Casablanca. In college I could talk along with all the characters. I already had a love of all things Bogey and had been watching noir and Thin Man movies since I was a kid. But Casablanca was, and remains, the holy grail of righteous romanticism with a moral compass; self-sacrificing Rick.
One of the things I've always admired about the parts Bogey played was they were morally complex characters. In Casablanca Rick is called unscrupulous, sentimental, diplomatic, loyalist, patriot, outlaw, impressive and neutral. When Ilsa (Bergman) asks Rick to think for both of them and then "all of us", it is a modern moment, given this was released in 1942, during WWII, and won best picture in 1943. The line near to the end, before the famous scene I quote below, something to the affect of three people not amounting to a hill of beans in the course of world history, and yet, the desperate sense that these three people did exactly that, changed a fictional world history as they represented many resistance fighters and people who risked their lives to save many more lives during that era.
Politically the characters were all self-sacrificing, but it is the love triangle that isn't fully exposed until 2/3rds of the way through he film that gives the emotional weight to the parts. The fact that both the actor, Henreid, and character, Victor, risked internment as enemy aliens was also not lost on the audience. "If we stop breathing we die. If we stop fighting our enemies the world dies," had extra weight as his character said them. When Rick is being interrogated about alliances by the Germans: "What is your nationality?" Rick replies, "...I'm a drunkard." Expatriate, freedom fighting, and pleading amnesia. Ilsa is experiencing the dual identity of loving two men at once. They were never meant to meet or share the same time in one place. But they did. Much like the German couple who are escaping to America. One can only imagine they are Jewish, and from this distance we know that they'll have a tough go of it with their new country; being Jewish, new to English, and America. Ilsa turns it over to Rick, to decide and is willing to sacrifice herself, like all the wives do to the French police while seeking political favors.
The romance is multi-layered and that is why it works so well. Everyone is losing some one or something. A business, a lover, a life....Families are being torn apart and concentration camps are mentioned, but miraculously Victor escaped. Morocco was the wild west, were as Vienna, the former crossroads has become rigid and fixed. Victor is the hope for the true love with Ilsa, and justice for the world. Rick is the American who fortifies, facilitates and supports Ilsa, so that Victor can bring about the justice.
Bogey was my first American male actor crush. Robert Mitchum was a close second...In this film as Rick, he says he's no business man, and yet he runs multiple businesses. He is a capitalist who is an idealist who tries to stay neutral for business, but ultimately makes choices based on sentiment and things bigger than himself. This is true in his noir films, especially The Maltese Falcon, and even later, the African Queen. Rick just does the right thing when he thinks for all of them.
Casablanca, the final romantic farewell between Rick and Ilsa (before the beginning of another beautiful relationship):
*******************
(Standing in front of the plane in the fog.)
Rick: “I’m saying this because it’s true. Inside of us, we both know you belong with Victor. You’re part of his work, the thing that keeps him going. If that plane leaves the ground and you’re not with him, you’ll regret it. Maybe not today. Maybe not tomorrow, but soon and for the rest of your life.”
Ilsa: “…But what about us?”
Rick: “We’ll always have Paris. We didn’t have, we, we lost it until you came to Casablanca. We got it back last night.”
Ilsa: “…When I said I would never leave you…”
Rick: “And you never will. But I’ve got a job to do, too. Where I’m going, you can’t follow. What I’ve got to do, you can’t be any part of. Ilsa, I’m no good at being noble, but it doesn’t take much to see that the problems of three little people don’t amount to a hill of beans in this crazy world. Someday you’ll understand that.”
(Ilsa lowers her head and begins to cry.)
Rick: “Now, now…"
(Rick gently places his hand under her chin and raises it so their eyes meet, and he repeats–)
Rick: “Here’s looking at you, kid.”
***************************
As time goes by, this film just resonates more deeply with me.
Good night, Keep your chins up and fight for love not glory, G'night.
‘AS TIME GOES BY’
This day and age we’re living in
Gives cause for apprehension
With speed and new invention
And things like fourth dimension
Yet we get a trifle weary
With Mr. Einstein’s theory
So we must get down to earth at times
Relax, relieve the tension
And no matter what the progress
Or what may yet be proved
The simple facts of life are such
They cannot be removed…
You must remember this
A kiss is still a kiss, a sigh is just a sigh
The fundamental things apply
As time goes by
And when two lovers woo
They still say, “I love you”
On that you can rely
No matter what the future brings
As time goes by
Moonlight and love songs
Never out of date
Hearts full of passion
Jealousy and hate
Woman needs man
And man must have his mate
That no one can deny
Well, it’s still the same old story
A fight for love and glory
A case of do or die
The world will always welcome lovers
As time goes by
Oh yes, the world will always welcome lovers
“AS TIME GOES BY”:
Lyrics and Music by Herman Hupfeld; © 1931 Warner Bros. Music Corp., ASCAP
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