As Time Goes By… | CASABLANCA (1942) | Movie Reaction

First time watching and reacting to CASABLANCA (1942) movie.
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Thoughts 28:18
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[@henryellow]

When you really think about it, it's not surprising Rick made that choice at the end. He's always been on the "losing side" and is willing to sacrifice himself for the people he cares about. Captain Renault mentioned that Rick was on the "losing side" when he "ran guns to Ethiopia" and when he "fought in Spain, on the Loyalist side." Rick was willing to lose money (at roulette) to allow the couple to afford the trip to Lisbon. I suppose being kind to the couple was sentimentality on Rick's part. They reminded Rick of "what could have been" between him and Ilsa. At the end, Rick made the choice to lose Ilsa so she could be with her husband, Victor. From this, we can see that Rick was a kind, good person in the past. But after Ilsa left him at the railway station, he became aloof and cold towards others. The event changed him. It made him close off his heart. Then, when the truth came out and he forgave Ilsa, he reverted back to his old self.

[@Music_Lover26]

Very astute observations. I think we all hope that Rick will somehow find happiness again after the war is over. Realistically, the chances of him coming out of this alive were slim. That's why he tells Ilsa where I'm going you can't go, what I'm doing you can't be any part of. There are so many things going on in this movie and you got most of them. It's nice to see someone get caught up in this wonderful film. A perfect pick for Valentine's Day!❤

[@flarrfan]

I liked that your reaction is the first of many I've watched for this great film where your editing picked up the importance of the Bulgarian couple to the story as a whole...

[@treefeathers]

I've always found the scene at Captain Renault's office when Lazlo comes to meet with the German major interesting - when Renault tells Lazlo that Ugate is dead and "we haven't decided how it happened yet". On the one hand, it sounds like bragging or a threat, but we know Renault walks the line between sides carefully; from another perspective, one could say he's actually warning Lazlo and giving him critical information he needs - that his contact is dead, the Germans killed him, there is no protection of law here as Lazlo believes, and he is in mortal danger. Renault is such a fascinating character! So is Lazlo, for that matter. This is one of my favorite movies.

[@henryellow]

That's possible. As you said, it could be Renault's way of subtly providing information while not openly taking Lazlo's side. Thanks for sharing your perspective of that scene 😊

[@melenatorr]

@@henryellow Renault is in a very complicated spot, morally: the great Claude Rains understands the script and his part on a deep level, and you can see by the nuances of body language and expression what he really feels about having to work alongside the Nazis. So his turn at the very end is a natural progression for him.

[@stephenyoung3721]

It also represents the status of unoccupied France. At this time France was still presenting the story that it was actually independent. At the same time they were sending millions of their citizens to Germany as slave labor and deporting the vast majority of their Jewish population to German concentration camps. In 1943 Germany decided to quit messing around and occupied the rest of European France. By that time the allies had liberated the French colonial territory through Operation Torch.

[@texasps91]

Ilsa admired Laslo, she loved Rick. The night she came back to Ricks the story about a young girl was about herself. She met Laslo when she was very young and mistook admiration for love and married him. She met Rick when she was a little older, more mature and fell in love with him. In those days marriage vows, giving your word were honored. Doing the right thing feelings aside was the way people were raised, not like today where 'feelings' rule no matter right or wrong, and who it hurts. That is one of many reasons they were called The Greatest Generation. My parents were of that generation, that is how I was raised, I Thank God for that!

[@kingbeauregard]

This movie is a classic, and I love seeing reaction videos, because I can't see it with "fresh" eyes unless I'm seeing it through someone else's. Thank you for this! For me anyway, what makes this film work is, it's the story of a man who was lost who finds his path again. There's all sorts of activity on top of that, but that's the heart of what makes this movie work. Rick was wounded in love, and finally healed at the end. And it ends with a new beginning, which feels absolutely right.

[@hannejeppesen1809]

The movie works, because everyone is perfectly casted and every scene works.

[@tranya327]

There's an additional element relating to Ilsa's note to Rick: The raindrops falling onto the note gradually cause the letters to blur and dissolve. Rick is crushed and let down, in a way that's indescribably intense in these moments. So, even though Rick is not the sort of man who cries (and we never do see him cry during the film - he may be a man whose psyche is incapable of actually shedding tears), the drops of water landing on the note may be thought of as a stand-in for Rick's tears. ...It's ••as if•• Rick is crying when he gets the note, and the film is kind enough to help us out with a visual metaphor.

[@henryellow]

Yes, I agree. The raindrops that represent tears. Rick and Victor seem like the type of people who would never shed tears in front of anyone.

[@im-gi2pg]

@@henryellowSteve Martin reads a note like that in “the Jerk.”😂

[@flarrfan]

I like the way you picked up on the Bulgarian couple right from the start...That dialogue between the girl and Rick is foreshadowing, as is his sudden decision to help them.

[@subitman]

"Round up the usual suspects." is a good line. "The Usual Suspects" is a modern movie about a crime and the suspects are caught by the police and questioned. Each has a different story. Great reaction to one of my favorite movies. Thank you.

[@thomastimlin1724]

Yes as a school teacher I heard that line "Round up the usual suspects" uttered by many a school principal after a theft or a fight in the hallway lol.

[@futuregenerationz]

I am really quite impressed. This movie has a lot of moving parts, not unlike world war 2 itself. I probably have 40 years on you, and I still enjoy learning about this complex context(say that 5 times). A typical education would not provide too much knowledge of ww2 in this setting, but you learned it quickly as you went along. Even though you didn't recognize the double cross as Free France, you noticed it and matched it with the ring. You also matched the Bulgarian couple. It's taken me many times watching this movie to grasp all the little details. I just grasped watching now the crack about Renault's possible interest in a threesome. Nice work.

[@kirkdarling4120]

It was only after three rewatches before I became aware of all the appearances of the Bulgarian couple, and a long time later before I realized what "Renault has become broad-minded" meant.

[@henryellow]

It's really thanks to these movies that I learned a little about WW2. My school didn't teach it, as far as I recall. You're right, I didn't recognize the double cross at first. Thankfully they showed it on screen clearly, so I was able to match it later. I thought the implication of a threesome was obvious, since Rick made the remark sarcastically 😂

[@bobschenkel7921]

As you are showing this on Valentine's Day, it should be obvious that Love=Pain. Whether getting stuck by a rose thorn, or by a person of the opposite sex, the pain is the same. "Casablanca" is a great illustration of this simile. When the movie was being shot they were still working on the script, and it wasn't decided that Ilsa would go with Victor Lazlo until just before they shot the scene. That is the reason Ingrid looks so confused, it was for real, a part of what makes this movie so good.

[@henryellow]

To think that even the actors don't know how the movie will end up, just like the characters in the movie don't know what is to come. That makes it quite interesting.

[@TedLittle-yp7uj]

The symbol on the papers of the man shot is the Cross of Lorraine, the emblem of the Free French formed by General De Gaulle in opposition to the Vichy government that was, though officially neutral, cooperating with the Germans. To have been caught with such papers on him would have meant instant arrest, so it was better to run. The same symbol is on the ring shown to Victor. This points to a massive error in the captioning of the this film that has caused no end of confusion. Ugarte clearly says that the letters of transit were signed by General Weygand (pronounced Veyganh) but the captioning, which was done hurriedly, incorrectly has him say General De Gaulle, a mistake that could never have been made during the war. General Maxime Weygand was the Minister of National Defence in the Vichy government and, until just before the time period of the movie, the general representative of Vichy in Africa. Letters of transit (if there were such a thing) signed by him could reasonably be thought to carry great weight. Letters signed by De Gaulle would have got you killed.

[@bluebird3281]

I can't believe they carelessly messed that detail up. The nerve, ...the audacity,..... De Gaulle

[@tranya327]

@TedLittle I’ve listened to this section of the film carefully, a great many times. In the version I hear, Ugarte clearly says, “General De Gaulle.” Let’s assume that was actually what he says. What are we to make of it? Roger Ebert dissects this aspect of the film carefully, on the Casablanca DVD. It amounts to poetic license on the part of the filmmakers - in a number of different ways: 1) Yes, a document signed by the head General ••of the army the Nazis were fighting•• would never have been obeyed or respected by the Nazis, let alone served as a get-out-of-jail-free card. 2) Even if the real world did have such a thing as a ‘Letter of Transit,’ and even if that were signed by a high-level government official, what were the realistic chances that the Nazis would have respected it, if possessed by a man like Lazlo - whom the film frames as the most wanted leader-of-resistance in the entire world? (Answer: zero - diplomatic conventions did not stop the Nazis in their desire to trap and murder Jews and similarly, no piece of paper would stand in the way of their apprehending a desperately-wanted resistance leader of Lazlo’s importance.) 3) In light of the above, the idea of the Nazi officials leaving Lazlo and his wife alone, when they first surface at Rick’s café, is similarly poetic license necessary to make the story work. (Lazlo and anyone traveling with him, such as Ilsa, would have been a much higher-value target than Ugarte, and Ugarte is picked up fairly early in the film.) In reality, the Nazis would simply have arrested Lazlo on the spot. In Ebert’s words, “This is an unreal element of the story that we viewers just sort of ‘allow’ it to have.” According to Ebert, the film’s scriptwriters themselves were very nervous that the audience would never buy into a concept so farfetched as the “Letters of Transit,” - a macGuffin they invented for the characters to chase after - but that feared reaction of the audience and critics, didn’t happen: The film is so good otherwise, that we won’t allow our suspension of disbelief to be disturbed. :)

[@mrgclough]

It's a difficult and essentially unanswerable question. We can't take the subtitle writer as an authority. The screen play says Marshal Weygand , which makes perfect sense. Ugarte says or , and that's on top of Lorre's accent . Even if you listen closely, it's difficult to hear the difference. But Peter Lorre was a veteran and unlikely to make such a mistake unless instructed to. Ebert listened carefully, and he could not decide. Maxime Wegand was the French Delegate General for the North African colonies, a post in the Vichy government. It would logically be his responsibility to approve exit visas from Casablanca. So the screenplay is historically correct, except that Weygard was never a marshal of France. Did Lorre get it wrong and say it was de Gaulle? He never said. No one else involved has said. De Gaulle was certainly widely known at the time, highly regarded by the Allies. So, on one side, you have the screenplay and on the other, Lorre saying "General", which would have also been correct for Weygard, although I doubt Peter Lorre would have known that. Nor would I have expected Lorre to be deeply familiar with the complexities of the situation in Occupied France as to whether de Gaulle's signature would have meant anything.

[@auapplemac2441]

I heard DeGaulle, but in either case, I really don't think anyone in the US would actually question whether there was such a thing as a Letter of Transit. It was way too esoteric for the general public to understand.@@tranya327

[@thomasosypowicz1246]

It is clearly "Veygand" not "De Gaulle" for anyone who has a good ear for the French language. Evidently the person doing the captions did not, and/or did not have a sufficient grasp of the pertinent parts of WW2 history to make the distinction (admittedly De Gaulle is much better known, but as stated, he fought on the other side!). The DVD I have of this movie has the same erroneous captions, and I almost spit out my drink the first time I saw it 😄

[@billolsen4360]

My dad landed on the beach near Casablanca as a soldier in Eisenhower's Army in November 1942 and there were NO swanky nightclubs there. ☹

[@stevesullivan8705]

Mine too. 9th Infantry Division

[@flibber123]

Rick was against fascism. That's why he fought in Spain. Spain, Italy, and Germany had fascist leaders which is why the Germans had a file on him. I believe that is why Renault liked him. Renault was also against the fascists and Renault was acting very pragmatic much like Rick. Renault cooperated with the Germans to the minimum level he could and not get in trouble. That's why the ending was so satisfying to me. Rick could have left with Ilsa, but he chose the greater good and not the pragmatic choice. Renault could have had Rick arrested, but he also did the right thing and covered up Rick's involvement. Both men finally let go of what was pragmatic and did what was right.

[@jamesalexander5623]

If Renault had Rick arrested we never would have gotten that great Movie Title!

[@AceMoonshot]

Yeah. And when the two nations were singing, it is Victor that steps up to counter the Nazi's song. But it never happens without Rick giving the nod to the band to go ahead.

[@henryellow]

I do believe that Renault and Rick were very familiar with each other since the beginning of the movie. After all, Renault knows all of Rick's usual habits. As you said, Rick and Renault are pragmatic people. That's why it's quite satisfying to see Rick help the couple, and see Renault help Rick. Perhaps Renault was moved when he saw Rick's good deeds. @Ace Indeed, his subtle nod to the band is him showing his support (and no longer showing a "neutral" stance, like he did at the beginning)

[@kirkdarling4120]

@@jamesalexander5623 If you know, you know.

[@Dreamfox-df6bg]

@@henryellow A little detail about Renault. If you catch a little detail towards the end, he isn't pragmatic. He actually hates the situation he is in and what it does to him. The bottle he throws into the trash is 'Vichy Water'. Vichy is the seat of the government of Free France, which cooperates with Nazi Germany. By throwing the bottle into the trash he not only his ties with 'his' government, but by his disdain you can see he never liked it. Sure, he is corrupt, but considering his position, in the government as well as geographically, with so much corruption and greed around him, why should he not use his position to make his own life in Casablanca a little more tolerable? Going home isn't really an option as he would have to deal with his government directly, so his is as much trapped in Casablanca as anyone else. It doesn't excuse what he does and I think he doesn't like it either.

[@DR-mq1vn]

Nothing wrong with being single. Nothing wrong with being patient and waiting for the right person. 🙂

[@henryellow]

Of course 😊

[@malimal9191]

‘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!!

[@henryellow]

I do agree that audiences today (like me) view it in different eyes compared to audiences during WW2. Thanks for explaining the subtle points of the movie. Such as the propaganda, music, certain dialogue, and scenes in the movie. Oh yes, Renault did have some good lines too 👍🏻 Thank you for sharing your thoughts 😊

[@dionysiacosmos]

As you watch it in the future, you'll catch many details and appreciate it more. The next Bogie movie should be To Have and Have Not, based on a short story Ernest Hemingway. It's set in Martinique during the same time period. It's where he meets Lauren Bacall. Seldom do you actually see lead actors actors falling in love. Becall was only 19 at the time and all through the movie all you can do is wonder how long it'll take for Bogies divorce to finalize so they can marry. If you want to watch the screen sizzle for real To Have and Have Not is the place to do it!

[@henryellow]

I'll add that to my list, thanks for your suggestion! 😊

[@DerekDominoes]

Another terrific Ingrid Bergman movie is "Gaslight." Would love to see you react to it.

[@henryellow]

Oh, I believe I have that on my list. I'll get to it eventually 😉. Thanks for your suggestion!

[@auapplemac2441]

While the Ingrid Bergman version of Gaslight is great, there was an English version released a year or two before that one.

[@DerekDominoes]

@@auapplemac2441 Indeed and it was good (although I personally much prefer the Bergman/Boyer version).

[@thomastimlin1724]

Captain Renault's line "Everybody Comes to Rick's" is the actual title of the original play bought by Warner Brothers to make this movie. There are many famous quotes from this masterpiece that will go over your head. I cannot emphisize enough that this movie is one of 5 ultimate classics of very high stature in film history. Madeleine Lebeau, the French actress playing "Yvonne," died at age 92, in 2016, was the last surviving cast member of Casablanca (1942); she is best known for her tearful but defiant singing of La Marseillaise and cry of “Vive La France!” in one of the film’s most memorable and moving scenes. I am in love with her more than Ilsa Lund!! Most of the support cast, were escapies from Hitler's grip including Madeleine, the Nazi officer [who was Jewish!], the bar manager and bartender, and so many more.

[@henryellow]

Oh, I see. I wasn't aware this movie was based on a play. What other classics would you recommend? Those of similar level as Casablanca. Thanks for sharing your thoughts! 😊

[@lukebarton5075]

Nice reaction. Yet again we see why the “classics” are regarded as such. So good to see younger audiences appreciating older cinema. A great film to watch after having seen “Casablanca” would be “Play It Again Sam” (1972) It’s a comedy written by and starring Woody Allen that’s pays massive homage to this film. It really is both fun and very funny.

[@henryellow]

I'll add that to my list then. Thanks for suggesting it! 😊

[@auapplemac2441]

Of course, Bogart never does say, "Play it again, Sam." Just a repeated misquote that has tagged onto the other oft repeated quotes from this movie.

[@tonyjanney1654]

If you haven't seen it, "The Maltese Falcon" , with Bogart, is similar: complicated, richly textured, and full of great word play.

[@henryellow]

I'll add it to my list then. Thanks for suggesting it 😊

[@gylmano]

I don’t know the song the Germans were singing, but La Marseillaise was the hymn of the French Revolution, and Vive la France their battle cry. It’s a patriotic song for all the French, as well as a call to arms against tyranny.

[@user-gh1vc9kb4e]

And this is what I consider to be a bitingly ironic part of the movie. The Germans were singing "Die Wacht Am Rhein" (the watch on the Rhein) which is a patriotic song about resistance towards French attempts at annexation of the Rhine's left bank. The other characters respond to this by singing a French nationalist tune. A song commemorating a fight against oppression is interrupted by a song glorifying the oppressor nation. Go figure. It may also be worth pointing out that in the second world war, France declared war on Germany, not the other way around. So it's really double the irony.

[@henryellow]

I didn't know the song the Germans were singing either. Now THAT is ironic. If you hadn't clarified what song the Germans were singing, I believe many people wouldn't have known! 😂 Then again, maybe the people at the club didn't know that, and Lazlo sang just to counter a German song, whichever song it might've been.

[@auapplemac2441]

France and Britain declared war on Germany when Germany attacked Poland.@@user-gh1vc9kb4e

[@TrueBagPipeRock]

great channel. I need to take more time. I have not watched all the old movies so this channel is actually hugely historical for me.

[@igaluitchannel6644]

The symbol on the ring was that of the French rersistance.

[@jwoodard29]

In honor of Valentine's Day I recommend "To Have and Have Not." Another 40s Bogart film, but more than that, the start of the on- (and also off-) screen pairing of Bogey and Bacall. It contains the most outrageous, sexiest flirting ever filmed. Anyone who studies the flirting is guaranteed romantic success!

[@henryellow]

Haha, I'll add it to my list. Thanks for the suggestion! 😊

[@pisey5290]

I have watched many reactions to this film and you are the first person to understand the significance of the Bulgarian couple. Why else would they appear so often as they did?

[@salsonny]

Yes great touch with letter in the rain. Smart movie, great dialogue.

[@thomastimlin1724]

Classic lines people quoted for years from this movie: "Round up the usual suspects" "We'll always have Paris", "Here's Looking at You Kid" "Of all the gin joints in all the towns in all the world, she walks into mine " "I think this is the beginning of a beautiful frinedship". Many claim "Play it again Sam" was said... which is rumor and total bullshit...he never said it...He said "Play it! If you can play for her, you can play it for me..." as a muscian with a music degree and experience I can name almost every song of the times played in this movie...at various points you here Perfidia, Shine, The Very Thought of You, As Time Goes By [of course]. etc I don't know the Spanish song the lady sang.

[@PolferiferusII]

For your knowledge, "La Marseillaise" is derived from the city of Marseille, pronounced mar-SAY; Marseillaise pronounced mar-say-EZ. I don't speak or read French, I've only heard these words so many times I know them by heart. Just thought you would like to know. :)

[@henryellow]

Thanks for clarifying 😊

[@Hondo0101]

It's December 7th what time is it in New York? I suspect Rick found out later that America was attacked which helped him realize that this is no joke.

[@nevrogers8198]

Presumably somebody has already commented that this was an allegory of the US putting aside its isolationism and realising it had to join the war in Europe. Rick is the USA. There was a lot of art and culture either making this case or reflecting it before/after the events of Pearl Harbour. Even Dr Seuss drew cartoons to persuade the US to fight.

[@Aeolusdallas]

I think Ilsa is love with the idea of Lazlo but in love with Rick the man. But Lazlo and Rick are both in love with her

[@strettoasino9006]

The young they experienced the world via video games...

[@vincentsaia6545]

Ilsa loved Victor but she was in love with Rick.

[@AceMoonshot]

I put this in my top 10 films. The entire premise is completely absurd. It is pure cheese and propaganda. But somehow, it works. The genuine international cast. The cinematography. And the dialogue. The film is just full of quotable lines. But my favorite has to be when Rick is drunk and Ilsa comes to see him. The way he cuts Ilsa off when she tries to explain. Not just cutting her off but basically comparing her to a whore at the same time. "Yes, it's very pretty. I heard a story once ... as a matter of fact, I've heard a lot of stories in my time. They went along with the sound of a tinny piano playing in the parlor downstairs. 'Mister, I met a man once when I was a kid,' it always began." That was brutal.

[@henryellow]

That part with the tinny piano, I didn't get the reference. It was supposed to refer to a whore?

[@AceMoonshot]

@@henryellow Brothels used to be more than just a place to hire a prostitute. They would have a parlor where men would gather and drink and smoke and talk, make deals, gather news....it was a social gathering place. A lot of men would just go to hang out there. And pianos were popular. Sometimes dancing was also available....for a price. Think old time Japanese hostess bar but more homey and the women had rooms to trade favors in. But regular saloons also would often have women upstairs. While the cheap piano, typical in stereotypical saloons, would be playing downstairs. So if he is hearing a Sob Story from a woman in a room with a piano playing downstairs, it would indicate she is a prostitute.

[@AceMoonshot]

@@henryellow I did reply to this but it disappeared. Not sure why as there was no content that was even remotely objectionable. Short answer is yes. Brothels and saloons often had cheap pianos. The women would be upstairs. First answer was far far more detailed.

[@henryellow]

It's a weird thing when a comment disappears. Sometimes, it reappears after a few days though. I can see your reply regarding the brothels (and you mentioned "old time Japanese hostess bar"). I suppose that was the comment that disappeared? Thanks for clarifying 😊

[@scottriedel6222]

Understanding it as a pro-Allied/anti-Nazi propaganda film is critical to understanding the film. It's aimed at an American audience to support the war effort and be prepared to make sacrifices.

[@AddSerious]

never seen your channel before, but YT knows if anyone watches "The Greatest Movie Ever Made" it needs to let me know... so here I am

[@henryellow]

Well then, you're welcome to explore around! 😊 You can also suggest movies you'd like me to watch 👍🏻

[@mcgee227]

Dude, im 57 and have been divorced for 13 years. I love being alone.

[@henryellow]

As long as one is happy and content, then all is well 👍🏻 Good for you 😊

[@HuntingViolets]

Great observations about the note.

[@im-gi2pg]

It’s awesome that you’re reacting to all these great old movies!!! Requests: Indiscreet (Ingrid Bergman Cary grant) It happened one night (Clark gable) Father of the bride (Spencer Tracy) Pat and Mike (Spencer Tracy Katherine Hepburn) Desk set (Tracy/hepburn) To catch a thief (Cary grant, Grace Kelly) The yellow rolls Royce (Rex Harrison Shirley MacLaine Alain delon, George c Scott, Ingrid Bergman Omar sharif) Gigi Dr Zhivago (Omar sharif, Alec Guinness, Julie Christie) 1990s: Saving Grace (Brenda Blethyn) Little voice (Brenda Blethyn Jim broadbent, Michael Caine) The Far Pavilions (Omar sharif, Ben cross, Amy Irving)series The jewel in the crown (Art Malik)series Pride and Prejudice 1995 (Colin firth)series Romeo and Juliet 1968 (Franco Zeffirelli director) Jesus Christ superstar 1970 Wuthering heights 1970 (Timothy Dalton) Hawks (Timothy Dalton, Anthony Edwards - he was in top gun) Other: True Lies (Swarzenegger) Catch me if you can (DiCaprio)

[@henryellow]

I'll add them to my list. Thanks for your suggestions! 😊

[@danielstartek9729]

Hey Hairyyoyo you is da best!

[@davidfarris2359]

Great job. You are REALLY observant.

[@thomastimlin1724]

Yes many are still questioning why Laslo used his real name, seems kind of dumb under the circumstances. But it was a way for the script to introduce his character into the story I guess.

[@BossNerd]

There are two movies in serious contention for the best movie ever made - - Casablanca and Citizen Kane. Citizen Kane is great because of one man - Orson Welles. He stars in, he wrote and directed it and developed many new filming techniques for the movie. In my opinion Citizen Kane was the most innovative and ground breaking movie of its time - it is not the best movie, simply the best executed. Casablanca however, is a timeless piece of art that can still inspire and entertain 80 years after it was made. Its story is timeless and was niot planned out as Citizen Kane - in fact it was reported to have been a mess while in development. The actors didn't even know which decision Rick was to make - planned perhaps? All reports indicate this was not planned and the development of the movie was a mess behind the scenes and yet we get this marvelous movie with a message of hope and self sacrifice for those you love. Its also quite funny at times - that always helps.

[@henryellow]

However the process went, it's the results that speak the loudest in the end. A lot of people have mentioned Citizen Kane. I'll get to it soon.

[@BlueShadow777]

I’m single but I wouldn’t like a ‘partner’. I would, though, like a *girlfriend* .

[@BlueShadow777]

21:55 “I don’t seem to recall ever seeing them kiss” Are you suggesting that every married couple should be seen constantly kissing?

[@henryellow]

I said it based on how Ilsa acted with Rick.

[@HuntingViolets]

I do like the interpretation that Ilsa loves both men.

[@TechnicallyTexan]

The inner struggle and ambiguity is what makes this movie, and her performance, so great. She says it. She can’t decide. And she doesn’t. That’s why she’s so torn.

[@henryellow]

I feel that the love she has for Rick is different from the love she has for Victor. It's hard for me to put into words. Her love for Rick is more passionate love, while her love for Victor is more to admiration and respect. That's the best way I can describe it for now. If anyone gets what I mean, you can clarify my words 😊

[@treefeathers]

@@henryellow You nailed it! She says as much to Rick, she met Victor when she was still very young. It's one of the things I like about this movie, that it shows the complexities of the human heart and of love. There's many kinds of love, and they don't invalidate one another. They're just different. And Victor totally understood that, it's one of the things that makes his character so interesting. He's older, he's been around, he's been through horror and seen all sides of humanity, and he gets it and doesn't judge or condemn Ilsa or Rick. And he genuinely loves Ilsa and wants her to be safe, to the point where he's willing to give her up to Rick if Rick can keep her safe. Such a great movie all around.

[@user-gh1vc9kb4e]

This movie has never sat well with me because it seems to promote cuckoldry. It glorifies the decision of the main character to let another man run off with his lover.

[@Music_Lover26]

Henry! Great reaction - but - you cut off the most iconic line in movie history, the last line of the movie!

[@flarrfan]

He got most of the rest of the great lines, but leaving out the last one was wrong...

[@henryellow]

"Louie, I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship." They were close acquaintances before, they're friends now 😉. For a second, I wondered if Casablanca was a prequel to another movie.

[@MrRizzo1961]

What a shame you cut out the best line in the movie at the end.😭💔

[@treefeathers]

A great line in context, referring to just Rick & Renault's relationship, but also in its bigger meaning re: USA and France together against the Nazis (since USA had just joined the war when this came out).

[@rg3388]

Why round up extra suspects? Intimidation. Among my personal connections to this film, my mother was acquainted with the daughter of John Qualen (Berger).

[@henryellow]

That's awesome! 😊

[@mrgclough]

Lazlo was nominally safe from German authority in Casablanca. Metropolitan France, which was France and its protectorates, was governed by the collaborator government in Vichy. The Vichy government was the de facto government of France. The German writ did not run there, however, Germany was in the process of preparing to annex Loraine. Renualt cannot deny Strasser much, but Strasser is bound to respect French law. Strasser could not summarily arrest Laszo for his crimes against Germany, But Renault could arrest him and place him in a French concentration camp for legal cause. Hence, Ricks offer to let Renault catch Lazlo with stolen French documents. Ugarte was arrested for the crime of murdering German couriers, a French crime, not German. It was very convenient for Germany to have France governing itself, if not allied to Germany, as least not opposed.

[@henryellow]

I see. Thanks for clarifying 😊 No wonder Victor could still remain calm. How about the time when they interrupted the French underground meeting? Was it illegal to conduct such meetings?

[@mrgclough]

@@henryellow Something that was actively against Germany would not be something Vichy would tolerate. They still existed very much at the pleasure of the Germans. It made Germany's job very much easier to have a compliant French authority nominally in charge. And it obviously appealed to the sort of French who thought resistance was both futile and antagonistic to a enemy that had already demonstrated elsewhere how brutally they would treat resistance. Even in France, whole towns were destroyed, reduced to ruins, for resistance activity. The ruins of one are preserved today as a memorial. So long as Lazlo was not provably doing resistance worn on French soil, he was, in theory, if nor protected, than at least not actively prosecuted. Had they been caught at the meeting, they would have been sent by the French to a French concentration camp. From there, it's quite possible that a paperwork shuffle would have sent him to a death camp. That's why if Renault could catch Lazlo with the stolen visas, he could "chuck him in a concentration camp for years." After the success of D-Day, the Vichy government's authority eroded rapidly, and the opportunistic and the more timid became more willing to act against German occupation. (There's a kind if bitter joke that every French waiter who overcharged a German claimed to have been a Reistance fighter.) The fates of the Vichy officials was grim. The government itself ended its days in a German castle. Their calculating dream had been of being part of a new greater Europe under Germany. Vichy adopted the German definitions of "undesirable" and cooperated with the German persecution of Jews, Gypsy's, homosexuals, etc. And they adopted a theory of "the French race" that mirrored Germany's Aryan purity theory. Vichy French police conducted several massive raids arresting tens of thousands of Jews who were killed in German camps. One of the most impressive Holocaust memorials is an underground crypt on Ile de Citi, behind Notre Dame. Marshal Henri Philippe Pétain, head of the Vichy regime went to prison, but largely due to his poor health and the efforts of President Truman and Spanish dictator Franco, he died in a private home, ruined by dementia. His interest had been mostly to save France from destruction. Pierre Laval, a more pliable head of the Vichy government, was convicted of treason and executed. Other Vichy leaders were judicially executed after the war, summarily executed, or murdered. Renault, clever fellow, followed through on his gesture of trashing the bottle of Vichy water. But to his credit, the wind he blew with was far from blowing from anywhere but Vichy when he went off to the Free French battalion. The U.S. had not entered the war, with crushing natural resources and industry. But no doubt he had lost faith in the Germans. If he survived, he no doubt received, likely direct from the hands of de Galle, his medal.

[@henryellow]

I see, so that was the case. Thanks for sharing that history lesson. Vichy gambled on Germany's victory. If Germany had won, then their gamble would've paid off huge profits (basically they would control the future of the world at that point). After all, history is written by the victors. Unfortunately for them, they lost that gamble and had to pay the price, with their lives.

[@mrgclough]

I don't know if it was so much a gamble for some of them. Resisting Germany was a sure ticket to widespread destruction. (Hitler ordered Paris burned when he learned he couldn't keep it.) And many French believed that realistic acceptance was best for France. But yes, many Vicky officials used the German dominance to flog their own racism and greed. I'm sure it seemed inconceivable that England, the "last man standing", could ever win. And it's clear from the astonished reactions of German soldiers who got to see the U.S. as POW's that they had no idea what they would be up against when and if the U.S. entered the war. But remember that there were large pro-German rallies in the U.S. leading up to the war, and prominent figures like Ford, Lindberg and JFK's father were advocates for Nazi Germany. The U.S German-American Bund organization was always small, but large in headlines, and Germans were as adept as anyone in suiting their perceptions to their desires. But in 1940, 96% of Americans opposed the U.S. engaging in war with Germany. ^@@henryellow

[@BarnDoorProductions]

In the singing duel, the Germans are singing The Horst Wessel Song, which celebrates the first man to be killed in defending the Nazi ideology. It is a hateful piece. The French are singing La Marseillaise, their national anthem, itself celebrating the French Revolution -- and we all know what that unfortunate movement led to.

[@torontomame]

Quoting The Importance of Being Earnest in a comment about Casablanca! Two of my favourite things! 👏👏👏👏😁

[@donkfail1]

As a movie you can watch many times, this has become much better after I imagine that Captain Renault is secretly in love (perhaps even in denial to himself) with Rick. Every witty remark he makes when Rick is around and him knowing everything about Rick sounds more like an obsession that diligent work from him. And the end suddenly becomes more happy than sentimental. :D

[@JohnWesleyDowney]

You cut off the final line THIS COULD BE THE BEGINNING OF A BEAUTIFUL FRIENDSHIP. That's one of the movie's most iconic lines!!11 my god

[@user-tr9de6gm8k]

Disappointed you cut the last line of the movie

[@thomastimlin1724]

Keep in mind no one knew who was going to win WWII during filming. When they filmed this it WAS during WWII. The story takes place the week of Dec 7, 1941, just before the Japenese attacked Pearl Harbor which led to the USA joining the war in the Pacific and Europe. At the end Laslo says to Rick "Welcome back to the fight, this time I know our side will win." A metatphor for the USA joining the War after holding back for years. Because Roosevelt knew he needed to sell the war to everyone or his isolationist opposition would shoot down every vote and budget to help stop the war. When Japan attacked Pearl Harbor, that was the excuse Roosevelt needed, and everyone was on board.

[@henryellow]

Thanks for sharing! 😊