Critical review on Casablanca - Essay Example

CASABLANCA Casablanca is one of the great movies of all time. The story is simple but complex at the same time. It takes place during the Second World War in Morocco, and although this setting is very definite, in a way the place is an allegory. It is a waiting station for everyone who is there. People go there and become trapped and live dissolute lives. It is very hard to escape from and danger lurks everywhere. In a sense, the city of Casablanca is a symbol of all life. It is very hard to find a person to love.

That, in a way, is what makes the relationship between Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman so miraculous. The people who surround them are washed up and out of luck, but somehow they manage to find each other. The fact that the movie happens during World War Two is important. This event provides a crucible. Everything is more intense because the world around the characters is falling apart. There is so much cynicism and corruption and irony. One of the most quoted lines from the film is said by the police officer who busts into a casino: “I'm shocked to see that gambling is happening here.

” The police officer knows this and even takes a cut; he can barely conceal his smirk. The law says one thing, but does something else. It is in this climate of corruption that the relationship between the two characters flourish. Although Bergman shines in her role, it is Bogart who steals the show. No actor has ever been able to portray the world weariness and stoicism of this great man. Without him, Casablanca would be a shadow of itself.