CASABLANCA- A Masterpiece

       I think no one needs an introduction to CASABLANCA. In my opinion, this movie should make it to the top 20 movies of all time in atleast 90% of movie connoisseurs' lists. It's a near flawless film with wonderful dialogues and exemplary acting. This movie was made in a time when special effects were virtually unknown and movies were all based on acting and screenplay and this movie is no exception. All of the characters portrayed in the movie are nothing short of incredible. Humphrey Bogart as Rick Blaine is excellent as the lead. Ingrid Bergman as Ilsa Lund is seductively charming.  CASABLANCA completely enchants you in a sort of trance, offering a journey to the ever distant (yet all too close) world of Casablanca, Morocco during World War II.

       Although this is a B/W movie, you can feel the  colour as the plot of the film unfolds before you. Here is the story of two accidental lovers, a classic story line of any movie. But CASABLANCA is so distinctly different. The chemistry between Bogart and Bergman is simply fantastic. Because they worked so well together, it made the story very much realistic.

        There are so many moments in CASABLANCA that stand out even when compared to greater or bigger films. Every scene is gripping, like when Rick has a flashback to his romantic times with Ilsa in Paris while the piano player Sam (Dooley Wilson) plays "As Time Goes By", or when Rick walks out onto the runway and tells Capt. Renault (Claude Rains), "Louis, I think this could be the start of a beautiful friendship". But these invincible moments obviously don't need retelling, for almost everyone knows of them. As for the timeless cast, Humphrey Bogart is simply stunning as the leading man. The class, drama, and brilliance in his performance are impossible to match, although there have been myriad attempts to surpass it. Ingrid Bergman is simply gorgeous, and contributes a performance that's worth cheering for. In fact, all the characters in this movie have given such a clinical performance that it will keep you spellbound:-)

         More often than not, we find that most part of a movie will be very good but the ending will be badly screwed up:-( But, here, it is the ending which really leaves a lasting impression on you. The lines, "Ilsa, I'm no good at being noble, but it doesn't take much to see that the problems of three little people don't amount to a hill of beans in this crazy world. Someday you'll understand that", will really make you feel for Rick:-( The way in which Rick convinces Ilsa to board the plane with her husband, Victor Lazlo (played by Paul Henreid) is so touching that it has the potential to strike an emotional chord in the hearts of most people.

            This movie bagged three oscars and in my opinion, it surely deserved some more. If you have not seen this movie, then you are definitely missing something in life. I think that I have watched it seven times and each time, I have appreciated it more than the (n-1)th time. It just gets better and better with each viewing!!!:-) That's what classics are all about:-)