It is true that there was a different style of acting in the 1940's but ordinary people living their lives also behaved and spoke differently than today. Take a look at some documentary footage from the time and you will find that people spoke differently, walked differently, and had a different inner attitude. So, the acting was a slightly heightened reflection of how people actually behaved and what you considered artificial would have been considered quite natural by the original audiences. These are the films, classic studio films, that I like to see reactions to. Keep up the good work!
First of all, thank you very much ☺ Yes, I'm sure nothing would seem odd for early 40's audience members. One thing that we both kinda agree is how less annoying young people talk in older movies xD and also act to be honest
I was about to say exactly this. Before roughly the late 1960s, people not only dressed and expressed themselves differently than now in public and even in private, but one can see a difference just by looking at faces in old vs new photos. It wasn't only changes in theatrical fashion, but in real life. Most find this difficult to accept if they didn't live through the changes themselves. For instance, one of the "tropes" in older films that I often hear criticized is a relatively short courtship before marriage aka "love at first sight", but there were reasons for many people to actually behave this way in earlier times.
While it certainly was different times, I would attribute the "over acting" more to the evolution of stage acting transitioning to films rather than a general societal shift. To this day, whether you are at a play or an opera, the over emphasis exists. I believe there is even a name for it, which I'm sure one of the performance art geeks would be happy to provide.
@@lcln1 Stage and silent movies. In silent movies all you had was visual reactions to get an emotion across. Also, in any case, my parents are of the same generation as Ilse, and I remember some of their female friends being more expressive than you might find today. It might have been slightly exaggerated on film, and certainly not all women, but it isn't as far out for that era as this couple is suggesting.
I love the reactions to the classics. Great job. Try some of these amazing movies. Not many reactors have taken these on, but they are some of the best movies ever made. Treasure of the Sierra Madre - Bogie Maltese Falcon - Bogie On the Waterfront - Brando (w Karl Malden) Streetcar Named Desire - Brando (w Karl Malden) Arsenic and Old Lace - Cary Grant Cabaret - Liza Minnelli Patton - George C Scott (w Karl Malden) Fiddler on the Roof - Great musical Bonnie and Clyde - This movie broke the Hays code, and change cinema forever Rebel Without a Cause - James Dean
Thank you so much ☺☺ Will definitely had a few of those titles to our classic movie polls in the future! I know of the Boggart film noirs let's say, but I've never fully seen any of them. Guess I need to change that! The only movie on this list I have seen before i Patton really, which I liked, but then again George C. Scott is always great :p
🎉The aircraft featured at the end is a lockheed electra with a range of 2000+ miles. Casablanca to Lisbon is nearly 400, a short hop 1hr and a half apx. The Lockheed was used by Amelia Earhart in her attempt to circle the globe, that she did not succeed is more attributed to navigational problems or if you prefer the miriad " theories" of speculators. Howard Hughes flew a super electra in his successful attempt circling the northern hemisphere 14,800 mi in 91 hrs, 4 days of constant flying.
Among my all time favorite 3 or 4 movies. And probably the most quotable movie ever made-- every line is perfect and impossible to remove from the movie.
"Casablanca" is based on a play called "Everyone Comes to Rick's." The change of title helped it become a huge hit because just as it was released, there was a meeting of Allied leaders at Casablanca, so it was in all of the headlines. If you want to see one starting point for the more modern acting style of the 60s and 70s, watch the 1951 film "A Streetcar Named Desire," with the actor Marlon Brando.
The costuming, the decor, the details of black & white are carefully selected to showcase the beauty of lighting without color (look at Yvonne’s sparkly blouse at the beginning), the constant presence of the roaming searchlights, the times when rays of light highlight a room, as well as the many shadows (which were a sort of known trademark for this director, Hungarian Michael Curtiz.) Adding color to this would detract from the tension, and eliminate the mood that is created by high-contrast lighting.
You want to know the backstory of Rick. But we already know. Rick was a freedom fighter. The strong implication is that both the loss of Ilsa and the success of the Nazis in the war (at the time of filming) brought him to a deep depression. So, rudderless, he settled in Casablanca, but never lost hope of rekindling both love and honor. Captain Renault harbored such feelings as well: his admiration for Rick only grew as he saw more of Rick’s nature. He did seek redemption, both for himself and France. In fact, he might have secretly aided the Resistance while in Casablanca. Perhaps. Thanks for the reaction!
The movie does heavily imply that Rick was a much more idealistic person before Elsa for sure. I'm not 100% sure about Renault though! xD Thank you very much for your comment ☺
@@ptthatswhatshesaid Agreed about Renault. He is thoroughly unredeemed in the end. The symbolism of ditching the Vichy water, and even protecting Rick, doesn't suggest him having anything other than a self-serving survivalist character.
Screenwriters were trying very hard to come up with some cool reason why Rick can't return to US. They just couldn't. Eventually someone suggested he has a ton of unpaid parking tickets, and they decided to drop the matter.
Just a great flick. So much better than chase ,crash, repeat cgi. legit top 5 depending of course. I don't like 'citizen Cain' or '20001' , to each their own. interesting kinda bit - Ingrids personal life kinda followed a thread in this flick... She was a tabloid target . very minor - look at the scenes they are together - Ingred was some 3 in taller than bogey.
You guys are from Portugal? Bravo! You're gonna love this movie!! Congrats...you are now about to cross over into Black and White classic movies from long ago, many with better scripts, totally different from special effects oriented sensationalism and violence of today with no heart or soul. Don't worry you won't catch VD from watching black and white movies. Max Steiner did the music, he was a master at making movies better with superior writing back then, one of the greats who inspired John Williams and others that came later. Which girl do I like most ...IIsa? Or Yvonne, the French girl. Yvonne for sure! And she lived to be about 92, died in 2015, the last one of the cast living at the time!.
We are loving discovering older pre 70's era movies! So far it has been all very good movies 👌 This one was great! We are from Portugal yes, it was interesting seeing how our country was used as one of the main places refugees from Europe escaped the nazi regime and found freedom in America (even though Portugal was an actual fascist country at the time). I had no idea that someone from the cast of this movie died so recently!
@ptthatswhatshesaid : "communication is key" Throughout the movie, people who care for one another lie to protect them. • Ilsa lies about meeting Rick at the train station, because she knows he won't leave otherwise and will be caught by the Gestapo. Rick is caught by surprise at the train station with no alternative. • The Bulgarian bride is willing to prostitute herself for her husband's happiness and to carry that dark secret locked in her heart forever. • And Rick lies to everyone to set up the ending. Just like at the train station, Rick catches Ilsa by surprise at the airport with no alternative. He does this to save her, because it's clear that if she stays she will be arrested. And Rick knows that Lazlo has to get away to continue the fight. He lies to Lazlo about him and Ilsa. And Rick lies some more about how Ilsa was always meant to be with Lazlo, when he knows, that if it weren't for the war, Rick and Ilsa would have been together. It's all lies. @ptthatswhatshesaid : "can say 'I love you' to him, but not her husband" The look Ilsa gives Lazlo during the singing of La Marseillaise is admiration, not romantic love. But it reinforces Lazlo's importance in the historical moment. Maybe, one day, there will be a baby named Richard Lazlo. "If it's December 1941 in Casablanca, what time is it in New York?" Part of Rick's cynicism can be seen as the result of the failed attempts to raise the alarm about the threat of fascism in Ethiopia and Spain. Paris almost saved Rick from despair, but he finally discovers that "We'll always have Paris" as he and Louis go away to fight the fascists.
Other lies: • Lazlo (transparently) lies about being willing to leave Ilsa behind. • Ilsa (transparently) lies about having nothing to say to Lazlo about what happened in Paris.
There are definitely flaws in this film. The biggest being how they portrayed Sam, how they filmed him, and how folks spoke to him. And his name was Sam, which is a stereotype in of itself. But ... Still my favorite film of all time.
@@ptthatswhatshesaid Sam is a common default black character name, especially in those days of even more extreme racism. And infantilizing names like Sambo or calling a black man a Sambo was common.
Also quite curious. Especially given that for that era the portrayal of Sam is exceptionally respectful. He and Rick appear to be close friends, in a very balanced relationship. Sure, Sam calls Rick “boss”... but Rick IS his boss, his employer. Sam is loyal to Rick, rejecting an offer of higher salary; but Rick is also loyal to Sam, making sure he keeps his job after the saloon changes hands.
@@migmit Oh yes. For that time, the filmmakers took a progressive approach to how they portrayed Sam. Just like the relationship of Rick and Ilsa was rather progressive. But Sam is a stereotype of a name, but not the worst stereotype. But even well before Little Black Sambo, Sam has a knee jerk character name for a black man. Sam has zero back story others than being attached to Rick like a manservant. And he is "that boy at the piano." Mr. T has a famous quote about why he chose his stage name ... """ I think about my father being called "boy", my uncle being called "boy", my brother, coming back from Vietnam and being called "boy". So I questioned myself: "What does a black man have to do before he's given respect as a man?" So when I was 18 years old, when I was old enough to fight and die for my country, old enough to drink, old enough to vote, I said I was old enough to be called a man. I self-ordained myself Mr. T, so the first word out of everybody's mouth is "Mr." """ A 20-something calling the 50-something lead act at the establishment, a man she knew socially, as "boy." Of course, it's racist. And then, the camera. It never lingers on Sam unless he was performing. Nevermind if he is speaking, he's "background" dialogue. No film is perfect and neither is this one. Still my favorite film of all time. I just cringe at that moment.
@@t0dd000 Sam doesn't have any backstory, but neither does captain Renault, for example. Neither does Ivonne, neither does Ferrari, etc. Only a few characters have any backstory. As for “boy”, maybe. I don't know if at the time the same word would be used for a white pianist in a cafe; maybe not. Camera also doesn't linger on Carl, or any other secondary character. So, apart from one word, basically you're complaining that Sam isn't one of the main characters. Which, OK, doesn't quite contribute to representation, but on the other hand, I don't really see how you could tell the same story with any of the characters being non-white.
I'm sorry if this may offend you looking at your analysis a couple of things come to mind. As far as woulda, shoulda, and coulda is concerned, all of their decision points combined occupied the time you spent in your post viewing analysis. Case in point " talk to your husband get a divorce," sure take all the cash you need to get the visas you desperately need to save your life, as an aside I expect the final settlement any day now. As for the raw emotions, two visas three people 1dies in concentration camp. We have a few minutes, ahhhhh times up. Next Your wife there next to you, the choice is she just needs to sleep with Mon Capitain, given his track record, more than a good chance he's got a laundry list of STD's. What could be more simple.
THAT'S WHAT SHE SAID" Over Dramatic" acting style in 1942? How about, "THAT'S WHAT SHE SAID", that the both of you, and your "Over Dramatic" negative overreaction to needlessly being distracted at acting styles from in the past, should take away from this viewing experience an ultimate essential and core enjoyment of an iconic classic superior movie, from whatever era for that matter, instead of the two of you sounding foolish in your critique, and that which exposes your cinema history ignorance?
Im sorry, what over dramatic negative overreaction? 😅 This was one of our favourite movies we reacted to on the channel. And we did praised it immensely
Here is a blurb to help today’s younger viewers better understand this movie: “Casablanca is in French Morocco. When France surrendered in WW2, it was divided in half. The Northern half under the direct control of the Germans the other half "nominally" independent under the French in Vichy. French Morocco was also under the control of the Vichy government and thus was technically independent so that the Germans had to operate with French consent. It was all a formality, of course, as the French consent was usually rubber stamped.” As for the timing of this movie, Germany had quickly defeated France and on June 14, 1940, the German troops entered and occupied Paris. This movie Casablanca is set a year and a half later on December 1, 1941. This was a week before America is attacked at Pearl Harbor and entered the war against Japan. Germany declared war against the US a few days later. I first saw this during WW2 and believe the reason that it became such an instant classic was that the theme and story truly hit a nerve with the audience members back then. Everyone there identified with the story because, in 1942, the war in Europe and the Pacific was going full blast with the outcome of both was still in doubt. Suddenly husbands and wives, young men and their lovers were being forcibly separated by the war and the draft. If your immediate family was not affected, then many of your neighbors had people either at war, killed or wounded.
An element of this film that made it so suspenseful was the love triangle between Rick, Ilsa and Victor. Normally in a Hollywood movie two of the people, the leading man and the girl are obviously meant to end up together. The third character is always shown with some flaw or attitude that makes them an unsuitable mate. In Casablanca, all three leading characters are shown to be equally heroic and desirable choices. Thus making it more difficult for the theater audience to decide who should end up flying off together and who should be the one left behind. Writing a suitable script ending that would satisfy both the Hays Office (the U.S. film studio Self-censorship Organization) and the theater audience must have been very difficult. Cortiz got an Oscar for directing this picture. The flowing movement of the Camera, with its closeups and tracking, and the constant motion of the Actors are like a carefully rehearsed Ballet. Notice how the Actors and the movie Extras are always moving around and how the scenes smoothly flow from one event to another with few cuts and fadeouts.
Watch how the movie literally starts with a ‘Bang’ and the Camera keeps you glued to the screen leading up to the Flashback with Rick and Ilsa. The first 10 or 15 minutes seems like one long shot. It is rarely mentioned, but the Editing of the movie was excellent. It was a good thing this was filmed in black and white. It allowed dramatic lighting, contrasting darks and shadows to help portray the ‘Film Noir’ moody effect. Filming in color during the 1940s was harder due to the extra heat generated from the lighting required. Because of the bulker cameras, the added lighting, the triple amount of film, and the expense of producing dye transfer projection prints, Technicolor demanded higher film budgets. In 1942, this movie was well received by the Black Community. It was praised by being one of the first films that portrayed a black man not as a stereotype but as an important character in the story. In the comments on the ‘quotable’ lines from this movie, I wonder if there is one more that is overlooked. When Ugarte is accosted by the French Moroccan police at the Roulette table, he asks them if he could ‘Cash in his Chips’. I wonder if this line is meant to forecast his inevitable fate with the police. Was this film dialogue the origin of this phrase or was this already a cliché at the time?
The reverse: the "Vichy" gov't was collaborationist with the Nazis under puppet Phillipe Petain. At the beginning of the film the man shot is directly in front of the wall mural depicting Petain. The papers that man who was shot had revealed that he was underground resistance. One sees the same symbol -- "code" -- in the ring "offered for sale" by another in the underground resistance. That character, and "Ilsa," are both ostensibly from Norway, which was under Nazi occupation, "lead" by Nazi puppet Quisling. There is a video biography on youtube about Quisling and what happened to him after the war.
@@malimal9191 The comment is backward: "VICHY" was collaborationist with the Nazi occupation, which is OBVIOUSLY why Renault drops the bottle of "VICHY" water -- READ THE LABEL on the bottle -- into the trash at the end.
It was so refreshing to see someone that knew their history and geography. The truly sad thing, is most Americans that watch this movie have no clue what they are talking about when they refer to Nazis, Vichy, Free French, or even where Casablanca and Lisbon are. They are so ill-informed about the history of WWII that much of it is beyond their capacity to understand it. PS: I am an American so I can ridicule my own country for the poor education system.
That is amazing to me, especially because now we know how it all turned out in the end. At the same time, even in recent days we have movies about conflicts that are still going on. But this one must have been REALLY POWERFUL in those days for sure!
when they were making it in 1941, usa was not in war . usa entered the war in december 1942. rick with his neutral noncommittal attitude was like an analogy for usa. * added later not december 42 but december 41.
@@sitting_nut I don't know if it is just a typo, but the US entered the war in December 1941. This movie was made before that and released after that (I believe that they made a couple of very minor additions/changes after the US entered the war, but mostly just left it alone).
That's what added to the anxiety and chaos. It is both embedded in the current events during its making -- the war -- and imbued with that uncertainty and tension.
This "old out-of-touch" movie consistently ranks in the top three movies ever (out of 150 movies listed), regardless of genre, color/B&W, or date it was made by AFI (American Film Institute). What makes it timeless is the photography, storyline, dialogue, music score, setting, casting, and superlative acting. And that's why. every generation since it was made continues to quote dialogue and talk about it to one and all.
The film wasn't considered anything more than product -- one of 50 made by Warners' during that year. It won Best Film, Best Screenplay, Best Director. Many consider it the best film ever made. It deserves more than one viewing. Another film by the same director for the same year was "Yankee Doddle Dandy," which won Best Actor for James Cagney.
Some of those 1940's twin engine aircraft are still out there flying all the time in second and third world countries. In the 40's they were state of the art.
Keep in mind that this movie was made in 1942...that is only 39 years after Kitty Hawk where the Wright Flyer managed to fly a couple of hundred feet. Which is the first time man successfully managed a heavier than air flight, after hundreds of years of thinking and dreaming what if a man could fly.
Many people consider this one of the greatest movies of all time, perfect in every aspect. It was delightful to see both of you so engaged right from the start. My favorite scene is rarely talked about: the Bulgarian woman's story. It is superbly written by cleverly avoiding the Hays Office censors, while remaining convincingly natural. It's put across magnificently by Joy Page, whose acting career was stunted, rather than helped, by her stepfather, studio head Jack Warner.
That was one of our favourite bits as well. I agree that it is very cleverly written, we understand what she is talking about even if they never directly say it 👌🏻 and its a Key moment for us to understand Rick and see his progression
Yes. Every line of dialogue did two things: It advanced the plot and, at the same time, revealed something about the character of the speaker or the listener.
The symbol on the ring - and also on the papers that were found on the man who was shot in the back at the beginning - was the cross of Lorraine. It was a symbol of the French resistance to the Nazis.
This was a mainstream Hollywood film with a script being written and rewritten on a daily basis, and yet it still packs such a punch more than 80 years on. Amazing.
@@ptthatswhatshesaid No, according to Ingrid Bergman they were rewriting it every day. And she didn't even know which man she would be leaving with on the plane until they actually shot the scene! It does indeed seem wonderfully tight but it really is a wonderful accidental work of art.
@@ptthatswhatshesaid Get a copy of the book Casablanca (1973) by Howard Koch, one of the 3 scriptwriters. You'll see exactly how the script..particularly the final scene...was written.
It is important to understand that Ilsa was a part of the Underground movement during the war years and those people were absolutely committed to maintaining their secrets. Her loyalty was to Victor, and to the cause, and abiding by his decision to keep their marriage secret, in order to protect everyone involved, so she could not tell Rick even if she wanted to. During the war, what was considered most important - dedication towards larger causes - was changed from the explicit personal honesty which today is often regarded as more important, but it was different during the war. Obviously she was torn during the scene in the Belle Aurore cafe, which we find out later, was just after she discovered that Victor was alive. She wanted to tell Rick, but it was complex; no one was supposed to know that Victor had escaped, plus as she explains, she was afraid Rick might not leave Paris and then be arrested by the Gestapo. This was truly a triangle - all 3 of them sincerely cared for the other two, and wanted what was best for the other two. None of the 3 were being selfish but also all 3 realized that their personal lives were secondary to larger causes and all 3 were able to make a sacrifice. People today are less likely to make sacrifices but during the war years, everyone made sacrifices of one kind or another. In 1969, a French director made a film about the French Underground (incorporating some of his personal experiences from those years, as well as the author of the book on which it is based) which is exceptional and very emotionally moving. The title is “Army of Shadows” and helps paint a picture of what was involved for those people as they tried to outwit the Nazi occupation forces in France. Keeping secrets even from your colleagues was essential to the work. Highly recommended!
Yeah, I do get it, and I have to say that I do love these characters! Ilsa is one that we only fully get near the end tbh but they were all extremely well written. This is a movie that I will definitely rewatch 👌
I cannot relate to disliking styles of art because they are from a different era. For example, not liking expressionism, or classical music just because they are "old fashioned." And just like paintings and music, a good movie is good no matter when it is from.
I was so happy when I heard you say that she could say i love you to Rick but not to Victor. Its a very telling part in the movie. And notice that Victor wasn't dumb to what was going on, merely not making a deal out of it. Even the 'I understand' from Victor after Rick explains away her feelings. Victor knows Rick is telling him what he wants to hear and he accepts the story, even knowing its not true.
This was one of the more historically informed reactions--a nice change from reactors who have no clue at all about the WWII era geopolitics which obviously provide crucial context for the film. That said, some of the things you latched onto about Rick's character are important clues about "what he was" before the events of the film... The handful of Americans who fought in the Spanish Civil War on the Loyalist side were *very* strongly anti-fascist in their convictions. In the historical context of the 1930s (when the vast majority of US voters were still very strongly isolationist, and a significant minority still pro-German and/or pro-Italian), these soldiers of fortune quite likely would have been *very* far to the left in terms of contemporary US politics. Typically in fact they would have been at the very least loosely affiliated with one or another of the many socialist, anarcho-syndicalist, or communist party organizations in existence at the time. These were, after all, the United Front years. But although the 30s were a relatively safe time to be openly left wing in the US, Rick's past political affiliations (given his age) would likely have stretched easily back into the 1920s, which were (like the 1950s) a much less hospitable time to be a committed member of the left in the US. In short, Rick's mysterious inability to return to the US is most naturally tied to the domestic trouble his prior political convictions would have gotten him into during the so-called "First Red Scare" of the 1920s. If you listen again to his ironical answer, when Renault asks him why he can't return, he almost says as much ("it's a combination of all three"). FWIW, I also think that today's conventions of how to portray strong emotions on screen are every bit as artificial as were those of the 1940s, on display here. The only difference is that they are *our* theatrical conventions, and so we are more comfortable with them as representations of the "real thing." In the 1940s, what seems to have been convincing was the simulation of long-suppressed emotion finally breaking free. In the 2020s, what seems to be convincing is is the simulation of never-suppressed emotion constantly spilling out in public. This probably says more about changing social mores & expectations that it does about acting, writing, or directing talent in the respective eras.
Very well explained and yes, we were not as informed on the political leaning aspect of Rick's character (except for the fact of him always fighting fascists).
One of the most quoted movies. You have to watch a few times because there is some parts of this movie that are ahead of it's time. Example: Rick tell Yvonne I don't make plans that far ahead. In the flash back Ilsa says it to him. Example: You will see characters you think are throw away but they come back as part of the story or character building. The Bulgarian couple are talking about getting on the plane tomorrow and then show up at Rick's later when Rick helps them.
One of the most interesting things, for me, is that some of the actors, had only recently fled from Nazi occupied Europe to America, and so the appearance in Casablanca is most poignient.
yea. like the ' drunk lady ' Yvonne - and Her real life husband, the casino boss.... refugees thru Lisbon as mentioned in film. also to me, the contrast - the daughter of Warners studio boss was the ' Romanian girl' with Her husband playing roulette. ' daddy, can I be in a movie ?'. the contrast, desperation and mega rich.
So, so interesting to think that this was made at the beginning of the war. People didn't knew how it would all turn out in the end 😬 I bet those people were eager to work on this project and showcase all the things that were happening in Europe!
@@rickc661 They do share a border and many cultural similarities . Romania is larger and is south of the Ukraine. Bulgaria is north of Greece. Both have coastlines on the Black Sea. Both had complicated conditions after WW2 during the era of Soviet domination in Eastern Europe. The physical/environmental region is often referred to as “Balkan” as well as the ethnic background of many of its people. 👍
I don't know if it's 100% true or not, but someone eles said that was because the censorship moral codes of the time which would not allow to be that intimate with 2 men in the same movie
Ahahah! I told her something very similar when she first watched the LOTR!! 😂 In this particular case we both loved this one and tbh we are more and more becoming big fans of pre 70's era movies the more we watch them 😅
Because so many of the actors were really refugees from the Nazis (even the ones playing Nazis) they reflected the many nationalities of the patrons at Rick's. Careful listening to the background conversations reveals that people are speaking (at least) Spanish, French, German, Cantonese, Russian, Italian . . .and all of their conversations are appropriate to who they are and what they are doing.
‘Casablanca’ is renowned and is justly acknowledged as one of the most romantic films of all time but it is much more than the tale of a love triangle. Of course, it shows that the power of love can affect the human psyche, as demonstrated by Rick’s metamorphosis, but, actually, the film is one of the most subtle pieces of propaganda ever made. Made in the bleakest times of WW2, this film has so many levels to it that it takes many viewings to appreciate them. The main theme is not romance but self-sacrifice as its message to the world at war is to give up the personal agenda for the common cause. It reminds wartime audiences, many of whom have loved ones fighting abroad, that their situation is the same as that of Rick, Ilsa and Victor. Rick’s initial selfishness, (‘I stick my neck out for nobody’ and ‘the problems of the world are not in my department…’), is a metaphor for USA indifference. It must be remembered that the events and politics are harder to comprehend and put into perspective for current audiences than for those living through WW2, not knowing who the victors would be. The script can be considered as a 'State of the Union' address, both for home and foreign policies, in which there are references to Civil Rights, as embodied in Sam, and, of course, the debate about America’s involvement in the conflict. Basically, the film is politically motivated because it is a plea to America to join the war. Please note that the action takes place in pre-Pearl Harbour, December, 1941. The screenplay is so intelligently written. It is a masterpiece of complexity, containing subliminal political opinions and messages all carried along on a thrilling plot with brilliant one-liners and memorable quotes, together with comedic elements and contemporary, social commentaries. Even the support actors make major contributions to the enjoyment. Michael Curtiz’s direction is multi-faceted: Documentary, Film Noir, German Expressionism, Flashback etc. He is the master of creating the plot via seamlessly connecting a series of rapid-fire vignettes. There is subtle direction and cinematography. For example, Ilsa wears black and white clothes and is cast in shadows and in a mirror which symbolise the ambiguity of her role. POINTS OF INTEREST AND NOTES FOR SUBSEQUENT VIEWINGS. This is the the first non-musical movie to use music almost as an another protagonist, (which Tarantino does now). For example, ‘As Time Goes By’ is a valuable recurring theme and, in Paris, Rick and Ilsa dance to ‘Perfidia’ which means untrustworthiness. Also, ‘Love for Sale’ is played during the dialogue when the Bulgarian girl tells Rick about her ‘offer’ from Renault. Each character represents a country e.g. Two Japanese plotting; the Italian on the tail of the German; American indifference; French collaborators; the British robbed by foreign policy. Even the Balkan problem , (still ongoing), is mentioned via the Bulgarian couple. Quite evidently, Rick’s actions symbolise the USA in its change in policy from isolationism to participation and ‘….the beginning of a beautiful friendship…’ is the USA and Europe joining forces to fight Nazism. The significance of Letters of Transit is a metaphor for the might of America’s power and resources and must be delivered to the right side. Victor often tells Isla that he loves her but she never reciprocates, except for saying ‘ I know’. She tells Rick she loves him several times. The ‘La Marseillaise’ scene is the pivotal moment in which both Ilsa and Rick realise that saving Victor is more important than their own personal relationship. It also comes in just as Rick and Victor are about to argue over Ilsa but both drop the issue when they hear the music. This scene is rousing now but imagine how it must have felt for audiences right in the middle of the war when Germany seemed invincible and modern viewers need to put it in perspective in terms of world events full of Nazi and Japanese domination and when the outcome looked very bleak. The facial close-ups used throughout the film speak a thousand words: but particularly note Ilsa during ‘La Marseillaise’ when her expressions eventually show her admiration of Victor’s power and her realisation that this must be preserved at all costs. There are also many ‘adult’ themes which escaped the censors: one example is the scene between Rick and the Bulgarian bride in which Rick suggests that Renault’s ‘broadmindedness’ hints at underagesex/ménage a trois. Another is Rick’s and Ilsa’s last tryst in which it is clearly implied that they have made love. POINTS TO WATCH ‘It’s December, 1941 in Casablanca: what time is it in New York?... I bet they are asleep all over America’. PEARL HARBOUR ‘Even Nazis can’t kill that fast’ CONCENTRATION CAMPS ‘I don’t buy or sell human beings..’ CIVIL RIGHTS In any case... there is so much alcohol!!!! On this note, please watch out for glasses knocked over and glasses set upright… The Bulgarian couple keeps appearing many times as a symbol of hope and determination. In the bar room fight over Yvonne, Rick attacks the German only and not the Frenchman. Captain Renault dumps the bottle of Vichy water to represent his rejection of the Nazi- collaborating French Government which was located in Vichy. Just one example of the excellent and complex scriptwriting occurs immediately after the roulette scene. The girl thanks Rick for letting her husband win and Rick replies, ‘He’s just a lucky guy’, which, on the face of it, refers to the gambling, but, in Rick’s mind, means that the husband is ‘lucky’ because his partner truly loves him. Please imagine what hope the dialogue must have projected when Ilsa states that she’ll wear the blue dress again when Paris is liberated. Nobody then knew when this would be. The quotes from the film are now embedded in popular culture and are mostly said by Rick. However, Captain Renault has some of the best lines: e.g. when asking Rick why he had to leave America, he says, ‘I’d like to think you killed a man: it’s the romantic in me’ ; a gunshot to his heart would be his ‘..least vulnerable part..’; when told where the Letters of Transit were hidden in the piano, ‘’…it’s my fault for not being musical…’: on making the bet with Rick, …’make it 10,000 - I’m only a poor corrupt official…’ The end-product is a combination of superb screenwriting/ direction/acting and every other production aspect combined with a modicum of unpredictable luck. As I’ve said, ‘Casablanca’ requires multiple viewings and gets better with age and even its theme song, ‘As Time Goes By’ serendipitously reflects this!!
Don’t you just love it when someone says that looks fake whilc watching a movie? I know I do. Why? Because all movies, even the movies of the European art cinema (see Pedro Costa) which are more “realer” than most of the stuff Hollywood puts out today are FAKE. They are all manipulated via editing, framing, acting, effects. So to say something that is fake is fake is hilarious. It is a low level tautology….I love it when people say something is boring not grasping that boriing is subjective not objective and empirical. I love it because they don’t grasp that they are revealing something about themselves…In Hollywood studio shooting was actually easier because it allowed control aesthetically, acting wise, set wise, etc. Studio shooting could be very expensive...
To add I would just like to say that I think one of the main reasons why I like B&W so much is because it's not real (or realistic), but it puts you inside "movieland" let's say. A movie does not need to try to BE reality
Wow, thanks for watching one of my favorite movies. But I'm a little surprised at your comments at the end. Not your thing? It appeared to be very much your thing. You laughed out loud as most do seeing Claude Rains as Capt Renault. You also loved in some fashion, the bitter Rick in the beginning. You were on the edge of your seat wanting to know the story behind Ilsa and Rick. I did notice you had nothing much to say about the beautiful Ingrid Bergman whose radiance was captured masterfully in this film. Oh well, I looked over the list of movies you've reacted to and frankly there are very few I'd be interested in watching as the movies you like are probably not my thing.
We agree with everything you mentioned yeah 😅 If we said it's not our thing its not in any negative way concerning the quality of the movie itself, we do mean its something we were not used to see, but we are gonna change that for sure xD this one, together with To Kill a Mockingbird and The Great Escape have shown us we need to go against any kind of prejudices against older movies 😋
Bogart and piano player Dewey Wilson are the only Americans in this film. Renault is British actor Claude Raines. "Ugarte" is Peter Lorre -- he and virtually all others were refugees who had fled Nazi Europe. Bergman was from Sweden (her character "Ilsa" is from Nazi-occupied Norway.) The waiter "Carl" was affectionately known offscreen as "Cuddles".
@@ptthatswhatshesaid And an obviously-warm personality. In other comments you'll see my appreciation for your knowledge of the important subtext -- the distinction between "Vichy" and "unoccupied" France. I recommend the youtube channel "Escape to Rural France" for a major rebuilding project that has ties to WW II. Begin by looking at the latest six or so episodes -- you'll see a memorial with some history about that.
If you have a copy of the entire film you'll see a brief shot introducing Rick Blaine playing chess. About this time he has shown writing a check. If you can do a stop action at this point you will see he actually dates the check, it is a very brief scene but it appears that the date on the check is December 1 1941, a week before the sneak attack on the US Navy base at Pearl harbor. This time frame occurs at some of the worst moments Nazi army victories in Europe, and Japanese conquest in Asia. This was a time of fear in America when the outcome of the war was highly in doubt and public opinion was seriously divided about entering the war or trying to remain neutral. The film was actually made in 1942 and released in 1943 when the US was seriously involved in the global conflict. The timing of the release of the film couldn't have been more fortunate because US troops world landing in North Africa close to the city of Casablanca. A famous meeting occurred in Casablanca when American President Roosevelt met with British prime minister Winston Churchill in Casablanca. At first American troops were badly mauled by the highly experienced Africa Korp under the leadership of the brilliant, highly respected German General Rommel, better known as the "Desert Fox". At this point the American General George Patton was assigned to lead American troops, and with the British military succeeded in pushing the Germans away fromthe strategic Suez canal along with the critical gateways to the oil fields of the Middle East. Losing either of them may have critically altered the course of the war and ultimately assured Adolf Hitler of complete victory. And lastly, interestingly enough, Patton was the one American general most respected and even feared by the German high command. Sadly, Patton was relieved of command because he was politically brash and outspoken. Yet the German high command failed to respond in force to the allied invasion at Normandy, because they kept expecting Patton to lead the real innovation at another location known as the Pas de Calais. Patton was ultimately restored to command and became something of a folk hero to the American public when his tank division raced through impossible winter weather to save the day of desperate American troops at Bastogne in a fight later known as the Battle of the Bulge.
Objectively speaking, it is a very, very strong candidate to that position 👌🏻 and subjectively speaking it is definitely also one of the best movies I've seen!
bogart is THE man! he's my favorite actor. there's just something about his screen persona that DEMANDS attention. your eyes are always drawn to him and your ears perk up at his distictive voice. there's too many GREAT bogart films to list here but i'm compelled to list a few.... "dead end" (1937), "the roaring twenties" (1939), "sahara" (1943), "the treasure of the sierra madre" (1948), "the african queen" (1951, he won his only oscar) and "the caine mutiny" (1954). there's 10 more i could list just off the top of my head. bogart first gained critical notice on broadway in a play called "the petrified forrest." he reprised his role in the movie (1936) based on the play. he gained fame playing ruthless gangsters but in the early 40s, as many hollywood actors joined the military, bogart was too old and began being offered "hero," romantic leads. his filmography just kept getting better as he aged and his career flourished. he became a hollywood legend. thanks for the video.
Thank a lot, and yeah, hey really seems to have a great presence onscreen. We recently also watched The Treasure of the Sierra Madre (for Patreon) and he was amazing in that one. So layered and such a different character
Rick is very parallel to America's posture at the time of the war Casablanca is set in. He's officially neutral and purports to stick his neck out for no one. Meanwhile, he repeatedly does things to help the Allies such as hiding the letters of transit, helping the Bulgarian refugees, and allowing Les Marsailles to be sung against the Germans. Compare this to U.S. neutrality prior to Pearl Harbor and the America First movement popular in the U.S. Yet FDR was doing all he could to help the Allies (Lend-Lease for example) and converting the U.S. economy to a wartime economy. Bogie evens says at one point, " it's December 1941 and America is sleeping". Like Bogie , the U.S. finally "went public" after Pearl Harbor with its declaraion of war on Japan and Germany declaring war on the U.S.
It is always heralded as a great romantic movie, but it was also VERY patriotic. Rick's life is a mirror of the actions of America. He fought in previous wars, on the good sides. He is reluctant to get involved in the new war, but by the end of the movie he realizes he must rejoin the fight. The majority of Americans were reluctant to get involved in yet another European war. The discussion of people being asleep, all over America, was a direct reference to the millions of Americans who were oblivious to the horrors being carried out by the Nazis. Likewise, there were millions of Americans that were pro-Hitler, Pro-German, who kept pressuring FDR to not get involved in the war. That isolationism would not fully dissolve until Pearl Harbor. The Russian, who comes up and kisses Rick on the cheeks... In June of 1941, the Nazis turned on, and attacked the Soviets, that they previously had a treaty with. Within 2 months, America began shipping equipment and supplies to the Soviets. It would be 4 more months before the Americans would be forced to join the war, as a result of the attack on Pearl Harbor (that happened at the same time Japanese emissaries were trying to negotiate "Peace", in Washington). After the attack, FDR declared war on Japan, and the very next day, Hitler declared war on America.
This film was shot completely on sets in Hollywood studio backlots. The set design and lighting are part of the genius and legend of this film. Everything down to the blinds and drapes were detailed to serve the brilliant lighting. These details were part of the amazing work done by the craftsman who worked in the old studio system of the classic Hollywood era. As to acting styles, in 1941-42, it's only 12 or 15 years since sound was introduced to cinema. The only acting style was a theatrical style that was prevalent before the invention of the microphone. It's a matter of evolution of acting style over a short period of time since sound was introduced to cinema. The only way to appreciate these differences of style is to immerse yourselves in older films. I am not of the generation that experienced these films on release. But growing up in America in the 1970s we were thoroughly exposed to the films of this era. There were only 3 broadcast TV stations and older films were a major part of programming. We obtained an education in film by deep exposure to them. We also had the luxury of seeing many of the classic actors and directors still alive, interviewed and honored on talk shows. The current crop of films that rely so much on technology and quick cut editing will be looked on in the future as very dated and lacking in authenticity. The best of the classic era films will survive with their own integrity due to the devotion that went into making them. Very much enjoyed your reaction.
Thank you very much 😊 The lighting and the directing in this film is absolutely top notch imho In the end I think it's the fact that it has a lot of quality all around a perfect script that makes it a classic that will always be considered an absolutely superior movie. Any nitpick we might have had discussing the movie are exactly that: personal nitpicks 😅 can't wait to discover more gems like this one!
Ah, the prejudice against "old movies", you know it was kind of hard to film on location in Morocco in 1942. Interesting reaction and indicative of modern film viewers not familiar with social mores of a different era although I will say you knew your WW II history better than most reactors. Good job!
Thanks a lot! 😊 we do love WWII era content, although our country was not part of it, we do study it in school here. This movie helped a lot against that prejudice ahahah now we want to see more!
Stop a moment and think of all the ways love is portrayed in this film. There are soooo many. It is my favorite film ever, or perhaps a tie with, "It's a Wonderful Life." If you haven't seen that one... oh my! I failed to ignore your Subscribe button because of your review. Can't wait for more. As we say in Texas; y'all be safe. I mean that for everyone.
Nice reaction to one of my favorite films! Note on B&W films vs color - to set a scene or mood, an artist uses a brush, a musician uses their instrument, and a b&w film maker uses light and shadow. Subscribed.
@@ptthatswhatshesaid I strongly recommend you two react to Alfred Hitchcock's great suspense film "Notorious." Both Ingrid Bergman (Ilsa) and Claude Rains (Captain Renault) are in that one too -- but in a very different way! The male lead is the fantastic Cary Grant. (I knew Cary Grant in his final years.)
@@AndyMakesPlaylists Oh, that's interesting! I've seen a few Hitchcock films and in general I like them, but never seen that one, have to put it in my to-watch list :)
The "melodrama" in the performances is mostly a byproduct of microphone technology. Mics in those days had to be hidden where they could be on the set and the actors had to be very conscious of where they are and of speaking very clearly and loudly enough to be picked up properly and it colors the performances. That's why acting becomes more and more naturalistic over time because of advances in mic tech. It's also why in today's movies, some actors feel free to mumble their lines and expect us to either guess or put on the subtitles.
Best reaction video I've seen. Smart while not being obnoxious about it or overly-analytical to where all the juice is drained from the story and the performances. Good job.
"Old movies are boring", like we talk in this video, is just the preconceived idea that most people from our generations have. The great thing is that with each movie we watch, the more we like pre 70's era movies ☺ so far, we loved this one, "To Kill a Mockingbird" and "The Great Escape", but we hope we can discover a lot more in the future!
I'm about to watch. I see a lot of reactors say they've "heard" of Casablanca before, but they haven't heard how BIG this movie's reputation is- like do you know you just watched what many people still think (in 2024) is the BEST movie every made? Also, it's not a really a "romance" even though that's what it's reputation is.
I enjoyed your reaction to this classic movie. I especially enjoyed that you thought there would be gangsters and my first thought was yes, they are called "The Gestapo". Some trivia for you. Humphrey Bogart was a chess expert and prior to his success in Hollywood, he would hustle chess games for money in Central Park. When we are first introduced to Rick, he is playing chess. He is playing the black pieces and from the position one can tell that black has played the "French Defense".
"I'm pretty sure it's going to be interesting" - is really couching any emotion and expectation, especially going into it knowing its reputation of being one of the greatest (arguably THE greatest) ever made. That "Old Style" was current, and opening graphics have been copied by the likes of Spielberg, Coppola, Lucas ... This is almost non-stop dialogue, so stop commenting and Watch, LISTEN. In this same genre of film, I'll recommend TO HAVE AND HAVE NOT (1944) with Bogart and features Lauren Bacall's film debut at 19. It came about when director Howard Hawks bet his friend Ernest Hemingway he could take his worst novel and make it a great film, and did. Nightclub Jazz is provided by Hoagy Carmichael.
"Double Indemnity" (1944) starring big name stars of the time Fred MacMurray, Edward G. Robinson, and Barbara Stanwyck, is a crime movie classic film noir with ratings from Rotten Tomatoes of 5 stars, from Audience reviews of 4.5 and Amazon of 4.7. When you are ready for another special black and white film.
May I respectfully suggest that multi-academy award-winning movies such as this and "To Kill A Mockingbird" are not slowly paced, but were paced for the sensibilities of the audiences of their times. Although 20 years apart, the thing they have in common is taking the time to establish mood and character, which was not a problem for contemporary audiences. The difference between those two eras and now is that constant bombardment by endless video, social media, cell phone use, etc., has resulted in a shorter attention span for many viewers of today, who are unused to a less frantic time. Compare the long takes and graceful camera movements of a "Casablanca" with the hyper-kinetic fast cutting and restless, incessant camera movement of a Michael Bay film. It's the difference between a nice steak dinner and a plate full of candy. In "Casablanca" we have the time to wonder about Rick and Ilsa's mysterious past, to smile at the subtle witty banter between characters, to understand the desperation and frustration of those trying to escape to America. All of this could just be stated by some spoken exposition, or we could be shown, which we are. Think of it as being like personal intimacy. Would you rather take your time, or race to the end as quickly as possible?
Something recent that's similar is the series Star Trek: Andor, which is criticized by some for being slow-paced, when actually the plot moves very quickly through excellent dialog...when one realizes that the real plot is not the action itself but the development of the characters, what pushes the characters to take their resulting actions.
Oh it's just one thing really, the way Ilsa looks away suddenly, or puts her head in Rick's shoulder. Nothing that special, it doesn't take us away from the movie anyway!
@@ptthatswhatshesaid That's interesting: it never bothered me or came across as forced: from the moment Ilsa sees Sam, an emotional weight and a sense of guilt will have landed on her. She is now the conscious bearer of a secret; she is witness to how her responsibility to Victor has affected Rick. She understands herself as the cause of past and future pain to one or both beloveds. At the moment of release and confession to Rick, I can understand how her body would respond similarly.
Rick fought against the Fascist Italians in Ethiopia, and then against Fascists in the Spanish Civil War before he got his heart broken and became cynical .
I just watched East Of Eden and A Streetcar Named Desire, both Hollywood classics, and they were both AMAZING. Thanks for a great reaction. I’m glad you chose this movie. It’s one of my favorites. Humphrey Bogart was so cool.
I happened to watch this movie solo this afternoon, and just realized you’d reacted to it. The La Marseillaise scene always makes my eyes tear up. Always appreciate your videos! Peace, from New Mexico. ✌️
The scene at the end with the line “Louie, I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship” with Rick (American) and Renault (French) was very representative of the collaboration between America and France (and the rest of Europe) to end the war as they walked away into the darkened foggy night representing the great unknown as the war was still going on with nobody sure how it would end.
"Round up the usual suspects" became the title of the modern movie "The Usual Suspects".The susoects are quextioned by the police. Each tell a different story. I like your reaction. Thank you.
There is a theory that Rick is playing by post. He has an envelope next to him. People did that before Internet was a thing. I imagine they won't send individual moves, but rather something like "I move this way; if you answer this way, I'll move this way" and so on.
It's great that you're reacting to this classic, but small tip - "reacting" doesn't mean talking constantly over the dialogue. It's really distracting and annoying. And to categorize older, classic films as "boring" shows that you have a very shallow interpretation of what's interesting. There were so many great films made during that era - the drama was played up a bit, yes - but that does not detract at all from their quality. Maybe you're just missing a few explosions and some great, raunchy sex!
Movie was in post-production near time of Pearl Harbor and suspense Over whether Germany was going to War with USA Much serendipity contributed to the movie
This is such a great movie that I am selective about which reaction videos to watch about it. You two did a great job, I will be able to re-watch it and be entertained. Another such video was made by two giggling girls called Trixie Blue and Magic Magy.
"It reminds me of Airplane." Yes, there are many subtle and not-so-subtle references in "Airplane." For example, the music in both films is the same at the end.
The censors almost rejected that movie when learning that married Ilse had an affair with Rick. Luckily, they were persuaded to continue watching, and when it was revealed that she believed her husband dead, they relented.
As one of the most celebrated movies of all time, there are endless Casablanca quotes that have stood the test of time and contributed to its great, long-lasting legacy. By the way, many of the French extras singing "La Marseillaise” were real life refugees from Europe. They were crying genuine tears for their lost homeland.
The inspector (Claude Raines) was a very much liked actor in Hollywood, known for his charm and wit, among his fellow actors. A master of conversation which was much appreciated in the days before TV...
He was also a British WWI veteran, and while fighting at Vimy he was hit by a gas attack and lost 90% of his vision in his right eye and suffered damage to his vocal cords. He couldn't speak for an extended period, and when his voice returned it gave him the husky warm timbre he became famous for. After the War he became a teacher at RADA, where his students included Sir John Gielgud and Charles Laughton. He was very popular among his fellow actors, and even Bette Davis, who had very few good words to say about anyone, adored him and described him as her "favorite co-star" and they enjoyed a lifelong friendship.
PS my preference is no research. More fun for viewers to watch!😂 Requests (if you haven’t seen these): The Yellow Rolls Royce (Rex Harrison, Shirley MacLaine, Alain delon, Art carney, Ingrid Bergman, Omar sharif)👈🏾You’ll be the first to react to this awesome movie! Some Like it Hot (Billy wilder director, Marilyn Monroe, Jack Lemmon, Tony Curtis) Indiscreet (Ingrid Bergman, Cary grant) To Catch a Thief (Cary grant, Grace Kelly) The Crying Game movie (NO SPOILERS!!! No research!!!)
Such a great, brilliant movie. I'm more or less your age, and trust me, older movies are not boring & they build it the story and characters with much more depth. Plus, give me people and emotions, it's a movie, for realism i live in real life.
I must say you two are the brightest and most intuitive people I have ever seen watching these "Reacting to" video shows. It's an interesting concept for TH-cam, by the way. Sincere compliments to both of you though, not only because you're both very perceptive and present with what's in front of you but all the more so because you KNOW the history of the 20th century in a way so few younger generations, American youngsters (and their equally dim parents) in particular seem to. We all agree, of course, that as natives of Portugal you are vastly more aware of the events of European history. So of course you would know about the Third Reich's designs on the conquest of, well, let's start with All of Western & Central Europe, the Soviet Union and all the lands to the East, and anything of value on the continent of Africa because of minerals, jewels, medicinal plants and raw materials in general, right? As a lifelong student of Cinema I understand your critiques of "older" films in general. But never forget that Cinema as an Art Form was not even fifty years old by the time "Casablanca" was made. Leagues of the earliest actors, many from Vaudeville, relied on larger-than-life "physical reactions" to bring the drama of the moment across for all the theater patrons up in the cheap seats. Director Michael Curtiz was one of the very Best of his ilk under contract with Warner Brothers exactly because he understood the value of keeping a screenplay moving along taughtly. "Casablanca" was just another product rolling off the assembly line at Warner Brothers at that time. It was the power of the original story and the performances of a fabulous ensemble that truly made "Casablanca" the enduring Classic it will always be revered as. I hope you guys will enjoy watching this film at least a couple of times more because you'll find new "little moments" of brilliance everytime you see it. I'll mention just two. First, that the cynical Monsieur Blaine is playing chess against himself near the very beginning. And as the story progresses, aren't the behaviors of the many characters just like watching a risky, yet clever chess game all its own? And second, that little spot of humor you may have missed when Louis tells Rick that he's "shocked, Shocked, that gambling is going on in here!" A moment later the croupier approaches Louis with a wad of cash, saying, "Here are your winnings, Monsieur...." And then watching Rick's reaction to that moment! Karl is great. So's the Russian bartender, the pickpocket, Signor Ferrari of the Blue Parrot, even Yvonne's relatively small part. Another point to consider: So many of the most minor characters throughout the film were, in reality, refugees cast in this Hollywood film who had more or less recently fled Europe themselves "toward the freedom of the Americas." And one last thing. MANY of the devices used to move the story along such as the traveling map tracing the route from Paris to Casablanca are ALL homages to this honored cinematic masterpiece used by the great filmmakers who came years after, not the least of which is Steven Spielberg in his "Indiana Jones" epics.
I deeply apologize for failing to mention Sam the piano player. Sam is Rick's ONLY true friend in Casablanca. It's obvious within the story that they've covered many miles together!
Thank you so much!! ☺️ We will definitely rewatch this movie, it was just great 👌🏻 hope we were not too over Critical of it, we genuinly really enjoyed it. We have quite a lot of knowledge of events that occured in Europe during WW2 but I suppose americans know more about the events that concerned them more directly (Pearl Harbour, the Philippines, war in the Pacific, D-Day).
It is true that there was a different style of acting in the 1940's but ordinary people living their lives also behaved and spoke differently than today. Take a look at some documentary footage from the time and you will find that people spoke differently, walked differently, and had a different inner attitude. So, the acting was a slightly heightened reflection of how people actually behaved and what you considered artificial would have been considered quite natural by the original audiences.
These are the films, classic studio films, that I like to see reactions to. Keep up the good work!
Thus illustrating civilizational decline.
First of all, thank you very much ☺
Yes, I'm sure nothing would seem odd for early 40's audience members. One thing that we both kinda agree is how less annoying young people talk in older movies xD and also act to be honest
I was about to say exactly this. Before roughly the late 1960s, people not only dressed and expressed themselves differently than now in public and even in private, but one can see a difference just by looking at faces in old vs new photos. It wasn't only changes in theatrical fashion, but in real life. Most find this difficult to accept if they didn't live through the changes themselves. For instance, one of the "tropes" in older films that I often hear criticized is a relatively short courtship before marriage aka "love at first sight", but there were reasons for many people to actually behave this way in earlier times.
While it certainly was different times, I would attribute the "over acting" more to the evolution of stage acting transitioning to films rather than a general societal shift. To this day, whether you are at a play or an opera, the over emphasis exists. I believe there is even a name for it, which I'm sure one of the performance art geeks would be happy to provide.
@@lcln1 Stage and silent movies. In silent movies all you had was visual reactions to get an emotion across. Also, in any case, my parents are of the same generation as Ilse, and I remember some of their female friends being more expressive than you might find today. It might have been slightly exaggerated on film, and certainly not all women, but it isn't as far out for that era as this couple is suggesting.
I love the reactions to the classics. Great job.
Try some of these amazing movies. Not many reactors have taken these on, but they are some of the best movies ever made.
Treasure of the Sierra Madre - Bogie
Maltese Falcon - Bogie
On the Waterfront - Brando (w Karl Malden)
Streetcar Named Desire - Brando (w Karl Malden)
Arsenic and Old Lace - Cary Grant
Cabaret - Liza Minnelli
Patton - George C Scott (w Karl Malden)
Fiddler on the Roof - Great musical
Bonnie and Clyde - This movie broke the Hays code, and change cinema forever
Rebel Without a Cause - James Dean
Thank you so much ☺☺
Will definitely had a few of those titles to our classic movie polls in the future!
I know of the Boggart film noirs let's say, but I've never fully seen any of them. Guess I need to change that!
The only movie on this list I have seen before i Patton really, which I liked, but then again George C. Scott is always great :p
Arsenic and Old Lace is a must watch !
You two have become one of my favorite channels!
Thank you ! Your comment made us really happy! Thank you for being on that side & supporting us ☺️
We are really glad you enjoyed our reactions! 🤗
🎉The aircraft featured at the end is a lockheed electra with a range of 2000+ miles. Casablanca to Lisbon is nearly 400, a short hop 1hr and a half apx. The Lockheed was used by Amelia Earhart in her attempt to circle the globe, that she did not succeed is more attributed to navigational problems or if you prefer the miriad " theories" of speculators. Howard Hughes flew a super electra in his successful attempt circling the northern hemisphere 14,800 mi in 91 hrs, 4 days of constant flying.
Sorry Lockheed, it's 253 am gimme a break. And I'm 75.
Among my all time favorite 3 or 4 movies. And probably the most quotable movie ever made-- every line is perfect and impossible to remove from the movie.
It is now one of my favourite scripts 😋😋
"Casablanca" is based on a play called "Everyone Comes to Rick's." The change of title helped it become a huge hit because just as it was released, there was a meeting of Allied leaders at Casablanca, so it was in all of the headlines. If you want to see one starting point for the more modern acting style of the 60s and 70s, watch the 1951 film "A Streetcar Named Desire," with the actor Marlon Brando.
Hmmm interesting, I've never seen early Marlon movies
A pleasure to see your reactions to the movie and to watch you watching the movie. You two are quite a nice couple. Thanx for sharing your thoughts!
Thank you so much! ☺ We enjoyed watching this movie very much
Classic film. Great reaction. So many great lines in this screenplay.
Agree! Exceptional screenplay 👌 (and actors delivering it :p)
The action of the movie is taking place during the first week of December 1941.
We just now realized it took place right before the US entered the war!
The costuming, the decor, the details of black & white are carefully selected to showcase the beauty of lighting without color (look at Yvonne’s sparkly blouse at the beginning), the constant presence of the roaming searchlights, the times when rays of light highlight a room, as well as the many shadows (which were a sort of known trademark for this director, Hungarian Michael Curtiz.) Adding color to this would detract from the tension, and eliminate the mood that is created by high-contrast lighting.
100% agree! The visual aspect of this film is a big big positive. Love the contrasting light and shadows of it
You want to know the backstory of Rick. But we already know. Rick was a freedom fighter. The strong implication is that both the loss of Ilsa and the success of the Nazis in the war (at the time of filming) brought him to a deep depression. So, rudderless, he settled in Casablanca, but never lost hope of rekindling both love and honor.
Captain Renault harbored such feelings as well: his admiration for Rick only grew as he saw more of Rick’s nature. He did seek redemption, both for himself and France. In fact, he might have secretly aided the Resistance while in Casablanca. Perhaps. Thanks for the reaction!
The movie does heavily imply that Rick was a much more idealistic person before Elsa for sure. I'm not 100% sure about Renault though! xD
Thank you very much for your comment ☺
@@ptthatswhatshesaid Agreed about Renault. He is thoroughly unredeemed in the end. The symbolism of ditching the Vichy water, and even protecting Rick, doesn't suggest him having anything other than a self-serving survivalist character.
This the most frequently quoted movie of all tie.
we get why 👌🏻 the script is gold
Screenwriters were trying very hard to come up with some cool reason why Rick can't return to US. They just couldn't. Eventually someone suggested he has a ton of unpaid parking tickets, and they decided to drop the matter.
Ahahah leave it as a mystery!
It's one of the issues that undercuts the "propaganda" view of the film. It's deeply cynical about the utopian fantasy of America.
Film Noir. Serious dark theme. Artistic use of deep shadows and light.
👌🏻
Just a great flick. So much better than chase ,crash, repeat cgi. legit top 5 depending of course. I don't like 'citizen Cain' or '20001' , to each their own. interesting kinda bit - Ingrids personal life kinda followed a thread in this flick... She was a tabloid target . very minor - look at the scenes they are together - Ingred was some 3 in taller than bogey.
I get it tbh, this is one that I will definitely rewatch! And will probably search for other people's reaction to it :p
You guys are from Portugal? Bravo! You're gonna love this movie!! Congrats...you are now about to cross over into Black and White classic movies from long ago, many with better scripts, totally different from special effects oriented sensationalism and violence of today with no heart or soul. Don't worry you won't catch VD from watching black and white movies. Max Steiner did the music, he was a master at making movies better with superior writing back then, one of the greats who inspired John Williams and others that came later. Which girl do I like most ...IIsa? Or Yvonne, the French girl. Yvonne for sure! And she lived to be about 92, died in 2015, the last one of the cast living at the time!.
We are loving discovering older pre 70's era movies! So far it has been all very good movies 👌 This one was great!
We are from Portugal yes, it was interesting seeing how our country was used as one of the main places refugees from Europe escaped the nazi regime and found freedom in America (even though Portugal was an actual fascist country at the time).
I had no idea that someone from the cast of this movie died so recently!
@ptthatswhatshesaid : "communication is key"
Throughout the movie, people who care for one another lie to protect them. • Ilsa lies about meeting Rick at the train station, because she knows he won't leave otherwise and will be caught by the Gestapo. Rick is caught by surprise at the train station with no alternative. • The Bulgarian bride is willing to prostitute herself for her husband's happiness and to carry that dark secret locked in her heart forever. • And Rick lies to everyone to set up the ending. Just like at the train station, Rick catches Ilsa by surprise at the airport with no alternative. He does this to save her, because it's clear that if she stays she will be arrested. And Rick knows that Lazlo has to get away to continue the fight. He lies to Lazlo about him and Ilsa. And Rick lies some more about how Ilsa was always meant to be with Lazlo, when he knows, that if it weren't for the war, Rick and Ilsa would have been together. It's all lies.
@ptthatswhatshesaid : "can say 'I love you' to him, but not her husband" The look Ilsa gives Lazlo during the singing of La Marseillaise is admiration, not romantic love. But it reinforces Lazlo's importance in the historical moment. Maybe, one day, there will be a baby named Richard Lazlo.
"If it's December 1941 in Casablanca, what time is it in New York?" Part of Rick's cynicism can be seen as the result of the failed attempts to raise the alarm about the threat of fascism in Ethiopia and Spain. Paris almost saved Rick from despair, but he finally discovers that "We'll always have Paris" as he and Louis go away to fight the fascists.
Other lies: • Lazlo (transparently) lies about being willing to leave Ilsa behind. • Ilsa (transparently) lies about having nothing to say to Lazlo about what happened in Paris.
That is something that I only realized after watching the movie. It's full of lies and self-sacrifice
The world has changed so much in 80 years. For better and for worse. It's a little bit scary.
An old school plot driven story. Thank you for sharing this one. 🙂
Glad to see you picked up on how dismissive Major Strasser was of the Italians. Most first time reactions on TH-cam don't pick up on that at all.
Honestly is mainly because we saw recently a mii-series about Mussolini, so the relationship between Germany and Italy was still fresh in our minds :p
There are definitely flaws in this film. The biggest being how they portrayed Sam, how they filmed him, and how folks spoke to him. And his name was Sam, which is a stereotype in of itself. But ...
Still my favorite film of all time.
Sorry, just being curious, what stereotype is associated with the name Sam? I don't think we know of that one
@@ptthatswhatshesaid Sam is a common default black character name, especially in those days of even more extreme racism. And infantilizing names like Sambo or calling a black man a Sambo was common.
Also quite curious. Especially given that for that era the portrayal of Sam is exceptionally respectful. He and Rick appear to be close friends, in a very balanced relationship. Sure, Sam calls Rick “boss”... but Rick IS his boss, his employer. Sam is loyal to Rick, rejecting an offer of higher salary; but Rick is also loyal to Sam, making sure he keeps his job after the saloon changes hands.
@@migmit Oh yes. For that time, the filmmakers took a progressive approach to how they portrayed Sam. Just like the relationship of Rick and Ilsa was rather progressive.
But Sam is a stereotype of a name, but not the worst stereotype. But even well before Little Black Sambo, Sam has a knee jerk character name for a black man.
Sam has zero back story others than being attached to Rick like a manservant.
And he is "that boy at the piano." Mr. T has a famous quote about why he chose his stage name ...
"""
I think about my father being called "boy", my uncle being called "boy", my brother, coming back from Vietnam and being called "boy". So I questioned myself: "What does a black man have to do before he's given respect as a man?" So when I was 18 years old, when I was old enough to fight and die for my country, old enough to drink, old enough to vote, I said I was old enough to be called a man. I self-ordained myself Mr. T, so the first word out of everybody's mouth is "Mr."
"""
A 20-something calling the 50-something lead act at the establishment, a man she knew socially, as "boy." Of course, it's racist.
And then, the camera. It never lingers on Sam unless he was performing. Nevermind if he is speaking, he's "background" dialogue.
No film is perfect and neither is this one. Still my favorite film of all time. I just cringe at that moment.
@@t0dd000 Sam doesn't have any backstory, but neither does captain Renault, for example. Neither does Ivonne, neither does Ferrari, etc. Only a few characters have any backstory.
As for “boy”, maybe. I don't know if at the time the same word would be used for a white pianist in a cafe; maybe not.
Camera also doesn't linger on Carl, or any other secondary character.
So, apart from one word, basically you're complaining that Sam isn't one of the main characters. Which, OK, doesn't quite contribute to representation, but on the other hand, I don't really see how you could tell the same story with any of the characters being non-white.
Ingrid is arguably the most beautiful woman ever.
Gorgeous 🤩
I'm sorry if this may offend you looking at your analysis a couple of things come to mind.
As far as woulda, shoulda, and coulda is concerned, all of their decision points combined occupied the time you spent in your post viewing analysis. Case in point " talk to your husband get a divorce," sure take all the cash you need to get the visas you desperately need to save your life, as an aside I expect the final settlement any day now.
As for the raw emotions, two visas three people 1dies in concentration camp. We have a few minutes, ahhhhh times up.
Next Your wife there next to you, the choice is she just needs to sleep with Mon Capitain, given his track record, more than a good chance he's got a laundry list of STD's. What could be more simple.
THAT'S WHAT SHE SAID"
Over Dramatic" acting style in 1942?
How about, "THAT'S WHAT SHE SAID", that the both of you, and your "Over Dramatic" negative overreaction to needlessly being distracted at acting styles from in the past, should take away from this viewing experience an ultimate essential and core enjoyment of an iconic classic superior movie, from whatever era for that matter, instead of the two of you sounding foolish in your critique, and that which exposes your cinema history ignorance?
Im sorry, what over dramatic negative overreaction? 😅 This was one of our favourite movies we reacted to on the channel. And we did praised it immensely
Here is a blurb to help today’s younger viewers better understand this movie: “Casablanca is in French Morocco. When France surrendered in WW2, it was divided in half. The Northern half under the direct control of the Germans the other half "nominally" independent under the French in Vichy. French Morocco was also under the control of the Vichy government and thus was technically independent so that the Germans had to operate with French consent. It was all a formality, of course, as the French consent was usually rubber stamped.”
As for the timing of this movie, Germany had quickly defeated France and on June 14, 1940, the German troops entered and occupied Paris. This movie Casablanca is set a year and a half later on December 1, 1941. This was a week before America is attacked at Pearl Harbor and entered the war against Japan. Germany declared war against the US a few days later.
I first saw this during WW2 and believe the reason that it became such an instant classic was that the theme and story truly hit a nerve with the audience members back then. Everyone there identified with the story because, in 1942, the war in Europe and the Pacific was going full blast with the outcome of both was still in doubt. Suddenly husbands and wives, young men and their lovers were being forcibly separated by the war and the draft. If your immediate family was not affected, then many of your neighbors had people either at war, killed or wounded.
An element of this film that made it so suspenseful was the love triangle between Rick, Ilsa and Victor. Normally in a Hollywood movie two of the people, the leading man and the girl are obviously meant to end up together. The third character is always shown with some flaw or attitude that makes them an unsuitable mate. In Casablanca, all three leading characters are shown to be equally heroic and desirable choices. Thus making it more difficult for the theater audience to decide who should end up flying off together and who should be the one left behind. Writing a suitable script ending that would satisfy both the Hays Office (the U.S. film studio Self-censorship Organization) and the theater audience must have been very difficult.
Cortiz got an Oscar for directing this picture. The flowing movement of the Camera, with its closeups and tracking, and the constant motion of the Actors are like a carefully rehearsed Ballet. Notice how the Actors and the movie Extras are always moving around and how the scenes smoothly flow from one event to another with few cuts and fadeouts.
Watch how the movie literally starts with a ‘Bang’ and the Camera keeps you glued to the screen leading up to the Flashback with Rick and Ilsa. The first 10 or 15 minutes seems like one long shot. It is rarely mentioned, but the Editing of the movie was excellent.
It was a good thing this was filmed in black and white. It allowed dramatic lighting, contrasting darks and shadows to help portray the ‘Film Noir’ moody effect. Filming in color during the 1940s was harder due to the extra heat generated from the lighting required. Because of the bulker cameras, the added lighting, the triple amount of film, and the expense of producing dye transfer projection prints, Technicolor demanded higher film budgets.
In 1942, this movie was well received by the Black Community. It was praised by being one of the first films that portrayed a black man not as a stereotype but as an important character in the story.
In the comments on the ‘quotable’ lines from this movie, I wonder if there is one more that is overlooked. When Ugarte is accosted by the French Moroccan police at the Roulette table, he asks them if he could ‘Cash in his Chips’. I wonder if this line is meant to forecast his inevitable fate with the police. Was this film dialogue the origin of this phrase or was this already a cliché at the time?
the most impressive thing really is the fact that the outcome of the war was still unknown!
Excellent comment. Thanks!
The reverse: the "Vichy" gov't was collaborationist with the Nazis under puppet Phillipe Petain. At the beginning of the film the man shot is directly in front of the wall mural depicting Petain. The papers that man who was shot had revealed that he was underground resistance.
One sees the same symbol -- "code" -- in the ring "offered for sale" by another in the underground resistance. That character, and "Ilsa," are both ostensibly from Norway, which was under Nazi occupation, "lead" by Nazi puppet Quisling. There is a video biography on youtube about Quisling and what happened to him after the war.
@@malimal9191 The comment is backward: "VICHY" was collaborationist with the Nazi occupation, which is OBVIOUSLY why Renault drops the bottle of "VICHY" water -- READ THE LABEL on the bottle -- into the trash at the end.
It was so refreshing to see someone that knew their history and geography. The truly sad thing, is most Americans that watch this movie have no clue what they are talking about when they refer to Nazis, Vichy, Free French, or even where Casablanca and Lisbon are. They are so ill-informed about the history of WWII that much of it is beyond their capacity to understand it.
PS: I am an American so I can ridicule my own country for the poor education system.
It's crazy that they made this during the war with no idea who would win.
That is amazing to me, especially because now we know how it all turned out in the end. At the same time, even in recent days we have movies about conflicts that are still going on. But this one must have been REALLY POWERFUL in those days for sure!
when they were making it in 1941, usa was not in war . usa entered the war in december 1942. rick with his neutral noncommittal attitude was like an analogy for usa.
* added later not december 42 but december 41.
@@sitting_nut I don't know if it is just a typo, but the US entered the war in December 1941. This movie was made before that and released after that (I believe that they made a couple of very minor additions/changes after the US entered the war, but mostly just left it alone).
@@CFWhitman it is a typo . thanks.
That's what added to the anxiety and chaos. It is both embedded in the current events during its making -- the war -- and imbued with that uncertainty and tension.
This "old out-of-touch" movie consistently ranks in the top three movies ever (out of 150 movies listed), regardless of genre, color/B&W, or date it was made by AFI (American Film Institute). What makes it timeless is the photography, storyline, dialogue, music score, setting, casting, and superlative acting. And that's why. every generation since it was made continues to quote dialogue and talk about it to one and all.
I can't really imagine who would actively dislike this movie 🤷♂ I mean, I think you must hate movies to not like this one! 😂
Fantastic film 👌🏻
Winner of 3 Oscars including Best Picture.
Not surprised!
The film wasn't considered anything more than product -- one of 50 made by Warners' during that year.
It won Best Film, Best Screenplay, Best Director.
Many consider it the best film ever made. It deserves more than one viewing.
Another film by the same director for the same year was "Yankee Doddle Dandy," which won Best Actor for James Cagney.
Some of those 1940's twin engine aircraft are still out there flying all the time in second and third world countries. In the 40's they were state of the art.
LOL I was going to say that. It is those rickety 20-year-old Fokker Triplanes you need to steer clear of.
Keep in mind that this movie was made in 1942...that is only 39 years after Kitty Hawk where the Wright Flyer managed to fly a couple of hundred feet. Which is the first time man successfully managed a heavier than air flight, after hundreds of years of thinking and dreaming what if a man could fly.
Many people consider this one of the greatest movies of all time, perfect in every aspect. It was delightful to see both of you so engaged right from the start. My favorite scene is rarely talked about: the Bulgarian woman's story. It is superbly written by cleverly avoiding the Hays Office censors, while remaining convincingly natural. It's put across magnificently by Joy Page, whose acting career was stunted, rather than helped, by her stepfather, studio head Jack Warner.
That was one of our favourite bits as well. I agree that it is very cleverly written, we understand what she is talking about even if they never directly say it 👌🏻 and its a Key moment for us to understand Rick and see his progression
I believe you’ll understand that this film is gold. The dialogue alone was worthy of an Oscar.
We definitely understand why it's such a highly quoted film!
The dialogue is next level.
Yes. Every line of dialogue did two things: It advanced the plot and, at the same time, revealed something about the character of the speaker or the listener.
The symbol on the ring - and also on the papers that were found on the man who was shot in the back at the beginning - was the cross of Lorraine. It was a symbol of the French resistance to the Nazis.
Ah ok! Lucy did recognized that it was the same symbol on both occasions, but we didn't knew what it represented. Thank you for letting us know ☺
This was a mainstream Hollywood film with a script being written and rewritten on a daily basis, and yet it still packs such a punch more than 80 years on. Amazing.
I can't imagine this being an "accidental" script let's say, it's way too tight!
@@ptthatswhatshesaid No, according to Ingrid Bergman they were rewriting it every day. And she didn't even know which man she would be leaving with on the plane until they actually shot the scene! It does indeed seem wonderfully tight but it really is a wonderful accidental work of art.
@@ptthatswhatshesaid th-cam.com/video/SBtO7MHJFoY/w-d-xo.htmlsi=NTQ5_cXmNNeyhHp_
@@matthewzuckerman6267 Impressive yeah!
@@ptthatswhatshesaid Get a copy of the book Casablanca (1973) by Howard Koch, one of the 3 scriptwriters. You'll see exactly how the script..particularly the final scene...was written.
It is important to understand that Ilsa was a part of the Underground movement during the war years and those people were absolutely committed to maintaining their secrets. Her loyalty was to Victor, and to the cause, and abiding by his decision to keep their marriage secret, in order to protect everyone involved, so she could not tell Rick even if she wanted to. During the war, what was considered most important - dedication towards larger causes - was changed from the explicit personal honesty which today is often regarded as more important, but it was different during the war. Obviously she was torn during the scene in the Belle Aurore cafe, which we find out later, was just after she discovered that Victor was alive. She wanted to tell Rick, but it was complex; no one was supposed to know that Victor had escaped, plus as she explains, she was afraid Rick might not leave Paris and then be arrested by the Gestapo. This was truly a triangle - all 3 of them sincerely cared for the other two, and wanted what was best for the other two. None of the 3 were being selfish but also all 3 realized that their personal lives were secondary to larger causes and all 3 were able to make a sacrifice. People today are less likely to make sacrifices but during the war years, everyone made sacrifices of one kind or another.
In 1969, a French director made a film about the French Underground (incorporating some of his personal experiences from those years, as well as the author of the book on which it is based) which is exceptional and very emotionally moving. The title is “Army of Shadows” and helps paint a picture of what was involved for those people as they tried to outwit the Nazi occupation forces in France. Keeping secrets even from your colleagues was essential to the work. Highly recommended!
Yeah, I do get it, and I have to say that I do love these characters! Ilsa is one that we only fully get near the end tbh but they were all extremely well written. This is a movie that I will definitely rewatch 👌
To add to your excellent post, I would note that Ilsa says she loves Rick, but never once says she loves Victor Lazlo.
One of the things I like is Laszlo is not a jerk. He is a good man. It would have been easy to make him a jerk.
Exactly, you end up not hating anyone from the love triangle let's say
I cannot relate to disliking styles of art because they are from a different era. For example, not liking expressionism, or classical music just because they are "old fashioned." And just like paintings and music, a good movie is good no matter when it is from.
Architecture is also a good example! a lot of styles that have centuries and are still gorgeous 👌🏻
Just came across you two for the first time. Loved your reactions. Looking forward to more.
Thank you so much! ☺ Welcome! Hope you enjoy, we still have a lot of movies to see xD
I was so happy when I heard you say that she could say i love you to Rick but not to Victor. Its a very telling part in the movie. And notice that Victor wasn't dumb to what was going on, merely not making a deal out of it. Even the 'I understand' from Victor after Rick explains away her feelings. Victor knows Rick is telling him what he wants to hear and he accepts the story, even knowing its not true.
The dialogue in this movie -- the script is just so tight . . . .
Both the dialogues and the actors delivering them were just top notch 👌
So much humor in a movie that has such a life-and-death core!
This was one of the more historically informed reactions--a nice change from reactors who have no clue at all about the WWII era geopolitics which obviously provide crucial context for the film. That said, some of the things you latched onto about Rick's character are important clues about "what he was" before the events of the film...
The handful of Americans who fought in the Spanish Civil War on the Loyalist side were *very* strongly anti-fascist in their convictions. In the historical context of the 1930s (when the vast majority of US voters were still very strongly isolationist, and a significant minority still pro-German and/or pro-Italian), these soldiers of fortune quite likely would have been *very* far to the left in terms of contemporary US politics.
Typically in fact they would have been at the very least loosely affiliated with one or another of the many socialist, anarcho-syndicalist, or communist party organizations in existence at the time. These were, after all, the United Front years.
But although the 30s were a relatively safe time to be openly left wing in the US, Rick's past political affiliations (given his age) would likely have stretched easily back into the 1920s, which were (like the 1950s) a much less hospitable time to be a committed member of the left in the US.
In short, Rick's mysterious inability to return to the US is most naturally tied to the domestic trouble his prior political convictions would have gotten him into during the so-called "First Red Scare" of the 1920s. If you listen again to his ironical answer, when Renault asks him why he can't return, he almost says as much ("it's a combination of all three").
FWIW, I also think that today's conventions of how to portray strong emotions on screen are every bit as artificial as were those of the 1940s, on display here. The only difference is that they are *our* theatrical conventions, and so we are more comfortable with them as representations of the "real thing."
In the 1940s, what seems to have been convincing was the simulation of long-suppressed emotion finally breaking free. In the 2020s, what seems to be convincing is is the simulation of never-suppressed emotion constantly spilling out in public. This probably says more about changing social mores & expectations that it does about acting, writing, or directing talent in the respective eras.
That was a very good exposition.
Very well explained and yes, we were not as informed on the political leaning aspect of Rick's character (except for the fact of him always fighting fascists).
Just a candidate for Best Ever.
This film was based on a play, which explains why almost the whole thing takes place in one location.
One of the most quoted movies. You have to watch a few times because there is some parts of this movie that are ahead of it's time.
Example: Rick tell Yvonne I don't make plans that far ahead. In the flash back Ilsa says it to him.
Example: You will see characters you think are throw away but they come back as part of the story or character building. The Bulgarian couple are talking about getting on the plane tomorrow and then show up at Rick's later when Rick helps them.
Oh yes, I noticed a lot of those things when I was editing the reaction! This was truly a pleasure to see
One of the most interesting things, for me, is that some of the actors, had only recently fled from Nazi occupied Europe to America, and so the appearance in Casablanca is most poignient.
yea. like the ' drunk lady ' Yvonne - and Her real life husband, the casino boss.... refugees thru Lisbon as mentioned in film. also to me, the contrast - the daughter of Warners studio boss was the ' Romanian girl' with Her husband playing roulette. ' daddy, can I be in a movie ?'. the contrast, desperation and mega rich.
So, so interesting to think that this was made at the beginning of the war. People didn't knew how it would all turn out in the end 😬 I bet those people were eager to work on this project and showcase all the things that were happening in Europe!
@@rickc661 the young couple were supposed to be Bulgarian, not Romanian.
@@Dej24601 oops. not sure I would correctly choose either on a map.
@@rickc661 They do share a border and many cultural similarities . Romania is larger and is south of the Ukraine. Bulgaria is north of Greece. Both have coastlines on the Black Sea. Both had complicated conditions after WW2 during the era of Soviet domination in Eastern Europe. The physical/environmental region is often referred to as “Balkan” as well as the ethnic background of many of its people. 👍
Great movie. Someone once pointed out that Victor and Ilse never kiss. One time Victor kisses Ilse on the cheek, but only the cheek.
I don't know if it's 100% true or not, but someone eles said that was because the censorship moral codes of the time which would not allow to be that intimate with 2 men in the same movie
Lucy strikes me as someone who would visit the Grand Canyon & say, "It's nice, for a hole in the ground." 🥱
Exactly
lmao!
Like Clark Griswold in National Lampoon's Vacation.
Ahahah! I told her something very similar when she first watched the LOTR!! 😂
In this particular case we both loved this one and tbh we are more and more becoming big fans of pre 70's era movies the more we watch them 😅
@@ptthatswhatshesaid See 1957's "12 Angry Men" -- and the 1980's film "The Verdict" by the same director, Sideny Lumet. Both are courtroom dramas.
Because so many of the actors were really refugees from the Nazis (even the ones playing Nazis) they reflected the many nationalities of the patrons at Rick's. Careful listening to the background conversations reveals that people are speaking (at least) Spanish, French, German, Cantonese, Russian, Italian . . .and all of their conversations are appropriate to who they are and what they are doing.
Love those details! 👌🏻
‘Casablanca’ is renowned and is justly acknowledged as one of the most romantic films of all time but it is much more than the tale of a love triangle. Of course, it shows that the power of love can affect the human psyche, as demonstrated by Rick’s metamorphosis, but, actually, the film is one of the most subtle pieces of propaganda ever made.
Made in the bleakest times of WW2, this film has so many levels to it that it takes many viewings to appreciate them. The main theme is not romance but self-sacrifice as its message to the world at war is to give up the personal agenda for the common cause. It reminds wartime audiences, many of whom have loved ones fighting abroad, that their situation is the same as that of Rick, Ilsa and Victor.
Rick’s initial selfishness, (‘I stick my neck out for nobody’ and ‘the problems of the world are not in my department…’), is a metaphor for USA indifference. It must be remembered that the events and politics are harder to comprehend and put into perspective for current audiences than for those living through WW2, not knowing who the victors would be.
The script can be considered as a 'State of the Union' address, both for home and foreign policies, in which there are references to Civil Rights, as embodied in Sam, and, of course, the debate about America’s involvement in the conflict. Basically, the film is politically motivated because it is a plea to America to join the war. Please note that the action takes place in pre-Pearl Harbour, December, 1941.
The screenplay is so intelligently written. It is a masterpiece of complexity, containing subliminal political opinions and messages all carried along on a thrilling plot with brilliant one-liners and memorable quotes, together with comedic elements and contemporary, social commentaries. Even the support actors make major contributions to the enjoyment.
Michael Curtiz’s direction is multi-faceted: Documentary, Film Noir, German Expressionism, Flashback etc. He is the master of creating the plot via seamlessly connecting a series of rapid-fire vignettes.
There is subtle direction and cinematography. For example, Ilsa wears black and white clothes and is cast in shadows and in a mirror which symbolise the ambiguity of her role.
POINTS OF INTEREST AND NOTES FOR SUBSEQUENT VIEWINGS.
This is the the first non-musical movie to use music almost as an another protagonist, (which Tarantino does now). For example, ‘As Time Goes By’ is a valuable recurring theme and, in Paris, Rick and Ilsa dance to ‘Perfidia’ which means untrustworthiness. Also, ‘Love for Sale’ is played during the dialogue when the Bulgarian girl tells Rick about her ‘offer’ from Renault.
Each character represents a country e.g. Two Japanese plotting; the Italian on the tail of the German; American indifference; French collaborators; the British robbed by foreign policy. Even the Balkan problem , (still ongoing), is mentioned via the Bulgarian couple. Quite evidently, Rick’s actions symbolise the USA in its change in policy from isolationism to participation and ‘….the beginning of a beautiful friendship…’ is the USA and Europe joining forces to fight Nazism.
The significance of Letters of Transit is a metaphor for the might of America’s power and resources and must be delivered to the right side.
Victor often tells Isla that he loves her but she never reciprocates, except for saying ‘ I know’. She tells Rick she loves him several times.
The ‘La Marseillaise’ scene is the pivotal moment in which both Ilsa and Rick realise that saving Victor is more important than their own personal relationship. It also comes in just as Rick and Victor are about to argue over Ilsa but both drop the issue when they hear the music. This scene is rousing now but imagine how it must have felt for audiences right in the middle of the war when Germany seemed invincible and modern viewers need to put it in perspective in terms of world events full of Nazi and Japanese domination and when the outcome looked very bleak.
The facial close-ups used throughout the film speak a thousand words: but particularly note Ilsa during ‘La Marseillaise’ when her expressions eventually show her admiration of Victor’s power and her realisation that this must be preserved at all costs.
There are also many ‘adult’ themes which escaped the censors: one example is the scene between Rick and the Bulgarian bride in which Rick suggests that Renault’s ‘broadmindedness’ hints at underagesex/ménage a trois. Another is Rick’s and Ilsa’s last tryst in which it is clearly implied that they have made love.
POINTS TO WATCH
‘It’s December, 1941 in Casablanca: what time is it in New York?...
I bet they are asleep all over America’. PEARL HARBOUR
‘Even Nazis can’t kill that fast’
CONCENTRATION CAMPS
‘I don’t buy or sell human beings..’
CIVIL RIGHTS
In any case... there is so much alcohol!!!! On this note, please watch out for glasses knocked over and glasses set upright…
The Bulgarian couple keeps appearing many times as a symbol of hope and determination.
In the bar room fight over Yvonne, Rick attacks the German only and not the Frenchman.
Captain Renault dumps the bottle of Vichy water to represent his rejection of the Nazi- collaborating French Government which was located in Vichy.
Just one example of the excellent and complex scriptwriting occurs immediately after the roulette scene. The girl thanks Rick for letting her husband win and Rick replies, ‘He’s just a lucky guy’, which, on the face of it, refers to the gambling, but, in Rick’s mind, means that the husband is ‘lucky’ because his partner truly loves him.
Please imagine what hope the dialogue must have projected when Ilsa states that she’ll wear the blue dress again when Paris is liberated. Nobody then knew when this would be.
The quotes from the film are now embedded in popular culture and are mostly said by Rick. However, Captain Renault has some of the best lines: e.g. when asking Rick why he had to leave America, he says, ‘I’d like to think you killed a man: it’s the romantic in me’ ; a gunshot to his heart would be his ‘..least vulnerable part..’; when told where the Letters of Transit were hidden in the piano, ‘’…it’s my fault for not being musical…’: on making the bet with Rick, …’make it 10,000 - I’m only a poor corrupt official…’
The end-product is a combination of superb screenwriting/ direction/acting and every other production aspect combined with a modicum of unpredictable luck. As I’ve said, ‘Casablanca’ requires multiple viewings and gets better with age and even its theme song, ‘As Time Goes By’ serendipitously reflects this!!
Thank you very much for all the details 😋 this is one film that I will definitely revisit for sure!
Great! It’s worth it.
It's not purely propaganda though. It's highly cynical regarding the false promise of America.
Maybe you should try out The Maltese Falcon (1941).
I've heard of that one, its has a film noire vibe doesn't it? Love that
Don’t you just love it when someone says that looks fake whilc watching a movie? I know I do. Why? Because all movies, even the movies of the European art cinema (see Pedro Costa) which are more “realer” than most of the stuff Hollywood puts out today are FAKE. They are all manipulated via editing, framing, acting, effects. So to say something that is fake is fake is hilarious. It is a low level tautology….I love it when people say something is boring not grasping that boriing is subjective not objective and empirical. I love it because they don’t grasp that they are revealing something about themselves…In Hollywood studio shooting was actually easier because it allowed control aesthetically, acting wise, set wise, etc. Studio shooting could be very expensive...
To add I would just like to say that I think one of the main reasons why I like B&W so much is because it's not real (or realistic), but it puts you inside "movieland" let's say. A movie does not need to try to BE reality
Wow, thanks for watching one of my favorite movies. But I'm a little surprised at your comments at the end. Not your thing? It appeared to be very much your thing. You laughed out loud as most do seeing Claude Rains as Capt Renault. You also loved in some fashion, the bitter Rick in the beginning. You were on the edge of your seat wanting to know the story behind Ilsa and Rick. I did notice you had nothing much to say about the beautiful Ingrid Bergman whose radiance was captured masterfully in this film. Oh well, I looked over the list of movies you've reacted to and frankly there are very few I'd be interested in watching as the movies you like are probably not my thing.
We agree with everything you mentioned yeah 😅 If we said it's not our thing its not in any negative way concerning the quality of the movie itself, we do mean its something we were not used to see, but we are gonna change that for sure xD this one, together with To Kill a Mockingbird and The Great Escape have shown us we need to go against any kind of prejudices against older movies 😋
Bogart and piano player Dewey Wilson are the only Americans in this film. Renault is British actor Claude Raines. "Ugarte" is Peter Lorre -- he and virtually all others were refugees who had fled Nazi Europe. Bergman was from Sweden (her character "Ilsa" is from Nazi-occupied Norway.)
The waiter "Carl" was affectionately known offscreen as "Cuddles".
Carl was one of our favourites! So friendly and quick to answer ☺️
@@ptthatswhatshesaid And an obviously-warm personality.
In other comments you'll see my appreciation for your knowledge of the important subtext -- the distinction between "Vichy" and "unoccupied" France. I recommend the youtube channel "Escape to Rural France" for a major rebuilding project that has ties to WW II. Begin by looking at the latest six or so episodes -- you'll see a memorial with some history about that.
If you have a copy of the entire film you'll see a brief shot introducing Rick Blaine playing chess. About this time he has shown writing a check. If you can do a stop action at this point you will see he actually dates the check, it is a very brief scene but it appears that the date on the check is December 1 1941, a week before the sneak attack on the US Navy base at Pearl harbor. This time frame occurs at some of the worst moments Nazi army victories in Europe, and Japanese conquest in Asia. This was a time of fear in America when the outcome of the war was highly in doubt and public opinion was seriously divided about entering the war or trying to remain neutral. The film was actually made in 1942 and released in 1943 when the US was seriously involved in the global conflict. The timing of the release of the film couldn't have been more fortunate because US troops world landing in North Africa close to the city of Casablanca. A famous meeting occurred in Casablanca when American President Roosevelt met with British prime minister Winston Churchill in Casablanca. At first American troops were badly mauled by the highly experienced Africa Korp under the leadership of the brilliant, highly respected German General Rommel, better known as the "Desert Fox". At this point the American General George Patton was assigned to lead American troops, and with the British military succeeded in pushing the Germans away fromthe strategic Suez canal along with the critical gateways to the oil fields of the Middle East. Losing either of them may have critically altered the course of the war and ultimately assured Adolf Hitler of complete victory. And lastly, interestingly enough, Patton was the one American general most respected and even feared by the German high command. Sadly, Patton was relieved of command because he was politically brash and outspoken. Yet the German high command failed to respond in force to the allied invasion at Normandy, because they kept expecting Patton to lead the real innovation at another location known as the Pas de Calais. Patton was ultimately restored to command and became something of a folk hero to the American public when his tank division raced through impossible winter weather to save the day of desperate American troops at Bastogne in a fight later known as the Battle of the Bulge.
Thank you for all the information and you just reminded me I have to show her the movie "Patton"!
The document was dated (Tuesday) 2 December 1941.
It gives added weight to Rick's line about everyone in America being asleep.
Nice reaction. Try another Bogie film, "To Have and Have Not."
Probably the best movie ever.
Objectively speaking, it is a very, very strong candidate to that position 👌🏻 and subjectively speaking it is definitely also one of the best movies I've seen!
bogart is THE man! he's my favorite actor. there's just something about his screen persona that DEMANDS attention. your eyes are always drawn to him and your ears perk up at his distictive voice. there's too many GREAT bogart films to list here but i'm compelled to list a few....
"dead end" (1937),
"the roaring twenties" (1939),
"sahara" (1943),
"the treasure of the sierra madre" (1948),
"the african queen" (1951, he won his only oscar) and
"the caine mutiny" (1954).
there's 10 more i could list just off the top of my head. bogart first gained critical notice on broadway in a play called "the petrified forrest." he reprised his role in the movie (1936) based on the play. he gained fame playing ruthless gangsters but in the early 40s, as many hollywood actors joined the military, bogart was too old and began being offered "hero," romantic leads. his filmography just kept getting better as he aged and his career flourished. he became a hollywood legend. thanks for the video.
Thank a lot, and yeah, hey really seems to have a great presence onscreen. We recently also watched The Treasure of the Sierra Madre (for Patreon) and he was amazing in that one. So layered and such a different character
Rick is very parallel to America's posture at the time of the war Casablanca is set in. He's officially neutral and purports to stick his neck out for no one. Meanwhile, he repeatedly does things to help the Allies such as hiding the letters of transit, helping the Bulgarian refugees, and allowing Les Marsailles to be sung against the Germans. Compare this to U.S. neutrality prior to Pearl Harbor and the America First movement popular in the U.S. Yet FDR was doing all he could to help the Allies (Lend-Lease for example) and converting the U.S. economy to a wartime economy. Bogie evens says at one point, " it's December 1941 and America is sleeping". Like Bogie , the U.S. finally "went public" after Pearl Harbor with its declaraion of war on Japan and Germany declaring war on the U.S.
Yes, as far as I know, prior to being attacked, the US was having business with both warring sides (although it was eventually clear where it standed)
It is always heralded as a great romantic movie, but it was also VERY patriotic. Rick's life is a mirror of the actions of America. He fought in previous wars, on the good sides. He is reluctant to get involved in the new war, but by the end of the movie he realizes he must rejoin the fight. The majority of Americans were reluctant to get involved in yet another European war.
The discussion of people being asleep, all over America, was a direct reference to the millions of Americans who were oblivious to the horrors being carried out by the Nazis. Likewise, there were millions of Americans that were pro-Hitler, Pro-German, who kept pressuring FDR to not get involved in the war. That isolationism would not fully dissolve until Pearl Harbor.
The Russian, who comes up and kisses Rick on the cheeks... In June of 1941, the Nazis turned on, and attacked the Soviets, that they previously had a treaty with. Within 2 months, America began shipping equipment and supplies to the Soviets. It would be 4 more months before the Americans would be forced to join the war, as a result of the attack on Pearl Harbor (that happened at the same time Japanese emissaries were trying to negotiate "Peace", in Washington). After the attack, FDR declared war on Japan, and the very next day, Hitler declared war on America.
This film was shot completely on sets in Hollywood studio backlots. The set design and lighting are part of the genius and legend of this film. Everything down to the blinds and drapes were detailed to serve the brilliant lighting. These details were part of the amazing work done by the craftsman who worked in the old studio system of the classic Hollywood era.
As to acting styles, in 1941-42, it's only 12 or 15 years since sound was introduced to cinema. The only acting style was a theatrical style that was prevalent before the invention of the microphone. It's a matter of evolution of acting style over a short period of time since sound was introduced to cinema. The only way to appreciate these differences of style is to immerse yourselves in older films. I am not of the generation that experienced these films on release. But growing up in America in the 1970s we were thoroughly exposed to the films of this era. There were only 3 broadcast TV stations and older films were a major part of programming. We obtained an education in film by deep exposure to them. We also had the luxury of seeing many of the classic actors and directors still alive, interviewed and honored on talk shows.
The current crop of films that rely so much on technology and quick cut editing will be looked on in the future as very dated and lacking in authenticity. The best of the classic era films will survive with their own integrity due to the devotion that went into making them.
Very much enjoyed your reaction.
Thank you very much 😊 The lighting and the directing in this film is absolutely top notch imho
In the end I think it's the fact that it has a lot of quality all around a perfect script that makes it a classic that will always be considered an absolutely superior movie. Any nitpick we might have had discussing the movie are exactly that: personal nitpicks 😅 can't wait to discover more gems like this one!
The Van Nuys airport in CA (during daytime because of wartime curfews) is used in an early scene.
Ah, the prejudice against "old movies", you know it was kind of hard to film on location in Morocco in 1942. Interesting reaction and indicative of modern film viewers not familiar with social mores of a different era although I will say you knew your WW II history better than most reactors. Good job!
Thanks a lot! 😊 we do love WWII era content, although our country was not part of it, we do study it in school here.
This movie helped a lot against that prejudice ahahah now we want to see more!
Stop a moment and think of all the ways love is portrayed in this film. There are soooo many.
It is my favorite film ever, or perhaps a tie with, "It's a Wonderful Life." If you haven't seen that one... oh my!
I failed to ignore your Subscribe button because of your review. Can't wait for more.
As we say in Texas; y'all be safe. I mean that for everyone.
That is one that we definitely need to see since noen of us has seen that movie!
Filmed while WWII was raging
And we were not winning!
Nice reaction to one of my favorite films! Note on B&W films vs color - to set a scene or mood, an artist uses a brush, a musician uses their instrument, and a b&w film maker uses light and shadow. Subscribed.
Yes! love the way you put it 👌
I've enjoyed watching reaction videos to this movie. Absolutely nobody picks up on every detail, every key plot reveal, like you two did.
This movie is really great! A lot of things I just picked up while I was editing this reaction. Just a great script 👌
@@ptthatswhatshesaid I strongly recommend you two react to Alfred Hitchcock's great suspense film "Notorious." Both Ingrid Bergman (Ilsa) and Claude Rains (Captain Renault) are in that one too -- but in a very different way! The male lead is the fantastic Cary Grant. (I knew Cary Grant in his final years.)
@@AndyMakesPlaylists Oh, that's interesting! I've seen a few Hitchcock films and in general I like them, but never seen that one, have to put it in my to-watch list :)
The "melodrama" in the performances is mostly a byproduct of microphone technology. Mics in those days had to be hidden where they could be on the set and the actors had to be very conscious of where they are and of speaking very clearly and loudly enough to be picked up properly and it colors the performances. That's why acting becomes more and more naturalistic over time because of advances in mic tech. It's also why in today's movies, some actors feel free to mumble their lines and expect us to either guess or put on the subtitles.
They had boom mics in the 30s and 40s. A form of boom was introduced in 1929, and eventually replaced the static mics.
Interesting, yeah it makes sense. I do agree that the lines in older movies are much easer to understand withouth subtitles!
Best reaction video I've seen. Smart while not being obnoxious about it or overly-analytical to where all the juice is drained from the story and the performances. Good job.
Thank you very much 🙏🏻
Well, the movie was very, very good so it was a very easy watch 😋
@@ptthatswhatshesaid That DOES help, doesn't it?
Sure does
The “old movies are boring” is a terrible take for a reaction channel 🙄
"Old movies are boring", like we talk in this video, is just the preconceived idea that most people from our generations have.
The great thing is that with each movie we watch, the more we like pre 70's era movies ☺ so far, we loved this one, "To Kill a Mockingbird" and "The Great Escape", but we hope we can discover a lot more in the future!
I'm about to watch. I see a lot of reactors say they've "heard" of Casablanca before, but they haven't heard how BIG this movie's reputation is- like do you know you just watched what many people still think (in 2024) is the BEST movie every made? Also, it's not a really a "romance" even though that's what it's reputation is.
Yeah, I was much more aware of its existence because it was talked a lot about when I was in film school. But even Lucy recognized the name
How is it not a romance? You could say it’s not only a romance, but the plot centers around “the problems of three little people”.
I enjoyed your reaction to this classic movie. I especially enjoyed that you thought there would be gangsters and my first thought was yes, they are called "The Gestapo". Some trivia for you. Humphrey Bogart was a chess expert and prior to his success in Hollywood, he would hustle chess games for money in Central Park. When we are first introduced to Rick, he is playing chess. He is playing the black pieces and from the position one can tell that black has played the "French Defense".
Ok true, the Gestappo were criminals indeed xD
"I'm pretty sure it's going to be interesting" - is really couching any emotion and expectation, especially going into it knowing its reputation of being one of the greatest (arguably THE greatest) ever made. That "Old Style" was current, and opening graphics have been copied by the likes of Spielberg, Coppola, Lucas ... This is almost non-stop dialogue, so stop commenting and Watch, LISTEN. In this same genre of film, I'll recommend TO HAVE AND HAVE NOT (1944) with Bogart and features Lauren Bacall's film debut at 19. It came about when director Howard Hawks bet his friend Ernest Hemingway he could take his worst novel and make it a great film, and did. Nightclub Jazz is provided by Hoagy Carmichael.
"Double Indemnity" (1944) starring big name stars of the time Fred MacMurray, Edward G. Robinson, and Barbara Stanwyck, is a crime movie classic film noir with ratings from Rotten Tomatoes of 5 stars, from Audience reviews of 4.5 and Amazon of 4.7. When you are ready for another special black and white film.
Thanks a lot for the suggestion! We really need to do another poll on classic movies :p
The La Marseillaise scene is my favorite scene from any movie. I always get chills when I see it. So perfect.
that was really great! It must have really hit hard in the time the movie was released since France's (and other nations) were still under nazi's rule
May I respectfully suggest that multi-academy award-winning movies such as this and "To Kill A Mockingbird" are not slowly paced, but were paced for the sensibilities of the audiences of their times. Although 20 years apart, the thing they have in common is taking the time to establish mood and character, which was not a problem for contemporary audiences. The difference between those two eras and now is that constant bombardment by endless video, social media, cell phone use, etc., has resulted in a shorter attention span for many viewers of today, who are unused to a less frantic time. Compare the long takes and graceful camera movements of a "Casablanca" with the hyper-kinetic fast cutting and restless, incessant camera movement of a Michael Bay film. It's the difference between a nice steak dinner and a plate full of candy. In "Casablanca" we have the time to wonder about Rick and Ilsa's mysterious past, to smile at the subtle witty banter between characters, to understand the desperation and frustration of those trying to escape to America. All of this could just be stated by some spoken exposition, or we could be shown, which we are. Think of it as being like personal intimacy. Would you rather take your time, or race to the end as quickly as possible?
Something recent that's similar is the series Star Trek: Andor, which is criticized by some for being slow-paced, when actually the plot moves very quickly through excellent dialog...when one realizes that the real plot is not the action itself but the development of the characters, what pushes the characters to take their resulting actions.
And I actually think that this movie is very fast paced actually, it's just that the script is so tight that you never get a boring moment 👌🏻
You keep saying, but the play from which the film was adapted was "Everybody Comes to Rick's."
Capt. Renault ( Claude Rains ) is also in The Invisible Man. You might see him in that movie, or maybe not because he is invisible.
ahahah! well, in this one he is absolutely great!
Which forced melodramatic moments do you refer to?
Oh it's just one thing really, the way Ilsa looks away suddenly, or puts her head in Rick's shoulder. Nothing that special, it doesn't take us away from the movie anyway!
@@ptthatswhatshesaid That's interesting: it never bothered me or came across as forced: from the moment Ilsa sees Sam, an emotional weight and a sense of guilt will have landed on her. She is now the conscious bearer of a secret; she is witness to how her responsibility to Victor has affected Rick. She understands herself as the cause of past and future pain to one or both beloveds. At the moment of release and confession to Rick, I can understand how her body would respond similarly.
Rick fought against the Fascist Italians in Ethiopia, and then against Fascists in the Spanish Civil War before he got his heart broken and became cynical .
Yope, he did have a track record of which side he was on :p
I just watched East Of Eden and A Streetcar Named Desire, both Hollywood classics, and they were both AMAZING. Thanks for a great reaction. I’m glad you chose this movie. It’s one of my favorites. Humphrey Bogart was so cool.
Thank you very, very much ☺
And yes, he was really cool on this one! 😜
She tried to tell him when he was drunk. Rick cut her off.
Ok, that is true yeah, he was already tipsy by that point
I happened to watch this movie solo this afternoon, and just realized you’d reacted to it. The La Marseillaise scene always makes my eyes tear up.
Always appreciate your videos! Peace, from New Mexico. ✌️
Thank you so much ☺️
This is one movie that we will definitely rewatch, so good
The scene at the end with the line “Louie, I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship” with Rick (American) and Renault (French) was very representative of the collaboration between America and France (and the rest of Europe) to end the war as they walked away into the darkened foggy night representing the great unknown as the war was still going on with nobody sure how it would end.
Oh I love that, the fog representing the uncertainty! wonderfull
"Round up the usual suspects" became the title of the modern movie "The Usual Suspects".The susoects are quextioned by the police. Each tell a different story. I like your reaction. Thank you.
Thank you 🙏🏻 and yeah, we also reacted to that movie, and the title does make sense xD I just didn't knew it came from this movie when I watched it
There is a theory that Rick is playing by post. He has an envelope next to him. People did that before Internet was a thing. I imagine they won't send individual moves, but rather something like "I move this way; if you answer this way, I'll move this way" and so on.
Damn, that was a thing? Interesting 🤔
Give the black and white classic "The Hustler" (1961) starring Paul Newman a try - a fast paced drama without the melo.
I think I've heard of it yeah, never seen it though, but seems quite interesting 😊
It's great that you're reacting to this classic, but small tip - "reacting" doesn't mean talking constantly over the dialogue. It's really distracting and annoying. And to categorize older, classic films as "boring" shows that you have a very shallow interpretation of what's interesting. There were so many great films made during that era - the drama was played up a bit, yes - but that does not detract at all from their quality. Maybe you're just missing a few explosions and some great, raunchy sex!
ahahah no, we meant that older movies have the reputation of being boring. This movie kinda proved the opposite!
Movie was in post-production near time of Pearl Harbor and suspense
Over whether Germany was going to
War with USA
Much serendipity contributed to the movie
such timing!
This is such a great movie that I am selective about which reaction videos to watch about it. You two did a great job, I will be able to re-watch it and be entertained. Another such video was made by two giggling girls called Trixie Blue and Magic Magy.
Thank you ☺️ this is truly a great movie!
I went and checked out their video. They were really anti Ilsa 😂
Girl, you need to take a cas r in film to understand the signifeAencf of clasric cindma.ynu r tooblasd witg your comments.
It’s important to remember this was being filmed during the war, the actors didn’t know what was going to happen
That is so surreal to me 😵💫 it was all still a big unknown future
"It reminds me of Airplane."
Yes, there are many subtle and not-so-subtle references in "Airplane."
For example, the music in both films is the same at the end.
Ahahah yes, we will probably be able to catch more references to Casablanca from now on!
It premiered In New York, but won the Oscar for 1943 because that's when it premiered in Los Angeles.
Interesting, well what matters is that it won! 😜
My favorite movie :) BTW if you don't like melodrama stay away from Indian cinema. They took old Hollywood drama and turned it up to 100 :D
Ahahah I've seen a few examples!
But yeah, this one was a real gem 😊
if this were remade in the 1980's, I really could see only Richard Dreyfus playing the role of Captain Renault, with all the smart alec remarks lol
I can see that yeah 🤔
The censors almost rejected that movie when learning that married Ilse had an affair with Rick. Luckily, they were persuaded to continue watching, and when it was revealed that she believed her husband dead, they relented.
Yeah, thats right, keep watching!
As one of the most celebrated movies of all time, there are endless Casablanca quotes that have stood the test of time and contributed to its great, long-lasting legacy.
By the way, many of the French extras singing "La Marseillaise” were real life refugees from Europe.
They were crying genuine tears for their lost homeland.
Always find it so interesting that actual refugees took part in this movie 👌🏻
The inspector (Claude Raines) was a very much liked actor in Hollywood, known for his charm and wit, among his fellow actors. A master of conversation which was much appreciated in the days before TV...
He was amazing in this one for sure!
Also don't forget Claude Rains was from a working class background and had a pronounced stutter as a child.
He was also a British WWI veteran, and while fighting at Vimy he was hit by a gas attack and lost 90% of his vision in his right eye and suffered damage to his vocal cords. He couldn't speak for an extended period, and when his voice returned it gave him the husky warm timbre he became famous for.
After the War he became a teacher at RADA, where his students included Sir John Gielgud and Charles Laughton. He was very popular among his fellow actors, and even Bette Davis, who had very few good words to say about anyone, adored him and described him as her "favorite co-star" and they enjoyed a lifelong friendship.
PS my preference is no research. More fun for viewers to watch!😂
Requests (if you haven’t seen these):
The Yellow Rolls Royce (Rex Harrison, Shirley MacLaine, Alain delon, Art carney, Ingrid Bergman, Omar sharif)👈🏾You’ll be the first to react to this awesome movie!
Some Like it Hot (Billy wilder director, Marilyn Monroe, Jack Lemmon, Tony Curtis)
Indiscreet (Ingrid Bergman, Cary grant)
To Catch a Thief (Cary grant, Grace Kelly)
The Crying Game movie (NO SPOILERS!!! No research!!!)
The Crying Game I have seen before, but no worries, if I show it to her, there will be no spoilers!! 😂
@@ptthatswhatshesaid I know she’ll like the loyalty and devotion.
Based on a play "Everybody comes to Rick's" which was set in Lisbon.
Oh! So originally it was set directly in Portugal? Would have liked to see that version! 😋
Such a great, brilliant movie. I'm more or less your age, and trust me, older movies are not boring & they build it the story and characters with much more depth. Plus, give me people and emotions, it's a movie, for realism i live in real life.
We really want to discover more pre 70's movies! :p so far we have also seen To Kill a Mockingbird and The Great Escape
It’s modern films that are boring !
I must say you two are the brightest and most intuitive people I have ever seen watching these "Reacting to" video shows. It's an interesting concept for TH-cam, by the way. Sincere compliments to both of you though, not only because you're both very perceptive and present with what's in front of you but all the more so because you KNOW the history of the 20th century in a way so few younger generations, American youngsters (and their equally dim parents) in particular seem to. We all agree, of course, that as natives of Portugal you are vastly more aware of the events of European history. So of course you would know about the Third Reich's designs on the conquest of, well, let's start with All of Western & Central Europe, the Soviet Union and all the lands to the East, and anything of value on the continent of Africa because of minerals, jewels, medicinal plants and raw materials in general, right?
As a lifelong student of Cinema I understand your critiques of "older" films in general. But never forget that Cinema as an Art Form was not even fifty years old by the time "Casablanca" was made. Leagues of the earliest actors, many from Vaudeville, relied on larger-than-life "physical reactions" to bring the drama of the moment across for all the theater patrons up in the cheap seats. Director Michael Curtiz was one of the very Best of his ilk under contract with Warner Brothers exactly because he understood the value of keeping a screenplay moving along taughtly. "Casablanca" was just another product rolling off the assembly line at Warner Brothers at that time. It was the power of the original story and the performances of a fabulous ensemble that truly made "Casablanca" the enduring Classic it will always be revered as. I hope you guys will enjoy watching this film at least a couple of times more because you'll find new "little moments" of brilliance everytime you see it. I'll mention just two. First, that the cynical Monsieur Blaine is playing chess against himself near the very beginning. And as the story progresses, aren't the behaviors of the many characters just like watching a risky, yet clever chess game all its own? And second, that little spot of humor you may have missed when Louis tells Rick that he's "shocked, Shocked, that gambling is going on in here!" A moment later the croupier approaches Louis with a wad of cash, saying, "Here are your winnings, Monsieur...." And then watching Rick's reaction to that moment! Karl is great. So's the Russian bartender, the pickpocket, Signor Ferrari of the Blue Parrot, even Yvonne's relatively small part. Another point to consider: So many of the most minor characters throughout the film were, in reality, refugees cast in this Hollywood film who had more or less recently fled Europe themselves "toward the freedom of the Americas." And one last thing. MANY of the devices used to move the story along such as the traveling map tracing the route from Paris to Casablanca are ALL homages to this honored cinematic masterpiece used by the great filmmakers who came years after, not the least of which is Steven Spielberg in his "Indiana Jones" epics.
I deeply apologize for failing to mention Sam the piano player. Sam is Rick's ONLY true friend in Casablanca. It's obvious within the story that they've covered many miles together!
Thank you so much!! ☺️
We will definitely rewatch this movie, it was just great 👌🏻 hope we were not too over Critical of it, we genuinly really enjoyed it.
We have quite a lot of knowledge of events that occured in Europe during WW2 but I suppose americans know more about the events that concerned them more directly (Pearl Harbour, the Philippines, war in the Pacific, D-Day).