Casablanca, A Movie Review by Sam Sloan

I just saw the movie Casablanca for the first time. I have been
hearing about this movie all my life, especially since the most famous
character with the most famous line from the movie, "Play it, Sam",
was named after me. Finally, I bought the video and played it last
night. Now I understand why so much of our culture and even our daily
conversation is tied to this movie. Many famous expressions and
phrases, such as "round up the usual suspects", come from this movie.

This movie has been named as the second greatest film ever made by
Hollywood. Must be some mistake, because I cannot imagine what the
first one is.

However, my wife could not understand or follow the movie. She could
not understand what was going on. I have decided to explain it to her,
and to you.

To understand this movie, you have to understand the historical
context in which it was made. I cannot think of any other war movie
which was made about the war while the war was still going on. This
movie was made in 1942, while the real-life events which were the
subject of the movie were still occurring. By coincidence, it happened
that the German Army attacked and occupied the real City of Casablanca
in the same week that this movie was released.

It is December, 1941. The Germans have taken Paris and have overrun
and occupied France. However, there is one part of France which the
Germans have not yet taken. That is French North Africa, including the
present day countries of Algeria and Morocco. The French officials
there are still in charge, but their masters or bosses in Paris are
dead or deposed. Nobody knows who is going to win the war. The
residents of Casablanca must remain friendly with both sides, in order
to survive.

The French official in charge is Capt. Louis Renault, played by Claude
Rains. A pragmatic man, he takes no sides in the war. The biggest
night club and bar in town is owned by Rick, an American, played by
Humphrey Bogart. He fled Paris on the last train out, just before the
invading German Army arrived. Now, he is in Casablanca to stay. He
apparently cannot go back to America, but we never learn the reason.
"Perhaps you killed a man there", suggests Claude Rains.

Into the bar walks the beautiful Swedish actress Ingrid Bergman.
Bogart laments, "Of all the gin joints in all the towns in all the
world, she walks into mine?"

Strange complaint, we wonder. A normal man is happy to be approached
by a beautiful woman who wants him. Why does Bogart reject her, at
first?

The answer to this question is the answer to the question of what
makes this a great movie. It is an incredibly complex movie, packed
into a short space. Every scene, every word and every frame is
carefully crafted. Like pieces of a jig-saw puzzle, every piece has to
fit perfectly. If one part is misaligned or mal-adjusted, the entire
puzzle falls apart.

This is also the reason why this movie has defied attempts to remake
it. It is not merely the fact that Bogart is a great actor and Bergman
is a great actress. It is not merely the actors but the entire world
situation that was unfolding at the time, which makes this film
impossible to replicate.

All the actors fit their parts so perfectly that it is hard to believe
that other actors were considered for these roles. Unbelievably,
Ronald Reagan was offered the part of Rick. Just think: If Ronald
Reagan had accepted that role, the Iran-Contra Affair might never have
occurred!

Even the song was almost changed. After the film was completed and
almost in the can, the producer decided that he wanted a different
lead song. However, Ingrid Bergman would have had to be brought back
to remake those scenes, and in the meantime she had cut her hair, so
the song stayed. Today, we cannot even think of this movie without
remembering the words of that song made so famous: "You must remember
this / A kiss is still a kiss / A sigh is just a sigh / The
fundamental things apply / As time goes by."

This is a great song, and is sung by Sam, played by Dooley Wilson. But
twice Sam pretends that he cannot remember the song. Of course, he
does remember it. He knows it very well. Why he says that he cannot
remember it, when we know that he does, is one of the mysteries of the
movie. This mystery is later solved. The song brings back memories of
their times together in Paris, and the unpleasant way in which their
relationship ended. That is the reason why the nostalgic theme of "As
time goes by" is so important to the movie.

The movie flashes back to Paris, where Bogart and Bergman had a brief
affair. Bergman never told Bogart that she was married, and in fact
she thought that her husband was dead. When Bogart asks her who she is
and what she did before she met him, she reminds him that they
promised not to ask each other questions about their past.

With the German Army fast approaching, they plan to leave Paris
together and to take the train to Marseilles. But Bergman fails to
show at the train station and instead sends a note, saying that Rick
must never see her again. Bogart is upset because he does not know the
reason. The reason, we later learn, is that suddenly her husband has
appeared, having escaped from a German concentration camp.

Prior to the arrival of Ingrid Bergman in Casablanca, Bogart is
approached by another woman, younger and just as beautiful, if not
more beautiful, than Bergman. She is Yvonne, played by Madeleine
LeBeau. She is desperate to sleep with Bogart, but Bogart rejects her,
throws her out and puts her in a taxi to take her home. This tells us
that Bogart is a hard man, not swayed by even the most beautiful
woman. So, when Bergman approaches, we already know that she will not
have an easy time getting Bogart into bed.

But why does Bergman approach? What does she want? This brings us to
the plot of the movie, a plot which is difficult for modern audiences
to understand because it concerns a nearly forgotten part of history.
This is a part of history which the French people rarely talk about
and which they would prefer to forgive and forget.

After the Germans invaded France, they set up a puppet government,
known as the Vichy Government. Some Frenchmen resisted and fought.
Some joined the underground or the resistance movement. Some escaped
and fled, like those in the movie Casablanca. But, most stayed and
cooperated with the Germans.

The only way out of France in those final moments was through the port
city of Marseilles in the South of France. There, Rick and others took
a boat across the Mediterranean Sea to Morocco, arriving at
Casablanca. However, there they were trapped. The only way out was to
take a flight to Lisbon, Portugal, and from there to fly to America.

To do that required transit papers. Almost nobody had transit papers.
Unscrupulous dealers were selling real or forged transit papers, at a
very high price, which only the rich could afford. In real life, the
actress Madeleine LeBeau, who plays Yvonne, arrived in America exactly
that way, flying out of Lisbon on forged transit papers.

We learn at the beginning of the movie that two German couriers were
murdered, and they were carrying letters of transit. The murderers are
being sought.

Just about this time, Bogart is approached by Peter Lorre, an evil man
who deals in transit papers. Lorre tells Bogart that he would like for
Bogart to hold some papers, but only for one hour. These papers are
very important, Lorrie explains, and are as valuable as life itself,
because these papers have been signed by General Charles De Galle
himself and can never be questioned and with these papers and only
these papers any two persons can get out of Casablanca and fly to
America.

Lorre explains: "You know, Rick, I have many a friend in Casablanca,
but somehow, just because you despise me, you are the only one I
trust."

But Lorre has been traced. Moments after leaving the papers with Rick,
Lorre is arrested. He escapes, runs to Bogart for help, but Bogart
refuses to help him. Lorre is captured and led off. We learn that the
next day he has been killed. Captain Louis Renault explains: "I'm just
writing the report now. We haven't quite decided whether he committed
suicide or died trying to escape."

This happenstance leaves Bogart with the papers. Many suspect that he
has them, but nobody can be sure. Ingrid Bergman later offers him one
hundred thousand francs for the papers. Bogart replies that he has
them but, even for three million, he will not give her the papers.

The reason Bergman must have these particular papers to get out, and
none other, is that her husband Laszlo is a wanted man, a fugitive
leader of the resistance, not as a fighter but as a writer. The
Germans have traced him to Casablanca. They know that he is here.
However, they do not kill him or take him prisoner, although they
could easily do so, because that would violate the neutrality of
Casablanca. Therefore, they will allow him to live, but he will not be
allowed to leave Casablanca. Thus, his only way out is through those
papers, papers which Rick alone has. But Rick cannot be bought.
Neither money, nor beautiful women not fear of death will convince
Rick to give up those papers. But Bergman has the key, the key to
Rick's heart, and only she can persuade him to give up the papers, and
free of charge.

An important side plot takes place. Bogart is approached by a young
Bulgarian woman. We know that she is young because Bogart complains
that she is too young to be in the bar. She is desperate for her
husband and herself to get transit papers to get out of Casablanca.
She does not need the papers which Rick has. Any papers will do, but
she needs money to buy them. They are poor and her husband has been
gambling at the roulette wheel in a desperate effort to win enough
money to buy the papers. His effort has failed, as he has lost his
money.

The Bulgarian girl, Annina Brandel, played by Joy Page, who in real
life was the step-daughter of Jack Warner, now comes to Rick and
offers herself sexually. She will sleep with Rick, if he will give her
husband enough money to get them out of Casablanca, and her husband
will never know.

This scene caused a lot of problem with the censors, who demanded that
nothing in the movie depict actual sex or even imply that they had
slept together. So, in the next scene, we are surprised to see Rick
lead her to the roulette table, and tell her husband to bet all of his
remaining money on the number 22. Number 22 wins, and now Rick tells
him to bet his entire winnings on 22 again. Number 22 wins again, and
now the Bulgarian couple have enough money to buy transit papers.

We can see that the roulette wheel is rigged. Rick owns the casino and
somehow he knew that the number 22 was going to come up twice. The
real question now is why did Rick help the Bulgarian couple. Many
people are trying to leave Casablanca. Why does Rick allow them to
leave, and not the others?

More importantly, why is that scene important to the movie? It is
important because Ingrid Bergman does the same thing. She makes love
to Rick, but what is the reason? Does she really love him, or does she
do it only to get the transit papers?

We supposedly find out in the final scenes to the movie. The airplane
is ready to fly. Only two people can leave. Bergman is assured of her
seat on the plane. She is going and one of the two men are going with
her. Who will it be? Will it be her husband, Laszlo, played by Paul
Henreid? Or, will it be Bogart?

Of course, I cannot tell you the answer, because that would spoil the
movie. However, what is interesting is that the actors and
screenwriters did not know the answer either. This movie was made
during Hollywood's golden era. This one studio made 50 movies per
year. The script was being written while the filming was taking place.
As the movie progressed, screenwriters came and left. A page was
written and that scene was shot, while the writers were still working
on the next page. Finally, at the end, after the film was complete,
the producer, Hal B. Wallis, brought Bogart back to film a new
conclusion to the movie.

Nobody then knew or even imagined that the result of this haphazard
production would be, not merely the Movie of the Year, but the Movie
of the Century.

Sam Sloan

http://www.samsloan.com/casablanca.htm
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/AS...vesofthomasje/
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0034583/
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0034583/quote

Whacko quotes from Sam,

I have been
hearing about this movie all my life, especially since the most famous
character with the most famous line from the movie, "Play it, Sam",
was named after me.

Of course.
And Bogart's character, Rick, was named after me.

Many famous expressions and
phrases, such as "round up the usual suspects", come from this movie.

Apparently Sam is unfamiliar with the term 'cliche'. He also must have missed
half the cowboy westerns of the 1930s or his writings would have beem headed
off at the pass.

my wife could not understand or follow the movie. She could
not understand what was going on. I have decided to explain it to her,
and to you.

Thanks Sam.

By coincidence, it happened
that the German Army attacked and occupied the real City of Casablanca
in the same week that this movie was released.

Uh, OK.
Sure, that happened.
And whom did the German army attack and occupy in Casablanca?
How did the German army get there Sam?

Casablanca is in Morocco, on the Atlantic about 300 miles south of Gibraltar
where the British held a major base, and while it was under the direction of
Vichy, it was never occupied by the Germans. In fact, the nearest the German
army ever got to Casablanca was a short distance into Algeria, perhaps a
thousand miles away.

Sam, you are a riot, but I will bet you flunked history.
Don't you ever get tired of lying?
Somebody ought to start a website just of the outrageous lies this man tells,
so we don't have to rely on memory to out this bozo.

Richard Peterson

"ASCACHESS" wrote in message
...

Somebody ought to start a website just of the outrageous lies this man
tells,
so we don't have to rely on memory to out this bozo.

Richard Peterson

I don't know of any ISP or domain server that offers THAT kind of bandwidth,
Richard.

Regards,

Matt

"Sam Sloan" wrote in message
...
Casablanca, A Movie Review by Sam Sloan

I just saw the movie Casablanca for the first time. I have been
hearing about this movie all my life, especially since the most famous
character with the most famous line from the movie, "Play it, Sam",
was named after me. Finally, I bought the video and played it last
night. Now I understand why so much of our culture and even our daily
conversation is tied to this movie. Many famous expressions and
phrases, such as "round up the usual suspects", come from this movie.

This movie has been named as the second greatest film ever made by
Hollywood. Must be some mistake, because I cannot imagine what the
first one is.

However, my wife could not understand or follow the movie. She could
not understand what was going on. I have decided to explain it to her,
and to you.

To understand this movie, you have to understand the historical
context in which it was made. I cannot think of any other war movie
which was made about the war while the war was still going on. This
movie was made in 1942, while the real-life events which were the
subject of the movie were still occurring. By coincidence, it happened
that the German Army attacked and occupied the real City of Casablanca
in the same week that this movie was released.

It is December, 1941. The Germans have taken Paris and have overrun
and occupied France. However, there is one part of France which the
Germans have not yet taken. That is French North Africa, including the
present day countries of Algeria and Morocco. The French officials
there are still in charge, but their masters or bosses in Paris are
dead or deposed. Nobody knows who is going to win the war. The
residents of Casablanca must remain friendly with both sides, in order
to survive.

The French official in charge is Capt. Louis Renault, played by Claude
Rains. A pragmatic man, he takes no sides in the war. The biggest
night club and bar in town is owned by Rick, an American, played by
Humphrey Bogart. He fled Paris on the last train out, just before the
invading German Army arrived. Now, he is in Casablanca to stay. He
apparently cannot go back to America, but we never learn the reason.
"Perhaps you killed a man there", suggests Claude Rains.

Into the bar walks the beautiful Swedish actress Ingrid Bergman.
Bogart laments, "Of all the gin joints in all the towns in all the
world, she walks into mine?"

Strange complaint, we wonder. A normal man is happy to be approached
by a beautiful woman who wants him. Why does Bogart reject her, at
first?

The answer to this question is the answer to the question of what
makes this a great movie. It is an incredibly complex movie, packed
into a short space. Every scene, every word and every frame is
carefully crafted. Like pieces of a jig-saw puzzle, every piece has to
fit perfectly. If one part is misaligned or mal-adjusted, the entire
puzzle falls apart.

This is also the reason why this movie has defied attempts to remake
it. It is not merely the fact that Bogart is a great actor and Bergman
is a great actress. It is not merely the actors but the entire world
situation that was unfolding at the time, which makes this film
impossible to replicate.

All the actors fit their parts so perfectly that it is hard to believe
that other actors were considered for these roles. Unbelievably,
Ronald Reagan was offered the part of Rick. Just think: If Ronald
Reagan had accepted that role, the Iran-Contra Affair might never have
occurred!

Even the song was almost changed. After the film was completed and
almost in the can, the producer decided that he wanted a different
lead song. However, Ingrid Bergman would have had to be brought back
to remake those scenes, and in the meantime she had cut her hair, so
the song stayed. Today, we cannot even think of this movie without
remembering the words of that song made so famous: "You must remember
this / A kiss is still a kiss / A sigh is just a sigh / The
fundamental things apply / As time goes by."

This is a great song, and is sung by Sam, played by Dooley Wilson. But
twice Sam pretends that he cannot remember the song. Of course, he
does remember it. He knows it very well. Why he says that he cannot
remember it, when we know that he does, is one of the mysteries of the
movie. This mystery is later solved. The song brings back memories of
their times together in Paris, and the unpleasant way in which their
relationship ended. That is the reason why the nostalgic theme of "As
time goes by" is so important to the movie.

The movie flashes back to Paris, where Bogart and Bergman had a brief
affair. Bergman never told Bogart that she was married, and in fact
she thought that her husband was dead. When Bogart asks her who she is
and what she did before she met him, she reminds him that they
promised not to ask each other questions about their past.

With the German Army fast approaching, they plan to leave Paris
together and to take the train to Marseilles. But Bergman fails to
show at the train station and instead sends a note, saying that Rick
must never see her again. Bogart is upset because he does not know the
reason. The reason, we later learn, is that suddenly her husband has
appeared, having escaped from a German concentration camp.

Prior to the arrival of Ingrid Bergman in Casablanca, Bogart is
approached by another woman, younger and just as beautiful, if not
more beautiful, than Bergman. She is Yvonne, played by Madeleine
LeBeau. She is desperate to sleep with Bogart, but Bogart rejects her,
throws her out and puts her in a taxi to take her home. This tells us
that Bogart is a hard man, not swayed by even the most beautiful
woman. So, when Bergman approaches, we already know that she will not
have an easy time getting Bogart into bed.

But why does Bergman approach? What does she want? This brings us to
the plot of the movie, a plot which is difficult for modern audiences
to understand because it concerns a nearly forgotten part of history.
This is a part of history which the French people rarely talk about
and which they would prefer to forgive and forget.

After the Germans invaded France, they set up a puppet government,
known as the Vichy Government. Some Frenchmen resisted and fought.
Some joined the underground or the resistance movement. Some escaped
and fled, like those in the movie Casablanca. But, most stayed and
cooperated with the Germans.

The only way out of France in those final moments was through the port
city of Marseilles in the South of France. There, Rick and others took
a boat across the Mediterranean Sea to Morocco, arriving at
Casablanca. However, there they were trapped. The only way out was to
take a flight to Lisbon, Portugal, and from there to fly to America.

To do that required transit papers. Almost nobody had transit papers.
Unscrupulous dealers were selling real or forged transit papers, at a
very high price, which only the rich could afford. In real life, the
actress Madeleine LeBeau, who plays Yvonne, arrived in America exactly
that way, flying out of Lisbon on forged transit papers.

We learn at the beginning of the movie that two German couriers were
murdered, and they were carrying letters of transit. The murderers are
being sought.

Just about this time, Bogart is approached by Peter Lorre, an evil man
who deals in transit papers. Lorre tells Bogart that he would like for
Bogart to hold some papers, but only for one hour. These papers are
very important, Lorrie explains, and are as valuable as life itself,
because these papers have been signed by General Charles De Galle
himself and can never be questioned and with these papers and only
these papers any two persons can get out of Casablanca and fly to
America.

Lorre explains: "You know, Rick, I have many a friend in Casablanca,
but somehow, just because you despise me, you are the only one I
trust."

But Lorre has been traced. Moments after leaving the papers with Rick,
Lorre is arrested. He escapes, runs to Bogart for help, but Bogart
refuses to help him. Lorre is captured and led off. We learn that the
next day he has been killed. Captain Louis Renault explains: "I'm just
writing the report now. We haven't quite decided whether he committed
suicide or died trying to escape."

This happenstance leaves Bogart with the papers. Many suspect that he
has them, but nobody can be sure. Ingrid Bergman later offers him one
hundred thousand francs for the papers. Bogart replies that he has
them but, even for three million, he will not give her the papers.

The reason Bergman must have these particular papers to get out, and
none other, is that her husband Laszlo is a wanted man, a fugitive
leader of the resistance, not as a fighter but as a writer. The
Germans have traced him to Casablanca. They know that he is here.
However, they do not kill him or take him prisoner, although they
could easily do so, because that would violate the neutrality of
Casablanca. Therefore, they will allow him to live, but he will not be
allowed to leave Casablanca. Thus, his only way out is through those
papers, papers which Rick alone has. But Rick cannot be bought.
Neither money, nor beautiful women not fear of death will convince
Rick to give up those papers. But Bergman has the key, the key to
Rick's heart, and only she can persuade him to give up the papers, and
free of charge.

An important side plot takes place. Bogart is approached by a young
Bulgarian woman. We know that she is young because Bogart complains
that she is too young to be in the bar. She is desperate for her
husband and herself to get transit papers to get out of Casablanca.
She does not need the papers which Rick has. Any papers will do, but
she needs money to buy them. They are poor and her husband has been
gambling at the roulette wheel in a desperate effort to win enough
money to buy the papers. His effort has failed, as he has lost his
money.

The Bulgarian girl, Annina Brandel, played by Joy Page, who in real
life was the step-daughter of Jack Warner, now comes to Rick and
offers herself sexually. She will sleep with Rick, if he will give her
husband enough money to get them out of Casablanca, and her husband
will never know.

This scene caused a lot of problem with the censors, who demanded that
nothing in the movie depict actual sex or even imply that they had
slept together. So, in the next scene, we are surprised to see Rick
lead her to the roulette table, and tell her husband to bet all of his
remaining money on the number 22. Number 22 wins, and now Rick tells
him to bet his entire winnings on 22 again. Number 22 wins again, and
now the Bulgarian couple have enough money to buy transit papers.

We can see that the roulette wheel is rigged. Rick owns the casino and
somehow he knew that the number 22 was going to come up twice. The
real question now is why did Rick help the Bulgarian couple. Many
people are trying to leave Casablanca. Why does Rick allow them to
leave, and not the others?

More importantly, why is that scene important to the movie? It is
important because Ingrid Bergman does the same thing. She makes love
to Rick, but what is the reason? Does she really love him, or does she
do it only to get the transit papers?

We supposedly find out in the final scenes to the movie. The airplane
is ready to fly. Only two people can leave. Bergman is assured of her
seat on the plane. She is going and one of the two men are going with
her. Who will it be? Will it be her husband, Laszlo, played by Paul
Henreid? Or, will it be Bogart?

Of course, I cannot tell you the answer, because that would spoil the
movie. However, what is interesting is that the actors and
screenwriters did not know the answer either. This movie was made
during Hollywood's golden era. This one studio made 50 movies per
year. The script was being written while the filming was taking place.
As the movie progressed, screenwriters came and left. A page was
written and that scene was shot, while the writers were still working
on the next page. Finally, at the end, after the film was complete,
the producer, Hal B. Wallis, brought Bogart back to film a new
conclusion to the movie.

Nobody then knew or even imagined that the result of this haphazard
production would be, not merely the Movie of the Year, but the Movie
of the Century.

Sam Sloan

http://www.samsloan.com/casablanca.htm
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/AS...vesofthomasje/
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0034583/
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0034583/quote




This doesn't need to be cross-posted to rgcp.

I have decided to explain it to her,
and to you.

Bless You Son.....

I have decided to explain it to her,
and to you.

Oh Sam, We'll always have ****apotubangem Thailand. No one can ever take that
away from us....

However, there is one part of France which the Germans have not yet
taken.

Vichy? Has anyone seem Vichy? It seems to have been misplaced....

Bergman is a great actress.

I am not so sure; I thnik shes a pretty good actress but a Great Babe.....

Bergman never told Bogart that she was married...

Guess she stayed in character afterwards....

We know that she is young because Bogart complains that she is too young to
be in the bar.

WE CARD!