Wednesday, June 20, 2007

Movie Review: Casablanca

Yeah, I hadn't watched Casablanca until now - so sue me.

Sure, we've all heard all the now cliched lines - "Here's looking at you, kid", "round up the usual suspects", "I'm shocked - shocked!". But fortunately, this movie's more than just a set of famous quotes.

Not to say there aren't a lot of famous quotes, but the script is full of great lines. When Rick threatens to put a bullet through Renault's heart, he replies "That is my least vulnerable spot." Just about every conversation between Rick and Renault is outstanding.

It's a movie full of great characters. Yeah, Rick and Ilsa, but Claude Rains' Captain Renault steals every scene he's in; just a great performance of a great character. And even all of the small roles are well-done. Consider Rick's employees - that group would make a fine cast of a regular series, not just a two-hour movie. (Yeah, I know they tried - I didn't say it would be a good idea.)


Well, I don't need to say anything about this movie. It's a classic, and justifiably so. Five stars.

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