My favorite movie: Casablanca

There are so many things I love about this movie--the acting, the casting, the dialogue, the dueling anthem scene--I'm not sure where to start. So I'll start with what I don't like about the movie.

Captain Renault is a rapist. I know many will argue with this characterization. There is no indication that Renault uses physical force, but damn we know what is going on. He is forcing women to have sex with him--women who are desperate to get out of Casablanca. Remember the Bulgarian refugee? She appeals to Rick, asking if Renault will keep his word and if the girl does a bad thing and keeps it locked it inside her heart--it would be all right wouldn't it? Rick helps her but how many weren't helped? Renault already has a breathtaking blonde lined up for his next conquest.

Despite this, I love Captain Renault. I attribute this to the charm and brilliant acting of Claude Rains. When he tosses the Vichy Water in the trash, I see this a symbol that he is also tossing away his previous existence as a poor, corrupt official and rapist.

Now that I've got that out of the way, on to the things I love.

The cast is incredible, from Bogart and Bergman down to the uncredited pickpocket victim. As I already mentioned, Claude Rains is brilliant--his is the best performance in a stellar cast. Bogart nails the jaded cynic, the hopeful romantic and the patriot. Bergman is luminous as a woman torn between two different kinds of love. Paul Henreid is very good--I believe that he will save the world.

My favorite scene is the dueling anthems. It still gives me chills to watch it. Earlier this year, I was suprised to find a similar scene in the 1939 film, Dodge City. Saloon entertainer Ann Sheridan sings "Marching Through Georgia" and part of the crowd joins in. A bar patron responds with "Dixie" and the Southern sympathizers join him. Michael Curtiz directed both films. The dueling anthem scene in Dodge City is interesting mainly in comparison with Casablanca's, but it isn't integral to the film's plot. Casablanca's dueling anthem scene, however, is key to the plot. It demonstrates Lazlo's leadership, the free France patriotism simmering just below the surface in Casablanca, Ilsa's admiration for her husband and Renault's disdain for the Nazi regime. I personally was impressed that a Czechoslovakian knew all the words to France's national anthem.

I also love the look of the film--the black and white photography, the rotating globe, map and narration in the opening scene, Ingrid Bergman's clothes when she visits Renault and when she takes off for Lisbon, (I especially love the hats.)

The film has many memorable lines. My favorite is the last line, "Louis, I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship," as Rick and Renault go off to fight the Nazis.

A great film--I want to watch it again.