Wednesday, August 17, 2005
Here's looking at you, kid.
Last evening after doing some running around, I stopped at Blockbuster. As a strolled through the stacks, I found two things. One was that Blockbuster, who it seems to have every movie ever made and then some, does not have the movie Meatballs with Bill Murray. I was majorly bummed. I had a couple things go on in the past few days that just kept brining that movie to mind and really was hoping to see it for the first time in probably a decade, if not two.
The second was that they did have Casablanca. I love this movie. And for what ever reason I decided that if I couldn't have Meatballs, I would have Casablanca. (Yes I know that the two are only about ten billion miles apart in everything. Don't ask me how the logic worked here, I have no idea. It seemed logical at the moment. Casablanca it would be.) So I went home and watched it again.
Casablanca is the best movie ever made. Now I know there's some people out there who would point to Citizen Kane or Gone with the Wind or Dukes of Hazzard or some other movie and say that it is, but I'll never be convinced. The movie has intrigue, it has action, romance, war, corruption, Nazis, comedy, and just about anything else that a movie should have.
It has a great star in Bogart, playing the man so kicked in the groin by life he tries to become cynical, but just can't bring himself to so it. It has Bergman, playing the woman torn between two great loves of her life, each of whom she at one time thought was lost forever. Paul Henried plays Lazlow, fearing for the safety of his wife and for the safety of the world. The supporting cast including Clause Raines, who if not for Bogart's stellar performance may have stolen the movie. The lines of being shocked, shocked I tell you at gambling as the barman comes up with his winnings and of being only a poor, corrupt official, both make you smile and sigh that there are cops like that around still.
And the Love Story. Bogart torn between his love and what's right. Bergman between the two men and Henried torn between his need for his wife and the need of fighting the Nazis. And it all comes down to Bogart's decision in the end.
Even though I've seen in dozens of times, the scene on the runway always puts a lump in my throat. Part of me wants to tell Bogie to take her with him, not let Lazlow have her. As she walks away, I feel the emptiness that Rick feels as he sees the last of Ilsa. When Major Strausser shows up I feel the anger leave me as the Nazi gets his. And I still cheer when Louie says, "Round up the usual suspects."
I think part of the reason I like this movie so much is that it is a well done, well written and directed movie. I think part of it is the allure of being the American ex-pat in an exotic locale. I think part of it is that love can win out. Even if it means letting it go. Bogie was right when he said that they'll always have Paris. They didn't until Casablanca. And at last all was right again.
And we'll always have Casablanca.
The second was that they did have Casablanca. I love this movie. And for what ever reason I decided that if I couldn't have Meatballs, I would have Casablanca. (Yes I know that the two are only about ten billion miles apart in everything. Don't ask me how the logic worked here, I have no idea. It seemed logical at the moment. Casablanca it would be.) So I went home and watched it again.
Casablanca is the best movie ever made. Now I know there's some people out there who would point to Citizen Kane or Gone with the Wind or Dukes of Hazzard or some other movie and say that it is, but I'll never be convinced. The movie has intrigue, it has action, romance, war, corruption, Nazis, comedy, and just about anything else that a movie should have.
It has a great star in Bogart, playing the man so kicked in the groin by life he tries to become cynical, but just can't bring himself to so it. It has Bergman, playing the woman torn between two great loves of her life, each of whom she at one time thought was lost forever. Paul Henried plays Lazlow, fearing for the safety of his wife and for the safety of the world. The supporting cast including Clause Raines, who if not for Bogart's stellar performance may have stolen the movie. The lines of being shocked, shocked I tell you at gambling as the barman comes up with his winnings and of being only a poor, corrupt official, both make you smile and sigh that there are cops like that around still.
And the Love Story. Bogart torn between his love and what's right. Bergman between the two men and Henried torn between his need for his wife and the need of fighting the Nazis. And it all comes down to Bogart's decision in the end.
Even though I've seen in dozens of times, the scene on the runway always puts a lump in my throat. Part of me wants to tell Bogie to take her with him, not let Lazlow have her. As she walks away, I feel the emptiness that Rick feels as he sees the last of Ilsa. When Major Strausser shows up I feel the anger leave me as the Nazi gets his. And I still cheer when Louie says, "Round up the usual suspects."
I think part of the reason I like this movie so much is that it is a well done, well written and directed movie. I think part of it is the allure of being the American ex-pat in an exotic locale. I think part of it is that love can win out. Even if it means letting it go. Bogie was right when he said that they'll always have Paris. They didn't until Casablanca. And at last all was right again.
And we'll always have Casablanca.
