NAME — Utah Davis-Kinsey
AGE — 14
Casablanca (1942) |
Director: Michael Curtiz; Length: 102 minutes; List price on DVD: $19.98 |
NOT RATED |
On a scale of 1-5 YPs: YP-YP-YP-YP-YP |
I only had a vague idea what Casablanca was about before I saw it. I thought it was a mystery, but it turned out to be a drama/romance. It is ranked as one of the greatest movies of all time.
Why? I think it’s because a story like this is timeless. It also might be a classic because so many people can relate to the characters. For example, Rick Blaine (the nightclub owner played by Humphrey Bogart) is faced with a lot of life-changing decisions, and he also experiences a combination of shock, regret, and anger about his former girlfriend, Ilsa Lund (played by Ingrid Bergman) reentering his life.
The story begins during World War II at Rick’s Café Américain, a busy nightclub in Morocco, which then was part of French North Africa. Rick is a cynical nightclub owner who “sticks his neck out for nobody.” Soon into the film, a criminal (Ugarte, played by Peter Lorre) rushes in with papers. He killed two German men to get them. Each “letter of transit” will enable its owner to travel occupied Europe freely and then to Portugal where the owner can board a ship to America. These are very valuable papers, and Ugarte was going to sell them and get lots of money because the Nazis were preventing many people from traveling.
Before he can sell them to anyone, Ugarte is arrested by Police Capt. Louis Renault (Claude Rains) a corrupt Vichy official who arrests anyone the Nazis tell him to. He hopes to get the papers back for the Nazis. However, Ugarte gave them to Rick, who then has to decide who will use them.
Rick's ex-lover, Ilsa (Ingrid Bergman) arrives at the nightclub with her husband, Victor Laszlo (Paul Henreid), who has resisted the Nazis and is now running from them. They want to buy the letters. This is when the story really starts to heat up as all sorts of tales of love, patriotism, deceit and misunderstandings occur. We soon see why Rick is so bitter. Rick has to make the decision as to whether Ilsa should go with him or with Victor to America.
However, I didn't like some things in the movie. For example, I didn’t like the decision that Rick made at the end.
I think some kids would enjoy Casablanca. Well cultured, well-spoken kids. Kids like me. The music really drew me toward the film.
If you don't have enough time to watch the whole movie, you can watch Carrotblanca, which is a Looney Tunes parody. That will help you decide whether you want to see the genuine movie.
Curtiz's directing was brilliant. If another director made it, it would still be good, but wouldn't have that Curtiz touch. If you are wondering what that is, look no further than to Robin Hood starring Errol Flynn or White Christmas with Bing Crosby.
If you don't see this movie, "you’ll regret it, maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow, but soon and for the rest of your life."