Casablanca Movie (1942)

Contender for greatest movie of all time? I certainly think so, along with Citizen Kane, The Godfather and Gone With The Wind this has to be one of the most perfect movies ever made.

Warner Brothers put Michael Curtiz (one of the greatest of all directors, just google his name and see his credits) in charge of this production and he turned what was just a routine film out of many being made at the studio at that time into one of the most romantic and moving cinematic experiences of all time. The cast suit their roles like hands in a glove, Bogart as the world weary and self-serving bar keeper is glorious and his change into a conscience driven man able to sacrifice his greatest love for a greater good is a sublime job of acting. Ingrid Bergman as his love interest and Paul Henried as the third side in the best cinematic love triangle of all time are also perfectly suited to their role and hey..why not for good measure throw in Peter Lorre and Claude Rains for good measure, man what a cast!

The real star of this film though is the script, every line of dialogue sizzles and advances the story, no stuffy filler scenes here, just a superbly paced and well thought out story with masterly defined characters. Of course its famous for the scenes involving the song "as time gos by" but for me the greatest use of music in the film and perhaps in any film before or since is the scene in which the bar clientel start singing a rousing and moving rendition of the French national anthem in response to the noisy German singing taking place, if that doesnt put a lump in your throat NOTHING will.

Great film that gets better with age, a must for any movie collection.

I concur. This movie is everything!

Bogey at his best !