 1950 masterpiece Sunset Boulevard but neither of which quite hit that dark, twisted height for me. They're both bloody good though, and Ms. Davis is next-level quality. Fierce, fearless.


*IMHO, Bogie's performances in both In a Lonely Place (Ray, 1950) and The Treasure of the Sierra Madre (Huston, 1948) - my personal favourite Bogart movie - were worthy of Oscar recognition.
User avatar
WHU Independent
Posts: 6657
Joined: Wed Dec 12, 2007 10:35 pm
Has liked: 1637 likes
Total likes: 506 likes

Re: Casablanca at 80

Post by WHU Independent »

A personal fave film of mine, always rewatchable and IMHO not enougth credit goes to Claude Rains - London Born - who almost steals the show with his great dialogue.
User avatar
Junco Partner
Posts: 12387
Joined: Wed Aug 22, 2007 11:03 pm
Location: Paquetta, he's played it through...and Bowen's in...ITS UP FOR GRABS NOW!"
Has liked: 552 likes
Total likes: 891 likes
Contact:

Re: Casablanca at 80

Post by Junco Partner »

Just read recently that the film was shot in 1942 with quite a lot of French actors and extras who'd fled to exile when the Nazi's arrived. It certainly adds something to this famous scene, you can see what it means in their faces...it's not just acting.



First time I came across it was on TV some dreary afternoon and found myself engrossed in the story, until then I'd pretty much written off anything pre-Star Wars as ancient history but this movie changed that. The suspense makes it, along with two stellar performances from the Bergman and Bogart and the claustrophobic atmosphere of amoral characters picking their way through exceptional circumstances. Definitely worthy of it's classic status.
Bobbysgirl
Posts: 190
Joined: Sat Mar 21, 2020 7:08 pm
Has liked: 14 likes
Total likes: 32 likes

Re: Casablanca at 80

Post by Bobbysgirl »

last.caress wrote: Sat Nov 26, 2022 4:33 pm Those two are indeed at other ends of the scale from one another, both in terms of tone and of the trajectory of Bogart's career. The Maltese Falcon wasn't his first film by a long shot - he'd worked steadily all the way through the thirties - but it was his first proper starring vehicle, The African Queen - for which he won his only Oscar; he'd deserved at least a couple more imho but there we are* - wasn't his last movie or even his last significant project, but he was nonetheless dead as a doornail six years after its release.

Of those two, my preference is for the early noir classic, The Maltese Falcon with its rat-a-tat-tat delivery of all that delicious Dashiell Hammett dialogue, and with Peter Lorre in gleefully villainous mood. The African Queen manages to be both more epic and more intimate at the same time, but it generally strikes a lighter tone; it's an old-school romp and as such feels like something I'd happily stick on on a Sunday without wanting nor needing to pay huge attention to it as it ambled along.

Been on a mini Bette Davis kick this weekend. Bought What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? (Aldrich, 1962) yesterday, and All About Eve (Mankiewicz, 1950) the day before, both of which have drawn comparisons with Billy Wilder's 1950 masterpiece Sunset Boulevard but neither of which quite hit that dark, twisted height for me. They're both bloody good though, and Ms. Davis is next-level quality. Fierce, fearless.


*IMHO, Bogie's performances in both In a Lonely Place (Ray, 1950) and The Treasure of the Sierra Madre (Huston, 1948) - my personal favourite Bogart movie - were worthy of Oscar recognition.
Never fail to watch Casablanca when it's on. Wonderful performances by all including ,so far unmentioned, Peter Lorre

Another Bette Davis film worth a look is 'Now Voyager' also starring Paul Henried and Claude Rains from Casablanca
User avatar
Cuenca 'ammer
ex 'ouston 'ammer
Posts: 40710
Joined: Thu Dec 05, 2002 4:19 pm
Location: Journey to the dead of night. High on a hill in Eldorado
Has liked: 1904 likes
Total likes: 1612 likes

Re: Casablanca at 80

Post by Cuenca 'ammer »

Elsie

The Treasure of the Sierra Madre is an excellent film.

further into the Wiki article I'd forgotten this

To Have and Have Not - Bogart and Bacall began an off-screen relationship during production and married in 1945, after the film's release.

how did I forget this one too - The Caine Mutiny (1954), which was a critical and commercial hit and earned him another Best Actor nomination.

and of course - Key Largo

In 1999, the American Film Institute selected Bogart as the greatest male star of classic American cinema.[3]

not quite sure he's the best, there were a fantastic number of really excellent actors around, but he's definitely deserved to be mentioned right up there with all of them.
User avatar
last.caress
Star Raid-er
Posts: 16725
Joined: Thu Nov 23, 2006 11:38 pm
Location: Eyes that shine, burnin' red. Dreams of you all through my head.
Has liked: 1222 likes
Total likes: 1639 likes
Contact:

Re: Casablanca at 80

Post by last.caress »

Cuenca 'ammer wrote: Sat Nov 26, 2022 6:52 pm To Have and Have Not

The Caine Mutiny (1954)
I've seen neither, though both are high on my "to watch" pile. To Have and Have Not is the only Bogie/Bacall pic I haven't seen. Dark Passage was good, almost like a proto-Peep Show with its first-person perspective; The Big Sleep is bonkers and barely makes a lick of sense but is in many ways THE film noir and as such is one of my favourites of the era; and Key Largo is absolutely fantastic, but less because of the more subdued, almost unwilling Bogie and more because of the fearsome, villainous turn from Edward G. Robinson, another titan of the silver screen.
User avatar
Cuenca 'ammer
ex 'ouston 'ammer
Posts: 40710
Joined: Thu Dec 05, 2002 4:19 pm
Location: Journey to the dead of night. High on a hill in Eldorado
Has liked: 1904 likes
Total likes: 1612 likes

Re: Casablanca at 80

Post by Cuenca 'ammer »

yeah The Big Sleep..

pretty sure even around that time and shortly after people were going on about who killed the chauffeur.

it was never solved as I recall.

During filming, neither the director nor the cast knew whether the chauffeur Owen Taylor had killed himself or was murdered.[10] A cable was sent to Chandler, who told his friend Jamie Hamilton in a March 21, 1949 letter: "They sent me a wire ... asking me, and dammit I didn't know either".

:crylol:
Spammy The Vee
Posts: 1296
Joined: Thu Jul 18, 2013 11:45 pm
Has liked: 3 likes
Total likes: 36 likes

Re: Casablanca at 80

Post by Spammy The Vee »

I have an old pal,who is sadly no longer with us, who would watch "Casablanca" once every year and always really enjoy it.

Another Humphrey Bogart flick worth checking out is "In A Lonely Place" (1950), in which he plays a not always likeable Hollywood screenwriter with a temper.
User avatar
the pink palermo
Huge noggin
Posts: 45051
Joined: Thu Sep 03, 2009 12:00 pm
Location: The Notorious Gate B @LS
Has liked: 758 likes
Total likes: 2937 likes

Re: Casablanca at 80

Post by the pink palermo »

Bit of a tangent , who could they cast in the key roles were they ever to do a remake?

Who could play the cynical, tired Rick role?

Is there a woman on the planet who could look as sensational in soft focus as Bergman?

Lorre, Greenstreet, Rains?

Who would dare to think they could make any of those roles their own?
User avatar
Cuenca 'ammer
ex 'ouston 'ammer
Posts: 40710
Joined: Thu Dec 05, 2002 4:19 pm
Location: Journey to the dead of night. High on a hill in Eldorado
Has liked: 1904 likes
Total likes: 1612 likes

Re: Casablanca at 80

Post by Cuenca 'ammer »

the pink palermo wrote: Mon Nov 28, 2022 6:56 pm Bit of a tangent , who could they cast in the key roles were they ever to do a remake?

Who could play the cynical, tired Rick role?

Is there a woman on the planet who could look as sensational in soft focus as Bergman?

Lorre, Greenstreet, Rains?

Who would dare to think they could make any of those roles their own?
great points Pinky. they would have someone like Tom Cruise in Bogart's role because no one wants a story line any more. it's got to be action or a big name to attract people to the cinema. one of the DC/Marvel stars to pull them in at the box office. and they've have to throw some explosions and CGI in it, because no one would go watch it without.

that film was as much about the story as the stars in it and vice versa imvho.

they'd have to do a Frasier in Cheers, when he reads Dickens to the mob there. A Tale of Two Cities.



:crylol:
User avatar
Chicken Run Supreme
Posts: 14864
Joined: Fri Jul 09, 2010 8:58 am
Location: Exiled in Angus
Has liked: 855 likes
Total likes: 823 likes

Re: Casablanca at 80

Post by Chicken Run Supreme »

I only got round to watching Casablanca for the first time earlier this year myself. Not sure why it had taken me so long to make the effort but my first thought straight after watching was, “I wish I’d watched this years ago!”
Worthy of its acclaim and the love bestowed upon it, it is a masterpiece that I have watched again already and look forward to further viewings - after all I do have a lot of time to make up for.
User avatar
Cuenca 'ammer
ex 'ouston 'ammer
Posts: 40710
Joined: Thu Dec 05, 2002 4:19 pm
Location: Journey to the dead of night. High on a hill in Eldorado
Has liked: 1904 likes
Total likes: 1612 likes

Re: Casablanca at 80

Post by Cuenca 'ammer »

I've broken down and am now downloading

Completely different this one compared to the DVD remastered print.
Warner\'s VC-1 transfer restored the movie in the original Academy
aspect ratio of 1.37:1 and reworked the video.


I'll let you all know what's what when I've viewed it..

:newthumb:
Post Reply