As time goes by, the appeal of Casablanca shows no sign of diminishing. Originally intended as a WWII propaganda movie,...
As time goes by, the appeal of Casablanca shows no sign of diminishing. Originally intended as a WWII propaganda movie, it remains a marvellous blend of bittersweet romance, wisecracking comedy and wartime intrigue. Wonderfully acted by its cast, it's the story of a laconic nightclub-owner Rick (Humphrey Bogart), whose life in Casablanca is shaken up by the arrival of old flame Elsa (Ingrid Bergman) with her Resistance leader husband.
Despite a famously troubled production (including a conveyor belt of scriptwriters and a failure to secure the likes of Ronald Reagan), the finished film, directed by Michael Curtiz, unfolds with effortless professionalism. Indeed, when re-watching Casablanca, one is reminded how many of its choice lines - "Round up the usual suspects!", "Here's looking at you kid" - have entered our collective cultural consciousness, together with the all too-familiar tones of that As Time Goes By theme song. -BBC
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Where to watch Casablanca
99 %135 reviewsRotten Tomatoes® rating
95 %358,619 reviewsAudience score rating
"Whether you return to Casablanca for a nostalgia fix, a guilty pleasure or for the waters, you can be certain there'll be something you didn't notice last time out."
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Time Out
Time Out"The most sociable, the most companionable film ever made. Life as an endless party."
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The New Yorker
The New Yorker"Irresistible, big-hearted film-making."
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The Guardian
The Guardian"It plays like a favorite musical album; the more I know it, the more I like it. The black-and-white cinematography has not aged as color would. The dialogue is so spare and cynical it has not grown old-fashioned..."
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Roger Ebert
Roger Ebert"Even hardened cynics who might be impelled to dismiss it as a collection of button-pushing clichés will most likely get swept up in the all the unabashed romance."
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Little White Lies
Little White Lies"Unrequited love, midgets, some of the most quoted dialogue ever written, and Dooley Wilson's ultra cool jazz stylings on the ivories - "Casablanca" simply has it all..."
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BBC
BBCCasablanca | Details
Award winner- Best Picture, Director & Screenplay at the 1944 Academy Awards.
- Rating
- PG, Adult themes
- Runtime
- 102
- Genre
- Drama, Romance, War
- Country of origin
- USA
