Casablanca

Summary

“Of all the gin joints, in all the towns, in all the world, she walks into mine.”

Warner Bros. is one major film distributor that seems to be truly committed to not only preserving classic films, but also to releasing them in the best possible format for film lovers. Warner has been one of the best adopters of the 4K UHD format. Just in time for the holidays, Warner Bros. has recently given film lovers the gift of being able to own the classic film Casablanca on 4K UHD. The release of the film on 4K coincides with the film’s 80th anniversary since its premiere on November 26, 1942. The film would make a wonderful Christmas gift for any film lover.

Michael Curtis’s film is one of the most iconic and celebrated of all time. At once a tense and involving war drama, the film is also one of the greatest cinematic romances. The cast of the film features never better performances by Humphrey Bogart, Ingrid Bergman, Claude Rains, Peter Lorre, Sidney Greenstreet, Paul Henreid, and Conrad Veidt. Musical performances in the film show off pianist and singer Dooley Wilson. Nominated for eight academy awards, the film won for Best Picture, Best Director (Michael Curtiz,) and Best Screenplay (Julius J. Epstein, Philip G. Epstein, and Howard Koch.) Since its wide release in January of 1943, the film has been considered to be one of the best films ever made. Casablanca has a timeless quality that goes beyond the era and circumstances that shaped the film. 

Casablanca is seemingly a film about a specific time and place – Casablanca in the unoccupied French territory in Northern Africa during the first part of World War II. The setting is central to the plot, but the love story within the film has a quality that rises above the circumstances that shape it. The pairing of Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman was an inspired choice. In the long list of romantic pairings in films, I believe this is my personal favorite. There is a special quality to the interactions between the two great actors. Filmmakers have tried to reconfigure the crucial aspects of the story into other films (Robert Redford in Havana, Charles Bronson in Cabo Blanco,) but none of those films have been able to replicate the success of the original. This is a case of a film being so perfectly executed that it became greater than the sum of its parts.

In December of 1941, people have fled from the Nazi threat along a passage that takes them from Marseille to Oran and then on to Casablanca. From Casablanca, considered unoccupied France, the final destination for refugees is Lisbon so that they may travel abroad to the United States. This pipeline of refugees finds themselves in a precarious situation upon their arrival in Casablanca. Casablanca has become a bottleneck of sorts for refugees who wait for their exit visas and papers to be approved. There is a black market for these types of things and many criminals about the town. The refugees that are awaiting passage watch their resources dwindle. This desperation has transformed Casablanca into a place of lawlessness. At Rick’s Cafe Americain, expatriate saloon owner Rick (Humphrey Bogart) runs a profitable bar business and he also runs a profitable gambling business in the back of the establishment. Rick fought against fascists in Spain and alongside other underdogs before he came to Casablanca. Rick knows Police Captain Louis Renault (Claude Rains) well, and has allowed Louis to win at his roulette tables in exchange for his business not being disturbed. Rick is a popular man because he knows the angles of the town well. Rick is visited by Ugarte (Peter Lorre,) a man known for his ability to get travel papers. He has brought Rick two German travel visas that are irrefutable, and wants Rick to hold onto them for the evening. They are meant for a concentration camp survivor named Victor Laszlo (Paul Henreid.) Rick stores the papers in Sam the piano player’s piano. It turns out that these papers were taken off of two German soldiers that were gunned down. Nazi Major Heinrich Strasser (Conrad Veidt) applies pressure to Captain Louis to round up who could have committed the crime. When Ugalte tries to flee the authorities, he is gunned down. Major Strasser has also put pressure on Captain Louis to refuse to allow any type of travel visa for Victor Laszlo. The underground leader has been made famous through his escapes and is of value to the Nazis alive (for intelligence) or dead. That night Victor Laszlo arrives at Rick’s Cafe Americain with his wife Ilsa Lund (Ingrid Bergman.) Victor has no idea that Ilsa and Rick have a romantic history.

Casablanca is a film where everything works. Director Michael Curtiz relied on cinematographer Arthur Edeson to bring the very best out of the film’s set design. The film is beautifully lit to bring the most out of the shadows of the settings and on the characters. Curtiz was a very versatile director who could direct any type of feature thrown his way from Robin Hood to Westerns. His direction of Casablanca remains his most accomplished work. He draws truly remarkable performances from his cast. The script by Julius J. Epstein, Philip G. Epstein, and Howard Koch adapted a play by Murray Burnett and Joan Alison. If one is to think about it, the film does have the qualities of a play in terms of largely taking place between just a few characters and only in a couple different settings. Amazingly, the film never suffers from the claustrophobia incurred in many play adaptations. The best play adaptations (Glengarry Glenross, 12 Angry Men) find a way to make the words of the play felt by the audience. Casablanca is brilliantly written, but what is even more impressive is how those words come to life. Humphrey Bogart was an amazing actor, and his performance in Casablanca is arguably his finest. It’s certainly his most iconic. Bogart plays the role of Rick with a conviction that seems completely believable. It is not just what he says, but the body language and expressiveness he displays. Curtiz has a habit of showing the character’s reactions to each other’s words – lingering on tight shots of their facial expressions – so that we can see the layered emotional responses they have when they are not speaking. This is a key ingredient towards creating the emotional impact of the film. Ingrid Bergman is every bit the equal of Bogart in the picture. Bergman’s Ilsa still radiates a modern type of beauty eighty years after the cameras stopped rolling. She is surely one of the most beautiful actresses of that generation, but also one of the most talented. I love her in the film Suspicion as well. Claude Rains is perfectly cast as the extremely adaptive Captain Louis Renault. His line delivery is wonderful. Paul Henreid is totally believable as Victor Laszlo and Conrad Veidt is a fantastic choice for a smiling arrogant Nazi. Dooley Wilson plays the unforgettable piano player Sam. Character actors Peter Lorre, and Sydney Greenstreet round out the fantastic cast. The film is exceptionally well paced and leads to one of the most satisfying finales of that era. The film is endlessly rewatchable.

Casablanca is a film that stays with you long after you have viewed it. It is a work of pure cinematic genius. The Warner 4K release is the best way to experience it yet!

Video

The new 4K restoration by Warner Bros. is fantastic. Presented in native 4K in 1.38:1, the film looks wonderful. The film was lovingly restored from the best remaining element which is a nitrate fine grain master positive created in 1942. The original camera negative is lost, and unless by some miracle this is ever located, this is likely the best that Casablanca will ever look. Michael Curtiz worked with excellent cinematographer Arthur Edeson on the film. The lighting in the picture is beautifully considered. Given that the film was based on a stage play, much of the film takes place in one setting – Rick’s Cafe Americain. The filmmakers brilliantly create movement with the camera and take in the setting and its numerous patrons. Their approach keeps the film interesting at all times. The 4K UHD presentation of the film looks wonderful. Fine detail is exceptional and a firm improvement over the prior excellent Blu-ray release. A very fine subtle grain resides over the film. The increased clarity and shadow detail makes the film look the best that it has ever looked. I can’t imagine the film looking any better than it does in this presentation.

Audio

The DTS-HD MA 2.0 track sounds great. There is no hiss. Dialogue is clear. It is a mono track so it does not blow the roof off the place, but it sounds really nice. This is a well done track that is as reference quality as we are probably going to get.

Supplements:

4K DISC 

• Introduction by Lauren Bacall 
• Audio Commentary #1 – Featuring film critic Roger Ebert.
• Audio Commentary #2 – Featuring film historian Rudy Behlmer.

BLU-RAY DISC

• Introduction by Lauren Bacall
• Audio Commentary #1 – Featuring film critic Roger Ebert.
• Audio Commentary #2 – Featuring film historian Rudy Behlmer.
• Warner Night at the Movies – A series of authentic pre-show pieces from the time when Casablanca was theatrically released
  • “Now, Voyager” Theatrical Trailer
  • Newsreel
  • Vaudeville Days
  • The Bird Came C.O.D – The first of three Merrie Melodies shorts.
  • The Squawkin’ Hawk
  • The Dover Boys at Pimento University
• Behind the Story
  • Great Performances: Bacall on Bogart
  • Michael Curtiz: The Greatest Director You Never Heard Of 
  • Casablanca: An Unlikely Classic
  • You Must Remember This: A Tribute to Casablanca
  • As Time Goes By: The Children Remember
• Additional Footage
  • Deleted Scenes – without audio, but subtitles are included from the original shooting script.
  • Outtakes
  • Who Holds Tomorrow? (18:37) – A short TV remake of Casablanca.
  • Carrotblanca – Merrie Melodies’ parody of the film.
• Audio – Several vintage audio-only extras.
  • Scoring Stage Sessions 
  • 4/26/43 Lady Esther Screen Guild Theater Radio Broadcast
  • 11/19/47 VOX Pop Radio Broadcast
• Trailers 

Overall Scores:

Video – 5/5 

Audio – 4.5/5

Supplements – 5/5

Overall – 5/5

Casablanca is an emotionally rewarding and thrilling war time classic that deserves all the acclaim that has been heaped on it since its initial theatrical release. The pairing of Ingrid Bergman and Humphrey Bogart is one of the best romantic pairings in cinema history. The direction by Michael Curtiz is economical and perfectly paced. Curtiz puts the amazing acting by Bogart and Bergman dead center in the frame and allows room for amazing turns by a supporting cast that features Claude Rains, Peter Lorre, and Paul Henreid. Casablanca is a timeless romance that I rewatch every few years and never tire of watching. The script is brilliantly written without a wasted word, and one of the most quotable films ever made. It is a truly perfect film. Warner Bros. have given the film an exceptional 4K UHD release. The video and audio specs are the best that they could possibly be for the film, and Warner has included the Blu-ray disc that is jam packed with hours and hours of special features. Every film lover should have this film in their collection. This release easily earns our highest recommendation.