nick’s review published on Letterboxd:
One word, Bogart.
Casablanca is deemed as one of the best movies of all time for all the right reasons. It has an engrossing and multi-genre anti-Nazi/romance story that never drags for its 100-minute runtime, which isn't commonplace for other "classics" of its era. Considering its release time, I can't imagine the emotional effects it must have had on the war-torn world during that time.
Acting wise, Ingrid Bergman and Paul Henreid both did a fantastic job, but the MVP for me is without a doubt Bogart, whose every movement on screen feels magnetic. His on-screen chemistry with Bergman is resonant and believable, and the last iconic scene at the airport is bound to make you shed a tear.
Casablanca is an exotic wonderland of wartime love, resilience and friendship that won Director Michael Curtiz Best Director and Best Picture at the Oscars, and would be remembered eternally as part of the cinema history. Highly recommended for all the cinephiles out there.
