Our next film is 1942's "Casablanca", a timeless story about a man and a woman who were previously involved and become thrown together in the midst of World War II in Morocco.
The film's cast includes Humphrey Bogart, Ingrid Bergman, Paul Henreid, Claude Rains, Conrad Veidt, Sydney Greenstreet, Dooley Wilson, S.Z. Sakall, Peter Lorre, Norma Varden, Helmut Dantine, Leonid Kinskey, and Frank Puglia.
Casablanca is a hub of activity. In order to get out of Europe, war refugees must make their way through occupied France and get to Casablanca where they can catch a plane bound for America. It's fraught with dangers and once one is in the city, one's safety is always in jeopardy.
The refugees congregate in the evening at Rick's, a café where they can make arrangements to get travel visas and also have a good time. The proprietor, Rick Blaine, is an American who left France when it fell to the Nazis.
On this particular evening, a man comes to Rick and tells him that he's got letters of transit signed by de Gaulle which cannot be rescinded. The man has a buyer lined up, but he asks Rick to hold onto them while he makes the final arrangements. Rick agrees. However, the man is arrested before the night is out, leaving Rick with the valuable travel documents.
Also at Rick's is Signor Ferrari, who runs a black market business and is a friend of Rick's. "As the leader of all
illegal activities in Casablanca, I am an influential and respected
man," he says about himself.
Another friend of Rick's is the corrupt police chief, Captain Renault. He tells Rick of the imminent arrival of Victor Laszlo, the leader of an underground Nazi resistance group. Laszlo is also the man whom the valuable travel papers were intended. Renault issues Rick a warning, "Rick, there are many
exit visas sold in this café, but we know that you've never sold one.That is the reason we permit you to remain open." To which Rick responds, "Oh? I thought it was because I let you win at roulette." Renault smiles and says, "That is another reason."
Laszlo does indeed arrive at the club alongside his beautiful wife Ilsa.
While her husband unsuccessfully sees about the travel papers, we get to know more about Ilsa. It seems she knows the pianist, Sam, from days she spent with Rick in Paris. She asks Sam to play "As Time Goes By". He doesn't want to, as Rick as expressly forbidden him from playing it.
And Rick is very surprised to see Ilsa. He is gracious throughout their time together, but as he watches them leave later, his eyes are full of regret.
When everybody goes home, Rick starts drinking. "Of all the gin
joints in all the towns in all the world, she had to walk into mine," he moans. He instructs Sam to play "As Time Goes By". Once again, Sam hesitates. "If she can stand it, so can I," Rick says.
Through a series of flashbacks, we find out about Rick and Ilsa's past romance. "Here's looking at you, kid," he toasts her.
When they plan to escape German occupied France, Ilsa sends a note and disappears without an explanation. This causes Rick to become quite cynical about love.
Back in the present, Victor and Ilsa go to see Signor Ferrari to find out about the travel documents they were supposed to have. Ferrari tells them that he suspects the documents are with Rick.
Victor goes to Rick and asks him for his help with the documents. Rick refuses. When Victor asks the reason, Rick coldly tells him to ask his wife.
Ilsa later goes to see Rick. When begging and pleading won't work, she pulls a gun on him.
Ilsa weakens and eventually tells Rick why she left him in Paris. Victor was her husband then, but he was presumed dead while attempting to flee a concentration camp. She received word that he was alive and in hiding when she and Rick were to leave France. So, instead of going with Rick she went to her husband. Rick understands the situation she was in and agrees to help her. Ilsa, however, says she was in love with Rick then and still is now and doesn't think she will leave him again.
When the time comes for Victor to leave, Rick tells Ilsa she must go with him. When she protests, Rick tells her that she will come to regret the decision, "maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow, but soon...and for the rest of your life." Ilsa reluctantly boards the waiting airplane with her husband. In order for them to get away safely, Rick (with the assistance of the corrupt police officer) must kill a high ranking Nazi officer.
Renault and Rick watch the airplane take off for Lisbon safely. Now that they must leave Casablanca, the two make plans to join the "Free French" movement in Brazzaville, Congo. "Louis," says Rick, "I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship."
Helmut Dantine...............................Jan Brandel
Leonid Kinskey................................Sascha
Frank Puglia....................................Arab Vendor
And that's it for Casablanca. Considered one of the greatest films of all time, the movie won the Academy Award for Best Picture. In 1989, it was selected by the US Library of Congress for inclusion in the National Film Registry.
My favorite scene in the entire film has to be this one. Only three members of the cast were American born. A large number of the extras in the film were refugees from the Nazis in Germany. In this scene, the German officers in Rick's are loudly singing "Die Wacht Am Rhein". Victor Laszlo goes to the band and tells them to play "La Marseillaise", to which the entire club joins in drowning out the German anthem. The scene is especially touching because it is so poignant. Many of the actors had tears in their eyes as they sang the French anthem. This "dueling anthems" scene has become an iconic part of the movie.
Coming up next is 1945's "The Bells Of St. Mary's", a sort of follow-up film to 1944's "Going My Way". In this film, we follow Father Chuck O'Malley to the parish of St. Mary's, where he becomes pastor as well as being in charge of the parochial school run by a nun who has her own ideas about education and won't stand for Father O'Malley's unconventional ways.
The film's cast includes Bing Crosby, Ingrid Bergman, Henry Travers, William Gargan, Ruth Donnelly, Martha Sleeper, Rhys Williams, Joan Carroll, and Una O'Connor.
Father Chuck O'Malley is new to the parish of St. Mary's. He's warned by the lady who runs the boardinghouse where he is staying that the nuns at St. Mary's School caused his predecessor to be taken away to a rest home. O'Malley isn't sure what to make of that intro.
O'Malley visits St. Mary's School and casts his eye over the grounds. The whole place is very run down and has been threatened with being condemned by the city government.
When Father O'Malley meets with the school's headmistress, Sister Mary Benedict, he finds out just what his landlady means. Sister Mary Benedict takes a traditional approach to education, and she isn't very tolerant towards Father O'Malley's more nonconformist and unconventional attitude.
On a tour of the school with Father O'Malley, Sister Mary Benedict shows him the building that is being erected next door. She and the other nuns are praying that the new building's owner, Mr. Bogardus, will donate the building to them so they can have a new school.
O'Malley meets with Mr. Bogardus, and he finds out that the older man just wants to be liked by the community.
Meanwhile, there is trouble happening in the lives of a couple of the school's students. Patsy is having trouble at home, and the problems with her home life are spilling over into her schoolwork.
While Father O'Malley works with Patsy, Sister Mary Benedict helps a young boy named Eddie, who is being bullied. She even tries to teach him how to fight so that he can stand up for himself in the schoolyard.
Along with the students who are having specific problems, Sister Mary Benedict must deal with a few impertinent practical jokers as well.
Eventually, Father O'Malley and Sister Mary Benedict realize each other's strengths and begin to work together for the good of the school. They even watch a rehearsal of probably the most adorable children's Christmas pageant that I've ever seen!
One day, Sister Mary Benedict is taken very ill. A doctor is sent for. She's eventually diagnoses with tuberculosis, but this information is kept from her. It's planned that she is to be sent away from the school, which makes her upset. She's justified in that feeling, because she's not being told the reason why.
Before she leaves, Sister Mary Benedict is given the joy of seeing Mr. Bogardus donate his newly finished building to the school. She is so excited that she can hardly contain herself.
At the graduation exercises for the students who are moving on from St. Mary's Father O'Malley gives them a pep talk for going out into the world. He also tells them that if they are ever in trouble they should pick up the phone and dial "O" for O'Malley.
Afterwards, as Sister Mary Benedict prepares to leave the school, she goes to say goodbye to Father O'Malley. He tells her the real reason why she is leaving. She is very grateful and promises to get better quickly so she can return.
Parting as friends, Father O'Malley says, "If you ever need anything, no matter what it is or wherever you happen to be..." Sister Mary Benedict interrupts with a smile and says, "Yes, I know. I'll just dial 'O' for O'Malley."
Rhys Williams..............................Dr. Mackay
Joan Carroll.................................Patsy Gallagher
Una O'Connor..............................Mrs. Breen
And that's it for The Bells Of St. Mary's. During the production of the film, a Catholic priest served as an advisor. At the final scene, Bing Crosby and Ingrid Bergman decided to play a prank on him. Instead of just saying goodbye, the two embraced and kissed passionately. The priest immediately began loud protestations, to the laughter of Bergman and Crosby.
