Man, I think I don't know how to watch old movies.
Just finished Casablanca, my first watch.
I don't... I mean...
That was so... vanilla.
The only old movies I sing the praises of are It's A Wonderful Life and The Treasure of Sierra Madre; both EXCELLENT.
What was the hook in Casablanca?
Sam & Ilsa's past? That was hardly even fleshed out.
Something else?
Like I want to eventually get around to watching Gone With the Wind or The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly, but I'm in no rush.
¯\_(ツ)_/¯
I don't know how anyone could possibly think that about Casablanca, but my piece of advice is to watch it again to pick up on all the details. Also, context is key.
Setting: Casablanca was written in 1940, well before the United States was involved in World War II. However, the movie went into production in 1942, after Pearl Harbor. It was written as an anti-Nazi, pro-France story after the Nazis stormed Paris (an important scene in the movie). French citizens fled to the United States through neutral Portugal, but you needed letters of transit to get out of Nazi-occupied and Vichy France. Also, there's a powerful scene in the movie where the French citizens sing "Les Marseilles" to drown out the Nazis. Some of the actors and extras in that scene were real refugees who had made it to Los Angeles, and that one woman's tears are very real. So, in terms of history, it was a very daring and impactful movie when it came out, as it is very anti-Nazi and pro-France, while also showing America's general disinterest at the time.
As for Casablanca itself, think of the city in the movie being kind of like a classy version of Mos Eisley.
Rick and Ilsa: Their story is all fleshed out, it's just told in different parts. Ilsa and Victor were married. Ilsa thought Victor was killed during an escape attempt from a German concentration camp (he's a key leader of the resistance). Ilsa finds solace in Rick and truly does fall in love with him. When they're about to leave Paris, Ilsa finds out Victor is still alive and goes back to him, and didn't tell Rick. That leaves Rick angry, bitter and confused, which explains his persona in the first two acts. That's why he's so mad when he hears the song being played, and then is speechless when he sees her. The line "of all the gin joints in all the world, she had to walk into mine" refers to how he had planned (if not hoped) to never see her again.
The final act is basically Rick going back and forth on what is the right thing to do. Ultimately, he makes the right decision to double-cross Renault in order to get Victor and Ilsa on the plane. It's the best outcome for everyone involved, and Rick picks up a new friend in Renault.
Script: The script was only half done when they started production. However, it's the quotes that are just all-timers. There are at least a dozen quotes that have been recycled, parodied, etc. over the last 80 years.
Wardrobe: Ingrid Bergman's wardrobe is an all-timer. Even though the movie is in black and white, her outfits are so striking it's almost like you can "see" what the colors are. This outfit is stunning.
Anyway, here's a really good short doc on why it's so great. I'd give it another watch, honestly.
