I came here for the waters.

Inspired by a bunch of Valentine's Day blogs seeking to find the greatest romantic movie ever made... we revisited Casablanca on Saturday night.

12 year old M: "Black & white??!! WTF?"
Me: "Don't say "F""
M: "You do"
Me "I'm allowed, I invented it"
M: "But black & white...!! I mean..."
Me: "You liked King Kong?"
M: "Nope"
Me: "You liked Duck Soup!"
M: "Noooo..."
Me: "SILENCIO!!"

Also, I was highly amused by the comment "there's no film - whatever the genre - that can't be improved by a scene where Humphrey Bogart shoots a high-ranking Nazi". It's true.

I'd managed to tape it off TCM a few months ago. Took a punt. I had been thinking about getting the new DVD release, and I still may, given we had some technical problems watching the tape (two newish VCRs, one does not like playing what has been recorded on the other), and that the DVD also has the Carrotblanca special feature, Bugs Bunny & the crew in a very funny parody. Apparently Tweety, in the Peter Lorre role is sublime.

Despite our technical diffculties (every 10 minutes, we'd lose the picture, have to stop & restart the tape & all would be fine for another 10 minutes. The heads cannot be dirty, this is only the 2nd time we've used this unit), the film was clearly struck of a pristine print. I like that in a movie.

I have all the Casablanca regalia, the script, a big book about how it was written & made, I used to have a poster, but I sold it to a collector a few years back. I don't think I've seen the movie though, for more than 20 years.

But just as I remember, it is fantastic. From the opening matte work, a poster come to life, designed to make us think we're not in a studio back lot, to the most gifted (and apparently, pretty accidental) casting of the leads, to the brilliant supporting cast, Peter Lorre as the slimy Ugarte, Claude Rains as Captain Renault, Dooley Wilson as Sam, right down to the extras who play waiters & bartenders, everyone gets at least one snappy line.

No-one says "Play it again Sam", but there are some terrific lines & exchanges:

Renault: Why did you come to Casablanca Rick?
Rick: "For my health, I came here for the waters."
Renault: "The waters? Casablanca is in the desert."
Rick: "I was misinformed."

Bogart is at the height of his powers, he's suave, witty, honourable, angry, cynical & above all, hurt. His performance is so absolutely assured, there is nothing wooden or mannered about Bogart, he is Rick Blaine. Accept no substitutes. Ingrid Bergman, a quick family poll determined, is/was a major hottie. Rains in many instances, steals the show, but from today's standpoint, Captain Renault is a despicable sexual predator, not just a corrupt official. "Some men like war, I like women."

"We're closing the cafe because it's come to our attention there is gambling on the premises!"
"Here are your winnings Captain"
"Thank you".

When it comes down to it though, it's Bogart & Bergman that make the film, and the payoff indeed, is when Bogart shoots the nazi & doesn't get the girl.

I think I will get the DVD, and blog about Carrotblanca in a short while.