Ebert's GREAT MOVIES, Part 9: "Casablanca"

Casablanca is a film I love and, as Ebert says, it gets only better the next time you see it.

I agree that there is nothing but solid craftmanship in the direction. But the plot is universal, the dialogue is perfect, the acting is great and -I must add- the characters all look so elegant in their own personal way.

If you ever felt like Rick, like Ilse, or like Laszlo, then you can say you have lived.

My "featured interaction" in Abuzz is "If you were Ingrid Bergman in Casablanca, who would you choose?". I've always thought that to be a darn difficult question.

A good Xmas gift for someone you appreaciate is a video or DVD of Casablanca. I'm giving one this year, again.

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I am no film buff, but what I love most about Casablanca--one of the reasons I will view it every chance I get (and I generally hate to see movies more than once, which is why I can't understand why people BUY videos)--is its MOOD, its TONE. This is, obviously, an AESTHETIC criterion. I felt the same way about On The Waterfront.

To me, Casablanca is a "perfect" movie, in all its aspects. It reflected the ethos of the era, yet its message is timeless. The sexual tension and passion is palpable between Bogart and Bergman, yet there is no overt sexuality shown in the movie.

I have always wondered, if any one of today's moviemakers could produce a remake of the movie that would have the same emotional impact on people as Casablanca does?

Please don't throw any tomatoes at me, it is just a thought.

I know "Citizen Kane" is "remake proof" due to a clause in the contract and copyrights. Not so sure about "Casablanca" but I feel someone would have to be on something to even think of trying to remake it. It has a historical timeframe that has etched it into our minds, committed on black-and-white film with actors that have no equals today. How about rebuilding an exact duplicate of the Empire State Building? Some things are just untouchable.

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Lightwizard, you say that casablanca had actors which have no equals today. If a remake were attempted, it do well to cast Kristen Scott Thomas, the equal of Ingrid Bergman. And that IS saying an awful lot.

I wasn't speaking of the quality of acting but that the actors are so identified with their parts, it would be nearly impossible for an actor of today to step into the role and bring it off. Kristen Scott Thomas is a fine actress and one of many who could be called the equal of Bergman but trying to fill all the roles with such perfection -- it seems an impossible task. Thomas' performance in "The English Patient" was a role Bergman could have played if the film had been made in her age. You did pick the one character that would be the easiest to fill. Now try the others. Possibly Kevin Spacey in the Bogart role?

Lightwizard- English Patient/Bergman- Boy, she would have been a natural for that part!

Oh, how I love this, everytime I see it!

What can one possibly say about perfection?

It's mind boggling that they really had no completed script and just wrote it as they went along. Of course, they had the original story to follow.

Who'd take Peter Lorre's role? I can't imagine anyone. He was truly unique. Not to mention Mr. Greenstreet!

Those two roles and Claude Rains would be difficult to cast. Paul Henreid may be as easy to cast as Bergman. I'm afraid it really boils down to "let's change the smile on the Mona Lisa."

First let me start off with a complaint: LW, I love your threads, but when you invite us into this particular gin joint, please be sure to supply plenty of hankies!! I can tear up just thinking about this movie. After reading Ebert's essay, the tears spilled right over.

Many of you have made great remarks--fbaezer mentioning the individual elegance of the characters, Phoenix regarding the sexual tension (so true!) and that it probably couldn't be done today with the same clear but constrained sexuality that just floods one's imagination and JLNobody suggesting Kristen Scott Thomas for the part of Ilsa.

In his essay, Ebert tells of the scraps of dialogue jotted down and given to the actors. "What must have helped is that the characters were firmly established in the minds of the writers, and they were characters so close to the screen personas of the actors that it was hard to write dialogue in the wrong tone."

That clearly made it a one of a kind, never to be remade with any degree of satisfaction (he mentions Havana, which I've never seen, to illustrate a notable failure).

The last line of his essay really opened the floodgates for me: "As we leave the theater, we are absolutely convinced that the only thing keeping the world from going crazy is that the problems of three little people do, after all, amount to more than a hill of beans."

OK, forget the hankies and pass the paper towels.
Sniff.

Someone please pass Diane a turkish towel!

It's MINE!

Awright, Diane, grab a corner. <sniff>

This is at the top of my list with African Queen, To Kill a Mockingbird and Dr Zhivago.

My favorite part was the ending, the Scene - nighttime, the DC-3, the fog, the tense love and fear, the war and then Boggie well I just can't go on

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Although the acting was of a lower level, I do have a special place in my heart for the movie, Laura (Tierney and Andrews). The technique of using shadows and light from windows was a very effective substitute for color. Indeed it shows that black and white CAN be considered colors when used artistically. The craftsmanship was SO good, now it's mainly engineering technology that defines most movies. I also regret the loss of dramatic radio.

Casablanca is at the top of my personal favorite list as well. Among other qualities is that nearly every single frame in the movie is by ittself an exquisitely crafted still photo. It simply is one of those very few movies in which everything "Came Together", creating a synergy far greater than the mere sum of its parts.



timber

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Timberlandko, that's right, and that is so with all good art.