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Casablanca ... need I say more


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No bullshit moment. We were just sitting down to some grilled flank steak & veggies when Mrs. GOTJ handed me the remote control to find something on TV. I said "if we're lucky we'll find something like 'Casablanca' on TCM" just as I changed the channel to find Ben Manckiewicz introducing it.

"What nationality are you?"

"I'm a drunkard."

"That makes Rick a citizen of the world."

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Laszlo to bandleader: "Play La Marseillaise.  Play it!"

Bandleader: (Looks at Rick.)

Rick: (Nods.)

Thence commences IMO the most moving sequence in film.  If you don't feel it in your heart, you ain't human, Joe.

It's the high water mark of American cinema.  I'm talking about that instant when the cast sings "Aux arms, citoyens! Armez vos battalions!"

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2 hours ago, Bama Llama said:

Laszlo to bandleader: "Play La Marseillaise.  Play it!"

Bandleader: (Looks at Rick.)

Rick: (Nods.)

Thence commences IMO the most moving sequence in film.  If you don't feel it in your heart, you ain't human, Joe.

It's the high water mark of American cinema.  I'm talking about that instant when the cast sings "Aux arms, citoyens! Armez vos battalions!"

That scene is so emotional because a lot of the cast, even the ones playing Nazis, were actually refuges from Hitler in real life.

It was easy for them to be passionate in that scene, and if the viewer knows the background story it just magnifies the emotions.

Hell, I tear up just thinking about that scene.

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The Peter Bognanovich interview after the film was interesting.  His take that the movies were better in the old days when the actors were under contract with the studios was, IMO, right on.  

Other favorite lines/situations:

Rick: I'll have Sam play 'As Time Goes By", I believe that's your favorite song." 

Ilsa:  (walking away, pissed) Thank you.

Capt. Renault:  We are filling out the report now.  We haven't quite decided whether he committed suicide or died trying to escape.

Ferrari:  I shall remember to pay it. . . to myself.

The pick-pocket:  This place is full of vultures.  Vultures everywhere.  

Man in white suit:  I've left my wallet in the hotel.

The pick-pocket bumps into Karl.  Karl immediately checks his pockets, nods, and then goes back to work.

Ferrari:  As the leader of all illegal activities in Casablanca, I am an influential and respected man.

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Every time I watch Casablanca I get more out of it.  There is almost no wasted dialog, every line is great. 

It was either someone on here, or one of the TCM hosts that said "Rick is America."  As one of the layers of this film, that is such an interesting subplot.  I guess this was released in 1942, so lines like "I stick my neck out for nobody" have an extra significance to them. 

 

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1 hour ago, miguelito said:

Every time I watch Casablanca I get more out of it.  There is almost no wasted dialog, every line is great. 

It was either someone on here, or one of the TCM hosts that said "Rick is America."  As one of the layers of this film, that is such an interesting subplot.  I guess this was released in 1942, so lines like "I stick my neck out for nobody" have an extra significance to them. 

 

I realize that's probably pretty fucking obvious, but I can be pretty fucking dense.

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I recorded it and watched it tonight.  It was my first time seeing it also.  It lives up to the hype.  So many great lines.  It's crazy they made this smack dab in the middle of the war.

I see a through line from Sydney Carton (Dickens not the poster) to Rick.  Han Solo also seems like a bit of a ripoff of Rick.  

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Can’t believe I left this one out:

Strasser: My impression was that he’s just another blundering American.
Renault: We mustn’t underestimate American blundering. I was with them when they blundered into Berlin in 1918.

Did the Union stop showing the old classics? If you went to UT in the 80’s there’s no excuse for not seeing movies like Casablanca. They were $1.

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