Well, now I've watched it again I have to say that it can't be so easily chracterised. It certainly is very poignant. A major theme is the fact that refugees fleeing German-occupied Europe are stranded at Casablanca, desperate for visas to reach Lisbon, which can only be had by paying vast sums to petty thieves. Being released as it was during World War 2, so many people actually lived out stories like this one, many of the actors in the movie included. (The actress who plays Yvonne and the actor who plays the dealer Emil were in fact a married couple who fled France, and were actually stranded in Lisbon for two months before managing to leave for the US.) The whole business of being forced to leave a place is very heart-wrenching- and if they have to leave, you desperately want the characters to be able to escape to safety. That's exactly what Casablanca is: a trap.
Humphrey Bogart as Rick carries the film. He's got such a cynical sense of style: his brooding, incessant smoking, white jackets, drawling, gruff manner and insistence that he 'won't stick his neck out for anybody' only makes it obvious(given the sentimentality of American cinema) that he eventually will. And all the while he's pretending he doesn't care about sides, he employs people who are part of the Underground and has a past which is distinctly pro-Allied. Ingrid Bergman as Ilsa is amazing, too, she's very sweet and charming in the starry- eyed kind of way. And smart too- I like most the part when she's threatens to shoot him! It's odd them actually loving each other, though. Ilsa seemed rather better suited to her husband, and as was mentioned several times, she scarcely knew Rick. Anyway, it's good they don't end up together and it was good for ensuring the movie would be remembered!(look at 'Gone With The Wind') The anthem duel scene is very memorable too and the last ten minutes are full of suspense, leading one to try to figure out whether Rick would finally give in or become a better man, all the while saying he's not of course!
The supporting cast is great, all the staff at the saloon, Sam, Carl, Sasha. Ilsa's husband, Laszlo is okay but definitely comes second to Rick in sheer presence. Renault, the Police Chief is hilarious! 'Round up the usual suspects'!! The movie's quite funny, surprising given the atmosphere. And very quotable. Especially the last line of the movie. What a classic!
Here's looking at you, kid!
(whatever that means ...:))
