Critical Review of Casablanca - Essay Example

This movie was released in 1942 and reflects crime, drama, and romance. It is also an academy award winner. The movie stars are Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman. Being simply another Warner Bros release and directed by one of the great directors of its time, Michael Curtis it owns a label of “Great Movie”.

The movie starts in a light cheerful way. We see Rick Blaine, a hero of a movie, in a club followed by dances and comedy dialogues. Rick runs a nightclub in Casablanca and is a hard American when Morocco is attacked by France. Ilsa, the heroine of the movie, is living with her husband. When the Nazis attacks the Morocco many refugees fled through Casablanca to save their lives. Rick, being rigid and stubborn stays there. Meanwhile escaping the Nazis attack Ilsa stumble upon rick’s club. She is the lost love of Rick and forgets her past to live her life and to support her husband. But when they two see each other again the lost sparks of their lost love once again lit up and the memories of their time which they spent together in Paris comes up.

From here the plot increases with the mixture of romance, comedy, and emotions that have rarely been brought together on screen. Rick wants to escape with Ilsa but now she’s with Laszlo, her husband. Near the end of a movie, the close-ups of Ilsa face reflects confusing emotions like she can’t really decide whom to choose, her lost love or current husband.

One can see this movie couple of times and still can’t get over familiar with it. The more I see the more I like it just as a soothing symphony. The black and white cinematography clearly does not affects the powerful dialogues and strong emotions of the characters.

According to me, the thing which I find the most attractive in this movie is that none of the major character is bad. Means they all are facing their hazards of lives. Some characters are emotional, some are cynical, some lie for their own sake, and some kill for their country but in the end, they all can be redeemed.

So, in short Casablanca is a film for everyone and anyone. It is a film for those who have lost a love. It is a film for those who have heartbreaking decisions to make or to choose. The idea and theme of valor, sacrifice and bravery is so perfectly shown in the movie that I should say it’s a must see movie for anyone who appreciates the art of film.