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evening, a man comes to Rick and tells him that he's got letters of transit signed by de Gaulle which cannot be rescinded.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.
Let's take a trip to Cuba, shall we? 1941's "Week-End In Havana" is the perfect getaway. When a young lady on a cruise is given the royal treatment, she must make the most of the opportunity before she heads back to her mundane existence. Can she find love in Havana? The film's cast includes Alice Faye, Carmen Miranda, John Payne, Cesar Romero, George Barbier, Sheldon Leonard, and Leonid Kinskey.
Right away Carmen Miranda and her band delight us with the lively title song, "Week-End In Havana".
And we get into the story. When her cruise ships runs aground on its way to Havana, Cuba, working girl Nan Spencer is asked to sign a waiver releasing the cruise company from any liability. She doesn't want to sign it, because she's being cheated out of the good time she was going to have. The company representative tells her that if she'll sign the waiver, the company will pay her way to Havana, including all of her expenses. Nan agrees.
And so we arrive in Havana. Once again this film showcases some lovely scenes of the city and its surrounding area. My only complaint is that many of the images were superimposed over each other, which makes for not very clear pictures.
Nan is taken to the very best hotel and given the Presidential Suite. She's thrilled with the treatment she's getting from the cruise line. The cruise representative, Jay Williams, volunteers to take her sightseeing, but what Nan really wants to do is hit the local nightclubs.
They head to a nightclub, where the headliner is the spicy Rosita Rivas, who entertains to the guests' delight.
Nan is looking for more than just a good time, though. She wants a little romance thrown into the mix as well. Jay is being very professional, so Nan decides to see if there are any guys who want what she wants.
She heads outside and sings the lovely "Tropical Magic." Unbeknownst to Nan, she's being watched as she sings the song.
Watching her is the dashing Monte Blanca, who sweeps her off her feet. Her escorts her back into the nightclub.
Seeing the two of them together worries Jay, who is a bit disconcerted that Nan found someone so quickly.
And he's right to be worried. Monte is heavily in debt, and we learn that he's only paying attention to Nan because he thinks that she's rich. Monte makes plans to spend more time with Nan the next evening.
They head to the casino, where Monte has made a deal with the casino boss that will help clear his debt. The more Nan loses, the more Monte's debt is canceled.
Sadly for him, Nan just keeps on raking in the money. She's thrilled, but Monte isn't exactly excited.
He's also got a jealous girlfriend. We find out that he and Rosita are involved, and she is being ever watchful.
Rosita even comes to Nan's hotel so that she can confront Nan and "rip her hair out". Jay is quick to defuse the situation and puts Rosita off.
Jay even offers to become Rosita's manager, and she's quick to accept. She likes him, and he demands less in percentage than her previous manager, Monte.
Things fall apart, though, when they are out for the evening and run into Monte and Nan. While Rosita has it out with Monte, Nan storms off. Jay follows her.
The two bond on a moonlit walk to the hotel, and they fall in love. Nan sings "Tropical Magic" all night long.
Of course, before everything can work out, there is one more complication. I won't spoil that surprise for you.
A humorous moment comes at the end of the film. Monte finally wins a lot of money (thanks to Nan) and he and Rosita make all sorts of plans. "Maybe I could own all of Cuba!" he thinks. "I could have two suits!"
All's well that ends well, and our cast sings about how wonderful it is to spend a "Week-End In Havana". Cast rundown:
Alice Faye...........................Nan Spencer
Carmen Miranda..................Rosita Rivas
John Payne.........................Jay Williams
Cesar Romero......................Monte Blanca
George Barbier.....................Walter McCracken
Sheldon Leonard..................Boris
Leonid Kinskey.....................Rafael And that's all for Week-End In Havana. Betty Grable was originally supposed to play Nan Spencer, but was replaced by Alice Faye, who was expecting a child throughout the duration of the filming. As always, if you wish to leave a comment, please remember our posting rules.
