By Nathan Hurlbut
Is there any single movie that epitomizes the golden age of Hollywood more than “Casablanca” (1942)?
It certainly doesn’t hurt that the movie won the big Academy Award trifecta in 1942, earning Oscars for Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Director, and Best Picture. However, plenty of movies have won multiple Academy Awards, including Best Picture, and then watched as their reputation has fallen between the cracks of history by the unforgiving passage of time.
That’s obviously not the case with “Casablanca”. Its reputation has only increased over the years, becoming one of the most treasured movies of all time, and remaining as beloved almost eighty years after it was released.
It may possibly be the most quotable movie of all time. “Here’s looking at you, kid”, “I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship”, “Round up the usual suspects”, “We’ll always have Paris”, and “Of all the gin joints in all the towns in all the world, she walks into mine” are lines of dialogue that have permanently ingrained themselves into the public consciousness.
Amazingly, “Casablanca’s screenplay wasn’t even finished when they started filming. They actually had to shoot the movie in sequence so that the screenwriters would have time to write the film’s later scenes before they had to be shot. Usually, you would expect such a lack of preparation to be a sign that a film’s production was already in trouble. However, the film’s enormous success helps confirm the argument that the stars must have all been perfectly aligned in “Casablanca’s favor.
In fact, the film is probably the most perfect example of how a movie is a unique collection of many different contributors talents. Oscar-winner Michael Curtiz (not even the studio’s first choice for director) shot the film without any distracting visual flair that would call attention to itself. Rather, he chose to put the actors and story at the forefront, allowing the drama and performances to shine through.
Despite the fact that the film didn’t win any Academy Awards for acting, few would deny that Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman delivered memorable, heart-wrenching performances. Both actors made their roles of Rick and Ilsa into iconic romantic figures that would take their place in movie history. Even the film’s supporting roles were filled with such screen legends as Claude Rains, Peter Lorre, and Sydney Greenstreet that help contribute to the overall whole.
Most importantly, the film’s screenplay, courtesy of Howard Koch and twin brothers Julius and Philip Epstein, was its secret weapon. It delivered an affecting story of lost love and romantic sacrifice in an authentically historical setting with a culturally diverse collection of characters that were as unique as they were memorable. The result is a timeless piece of cinema history that remains dramatically engaging and emotionally moving almost a century after it was made.
“Casablanca” is playing for one night only at the UCLA Conference Center in Lake Arrowhead on Sunday, March 31st.