Casablanca

The article Playing It Again and Again by Kathy Merlock Jackson reads "Casablanca has captured the popular imagination in a way that no other movie--with the possible exception of Gone with the Wind or The Wizard of Oz--ever has." I am going to have to agree with the exception of The Wizard of Oz, which happens to be at the top of my list. Nevertheless, Casablanca seemed to be a pretty good movie for it's time. 

I felt the actors and actresses chosen were perfect for their parts in this movie. Ingrid Bergman as Ilsa Lund was a beauty. I saw loneliness in her eyes during a few scenes. I'm guessing that loneliness was Rick Blain (Humphrey Bogart). It was so sad to see Ilsa married to a man that she could never completely give her heart to, because of Rick. My favorite character was Sam (Dooley Wilson). He seemed to be so nervous, especially around Ilsa. You could definitely tell he was quite protective over his buddy Rick. 

The line "We'll always have Paris", said by Rick to Ilsa, put a smile to my face. He knew he had to let Ilsa go, but wanted her to know they shared something special. This is a line I have heard in a few different movies. There were other lines in the movie that I recognized from other movies and every day conversations.

The article Playing It Again and Again talked about why this movie was so important to the American people after the start of World War II. The article read "Released a year after the United States entered World War II, it was one of the approximately 500 films appearing between 1942 and 1945 that addressed war subjects. It was designed to strengthen support for the Allies and, particularly, America's involvement in the war." I can't imagine what it would be like living in America during World War II. This love story must have been a refreshing change from the typical war movies at the time.

Most of the movie was pretty clear to me, however, it took me a while to catch on to the flash back to Ilsa and Rick's romantic time in Paris. I really liked the scenes in Rick's Cafe, with Sam playing the piano and everyone having a good time. I also enjoyed the scene with Rick helping the young couple win some money. Even though Rick came across as a tough guy, this showed his caring side.

It was my first time seeing Casablanca. I think if I saw it again I would find more good and bad things within the movie. Overall, I enjoyed watching it.