Casablanca
I think one of the most significant strengths of Casablanca, one of the few universally canonized films, is its simplicity. Adapted from a stage play that was never produced, it's not commonly known for its Great Cinematography, a term usually (and erroneously) applied only to movies with wide, expansive vistas (Lawrence of Arabia, Out of Africa), tilted camera angles (Do the Right Thing, The Third Man) or ultra-crisp, carefully lit photography (Laura, A Man and a Woman, the films of Michael Mann). Arthur Edeson's work in lighting and blocking is utilitarian in such a way that it doesn't call attention to itself. Michael Curtiz's staging is equally functional and efficient -- it's neither hurried nor leisurely. And the screenplay, assembled in a piecemeal, quite extemporized manner that would easily be the bane of a movie not made under Casablanca's ideal circumstances, tells a story that is complex without being convoluted, easily understood without being trivial, patriotic without being self-righteous and universal without seeming to bear the weight of its significance.It also helps to watch Casablanca if you know what it's like to be or to have bee
I didn't care for it the first time, but having seen it again recently I can declare it no less than deserving the reputation it has earned. It worries me that the attitude of too many people who approach the classics is to doubt their authenticity, and declare themselves victorious when it doesn't meet their lofty expectations. Whether the classic is a Beatles album, a Star Wars movie or a James Joyce novel, canonization often has its unfortunate disadvantages. If we were all to approach each experience with no expectations whatsoever, we might have a better time with our art and entertainment. The first time I saw the film was four or five years ago, less for the joy of having an enjoyable movie experience, more to see what the big deal was about. That is, for the record, the wrong way to go about seeing a movie. As F. Scott Fitzgerald wrote after Jay Gatsby's reunion with Daisy, "No amount of fire or freshness can challenge what a man will store up in his ghostly heart." Casablanca is not a classic because some committee of stuffy old men voted to put it high atop a cultural pedestal (although they have, on several occasions). It is a classic beca
Some common words found in the essay are:
Michael Curtiz's, James Joyce, Warner Bros, Jay Gatsby's, Claude Rains, War II, , Maguire Hunting, Arabia Africa, Humphrey Bogart,
Approximate Word count = 785
Approximate Pages = 3 (250 words per page double spaced)
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