My Casablanca Favorites!
http://feelthefilms.wordpress.com/2013/11/11/my-casablanca-favorites/
I've been clear about my thoughts on the quality of Casablanca's technical and creative elements reaching the brim of perfection. It may be the best Oldschool Hollywood film because its creators worked passionately at creating it. I love the story behind the making of Casablanca: the fact that no one was anticipating greatness to be born, they just worked hard and were surprised how effective the result turned out to be. That's what life should be: hard work paying off when no one's expecting it to.
Upon rewatching Casablanca again, I realized how thin the screenplay actually is. By today's standards we judge scripts if they aren't rooted with deep characters, story arcs, or allegory, but Casablanca works with its screenplay just telling a simple story. Sure there are lots of characters, but they aren't deep ones, nor is the narrative arc cryptic. This may be the appeal of Casablanca, it has a straightforward tale to tell and it is written with the object of quality as a motivator. I believe this is why Casablanca is so user-friendly to a wide range of moviegoers.
MY FAVORITES OF CASABLANCA:
Directed Scene/Moment: In the flashback, the way the rain wipes the ink off Ilsa's letter to Rick. The rain acts as tears, symbolically expressing how heartbroken Rick feels.
Shot: The shot of Casablanca that really made me reflect in awe is when Rick takes money out of the safe and the shadow of the safe and the figure of his body are shown as a silhouette. It's a breathtaking shot.
Bogart Acted Scene: Drinking his troubles away in the privacy of his office after he sees Ilsa, Bogart actually shows some emotion as the stone-faced Rick.
Bergman Acted Scene: Isla's monologue: "It's about a girl who had just come to Paris from her home in Oslo." Bergman hypnotizes the viewer with her passion.
Raines Acted Scene: Captain Renault describes Rick to Victor and Ilsa by saying if he was a woman, Rick would be his kind of man. Raines has that mistakable wit when he says this line, I always giggle.
Line: Renault- "I'm shocked, shocked to ind that gambling is going on here!", Croupier- "Your winnings, sir.", Renault- "Oh, thank you very much." The accepted hypocrisy always garners a laugh out of the audience.
Aspect of Cinematography: I have two! The first is the filter they use to glorify Bergman's looks when she's on the frame alone is dreamy. The second is the use of light source from that echoes in and out of Rick's office after Ilsa and Rick have seen one another.
Costume: Rick's white suit makes Humphrey Bogart more dashing than ever.
Set Design: Rick's office at his bar is rather decorative and sets the tone of Rick and the club.
Music: The obvious "theme" of Rick and Ilsa being reunited, always signifies there's tension there, but the way the note is struck makes us think there's more life to be lived for the romance.
Theme of the Script: The past. I love when the past is explored in any film. Casablanca exposes the past, makes the characters think on it, and grow from it. Sure most films do so, but Rick's actions that end of the film always tug at my heart.
Editing: I've always gone crazy over Casablanca's montages and the montage of the couple falling in love still sweeps me off my feet.
Moment of the Movie: The iconic kiss that ends Act 2 when Ilsa and Rick are reunited, such a beautiful and satisfying moment.
Feel the Films: A Blog by R.C.S. -> http://feelthefilms.wordpress.com/