Casablanca

Based on the unproduced stage play, Everybody Comes to Ricks, Michael Curtiz’ 1942 film Casablanca was nominated for eight awards, winning Best Picture, Best Director and Best Screenplay. Starring Humphrey Bogart, Ingrid Bergman, and Paul Henried, the film features a man who must choose between love and virtue.

The film begins in December 1941, where American expatriate, Rick Blaine (Bogart) is the proprietor of Rick’s Café Americain, a nightclub and gambling den in the Moroccan city of Casablanca.  The café attracts a variety of people: Vichy Frency, Itallian, and German officials alongside refugees who are desperate to reach the United States. Rick professes to be neutral in all matters, but ran guns to Ethiopia during the war with Italy and fought against the Nationalists during the Spanish Civil War.

The petty criminal Ugarte (Peter Lorre) shows up one day and shows Rick letters of transit he gained by murdering two German couriers. The papers allow the bearer to freely travel around German-controlled Europe and to Portugal. He plans to sell them at the club later that night but is arrested by Capt. Louis Renault (Claude Rains), a corrupt official. He dies in custody without revealing he entrusted the letters to Rick.

Soon, Rick’s former lover and the source of his bitterness, Ilsa Lund walks into the bar and sees Rick’s friend and house pianist, Sam. She asks him to play “As Time Goes By.” Rick is furious that Sam disobeyed his order to never perform that song but is stunned to see Ilsa. Her husband, Victor Laszlo (Henried) the Czech Resistance leader, is with her as well. They need the letters Rick has to escape to America where he can continue his work. German Major Strasser (Conrad Veidt) has come to Casablanca to prevent it.  

Laszlo makes inquiries and Ferrari (Sydney Greenstreet), Rick’s business rival and black market figure, believes that Rick has the letters. But he refuses to sell at any price, telling Laszlo to ask his wife the reason. They are interrupted when Strasser leads a group of officers in singing “Die Wacht am Rhein,” a German patriotic anthem. Laszlo orders the house band to play “La Marseillaise” and starts singing along. He is alone at first, but the crowd soon joins in and drowns out the Germans. Strasser has Renault close the club under any means necessary. He chooses gambling.

That night Ilsa confronts Rick in the café. He refuses to give her the letters and she threatens him with a gun, but confesses she still loves him. She explains that when they first met and fell in love in Paris in 1940, she believed Laszlo had been killed in attempting to escape a concentration camp. However, when she was preparing to flee with Rick from the fall of Paris to the German army, she learned he was alive and in hiding and left Rick without explanation.

Rick’s cynicism and bitterness dissolve and he agrees to help her. Laszlo shows up unexpectedly having escaped a police raid on a Resistance meeting. Rick has his waiter take Ilsa away and Laszlo, now aware that Ilsa loves Rick, tries to persuade him to use the letters to take her to safety. The police turn up to arrest Laszlo on a minor, exaggerated charge, but rick convinces Renault to release him by promising a set up for the more serious crime of possession of letters of transit. When trying to arrest Laszlo as arranged at the airport, Rick holds Renault at gunpoint to assist in their escape. But at the last moment, he makes Ilsa board the plane to Lisbon with Laszlo, explaining that she would regret it if she stayed.

Strasser drives up alone and is killed by Rick when he tries to intervene. The police arrive, but Renault tells them to round up the usual suspects. The film ends as Renault suggests to Rick they join the Free French and walk away into the fog with Rick saying that it was the beginning of a beautiful friendship.

Rick’s character development is a big part in making this film what it is. Rick is introduced as a stubborn cynic who really wants no part in anybody’s affairs but his own. But when his past comes back in the form of Ilsa, he’s faced with the reality of why it all happened. He releases his grudge and does everything he can to get Ilsa and Laszlo out of Casablanca. It’s true and realistic development too, as he doesn't turn into a complete idealist as the film ends, but is slowly developing into a better person.

The music is done exceptionally well too. Written by Max Steiner, who also wrote the score to Gone with the Wind, he based the entire score on “As Time Goes By” and “La Marseillaise” and had the latter and the opening bars of “Deutschlandlied” as leitmotifs. This gave greater depth to the setting and characters. Also, the duel of songs between Strasser and Laszlo is one of the best parts in the film and sets up arguably the funniest line.

It should also be noted that the script was continually going through re-writes, even during filming. The screenwriters essentially made the film up as they went along. Yet it was still cleverly written and continues to be one of the most quoted films. However, at no time is Sam told “Play it again, Sam.” Blame Woody Allen for that.

While Ingrid Bergman's acting may have been a little off at times, but even she said it wasn't one of her favorite performances. 

Why did this get Best Picture: Because it involved the Czech Resistance most likely.

Final Call: An enjoyable and unforgettable film with great characters, music and writing. It jumps to #1.

It Happened One Night

1934 was a historic year for the 7^th Academy Awards. Frank Capra’s It Happened One Night became the first of three films to win Best Picture, Best Actor (Clark Gable), Best Director, and Best Actress (Claudette Colbert) simultaneously. The other two were One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s News in 1975 and Silence of the Lambs in 1991. Shirley Temple also won the first Juvenile Award at the age of six and became the youngest actor to ever win an Oscar. The film centering on a runaway heiress, is also the first Romantic Comedy to win best Picture.

The film begins as Ellie Andres (Colbert), spoiled heiress and daughter of the wealthy Alexander Andrews (Walter Connolly), marries King Westley (Jameson Thomas). Mr. Andrews being completely against the marriage, demands an annulment. In response, Ellie runs away boarding a bus to New York City to reunite with Westley. Here, she meets Peter Warne (Gable), a recently fired newspaper reporter, who recognizes her and gives her a choice to either give him an exclusive on her story, where he will help her reunite with Westley, or he will tell her father where she is and collect the reward offered for her turn. Ellie takes the first choice.

At one of the bus stops, Ellie’s bag is stolen, leaving her to rely completely on Peter. This sets a chain reaction of adventures where Ellie loses her disdain for Peter and starts to fall in love with him. at one point, they have to hitchhike. Peter, claiming to be an expert on the subject, fails. Ellie then stops a car by lifting up her skirt and showing some leg. (The first instance of this trope actually).

At a stop, the driver, (Alan Hale) tries to leave with their luggage, prompting Peter to chase him down and take his car. One night, near the end of the film, Ellie confesses her love to peter, who mulls it over and decides he loves her too. After she falls asleep, he then leaves to make arrangements. However, the owners of the motel they are in notice the car is gone and kick Ellie out of bed, leaving her to think that Peter has deserted her.

Ellie then calls her father who agrees to let her marry Westley. However, after Peter obtains money from his old editor to marry Ellie, they pass each other on the road. Ellie, believing Peter betrayed her for the reward money, agrees to a second, formal wedding with Wesltey.

Ellie tries to pretend that nothing has happened, but she is unable to fool her father. On her wedding day, she finally reveals the whole story from her perspective. When Peter comes to Ellie’s home, Mr. Andrews offers him the reward money, but Peter insists on being paid only his expenses: 39.60. When Ellie’s father presses him for an explanation of his odd behavior, Peter admits he loves Ellie, though he believes he is crazy for doing so. Westley arrives for the wedding in an autogiro.

At the wedding ceremony, Mr. Andrews walks his daughter down the aisle, revealing Peter’s refusal of the reward money to Ellie and quietly encourages her to run off again, telling her that her car is out back for a quick get-away. At the point where she is to say “I do,” she makes up er mind and runs off to find Peter. Her pleased father pays Westley off, enabling Elli to marry Peter.

It’s a standard romantic comedy plot. “The young bride/fiancée gets stuck with a guy and neither can stand each other at first, but in time, they both end up in love.” It’s been seen so many times in film and television, probably even as early as 1935. Yet, so few are able to pull it off. It Happened One Night is one of those films where it worked, mainly due to the chemistry of Gable and Colbert. Ellie and Peter are at each others’ throats for much of the film and the way the pair acts makes the character development seem real. The outcome of the film is predictable, yes, but when the characters have a dynamic that actually makes you care about them and their story, the final destination isn’t as important as the ride there.

The comedic aspects of the films are done very well too, mixing sophisticated wit with visual humor and unrefined levity, including one running gag that meets its end in a very bawdy (for the time) manner.

The visuals aren’t all that impressive, but they really don’t have to be, considering the movie is simply following two people going from point A to point B. On the other hand, Westley landing for the wedding in the precursor to a helicopter did look good.  There’s also not a lot of music in the film, save for the beginning credits and a twice where the characters joyfully sing to pass the time. But this works as well. It didn’t feel like it needed music and the parts where there was singing (the crowd singing on a bus and Gable singing in the car), it felt in place.

The only complaint I really have is in the pacing. There were a couple spots where it was off, but it quickly corrected itself.

I honestly have no idea why this won best picture, seeing as how Cecile B. DeMille’s Cleopatra was also nominated. But I’m not questioning it.

Final Call: It Happened One Night is a great and enjoyable film, replacing Grand Hotel as #1

Cavalcade (1933)

It’s 1934 and the 6^th Academy Awards. The most nominations for the year went to Cavalcade, A Farewell to Arms, and Lady for a Day, with four each. However, Cavalcade went away away with the most awards: Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Art Direction. 

I couldn’t find this one either, which is unfortunate because I was really looking forward to it. So, I’ll do the same thing I did with Broadway Melody.

The film itself goes from 1899 to 1933 and follows a well-to-do English family. The lives of Jane and Robert Marryot and their lives in London are on display as the film goes through various historical events, such as the Second Boer War, Titanic and World War I.

Here’s reelviews.com’s review of the film.

All Quiet on the Western Front (1930)

1930 may not have been the best year to live in, but it was a pretty interesting year in regards to film. Roy E. Disney, Gene Hackman, Clint Eastwood, and Steve McQueen were born among others and the 3^rd Academy Awards were presented. Although it did not win any awards, The Love Parade was nominated for six academy awards. The films that went away with the most awards were All Quiet on the Western Front and The Big House with two each.

Directed by Lewis Milestone and starring Louis Wolheim and Lew Ayres, All Quiet on the Western Front not only won Best Picture, but was the first film to simultaneously win Best Director.

The film opens in a German boys school near the beginning of World War I. Their instructor encourages the boys to save the Fatherland and join the army. All the boys enlist in the army and go to basic training, almost eager to fight in the war. Himmelstoss, the training officer, puts them through rigorous training that diminishes some of the enthusiasm, until they are told they are going to the front.

Arriving at the combat zone, one of the new recruits is killed before they reach their post. When they do, they are assigned to a unit of old soldiers. The new recruits find that there is no food available, but one of the older soldiers, Katczinsky, went to find some. He returns with a hog and the young soldiers pay for dinner with cigarettes.

The young soldiers are sent out on night duty with Katczinsky who gives them instructions on how to deal with incoming shells. They string barbed wire and avoid shells while the enemy lights the sky with flares to spot them. Amid machine guns and bombardment, one young recruit is killed, but most of the unit survives by the morning.

In the trenches, the soldiers play cards and fight off rats. The recruits show signs of stress and one loves control, running out of the trench only to get injured. Food comes, and everyone fights for their share. Once the bombing lulls, the men are ordered out of the trench in order to fight the oncoming French.

They return from the battle for a meal, which the cook refuses them since the entire company has not arrived. They argue with the cook that only 80 of the original 150 men came back alive. Soon though, an officer arrives and orders the cook to give the men their food. 

After eating, the men learn they are returning to the front the next day, beginning a discussion about war and its causes. They also decide to see their friend, Memmerich, who was wounded in battle.

They find Kemmerich in bad condition, complaining about his stolen watch and pain in his right foot, not realizing it was amputated. Another soldier asks Kemmerich for his boots. He agrees and loses consciousness. Paul tries to find a doctor, but he can’t do anything and Kemmerich dies. Paul runs back to the unit with the boots, giving them to the other soldier and waxing about life.

The man who was given Kemmerich’s boots is wounded and the boots are passed on to another soldier who dies. While the Germans attack a cemetery, Paul stabs a French soldier and is trapped in a foxhole with him. He tries to help him through the night, but fails and begs for forgiveness.

Once the company gets a day off, some men wash in the river and catch the attention of French women who invite them to their house for the night.

Back at the front, Paul is wounded and taken to the hospital with his friend Albert Kropp. Kropp’s leg is amputated and Paul is taken to the bandaging ward. Paul returns and finds Kropp in pain.

Paul then takes a brief trip home to see his ailing mother. His hometown is blindly patriotic and ignorant about the front. Visiting his old teacher, he finds him lecturing another class about war’s glory. Unable to stand another minute, he returns to the front to find only a few men of his company has survived. An older veteran, Tjaden, says that Katczinsky is still alive and Paul goes looking for him. He finds him unable to scrounge some food and wounded by a bomb. Paul carries him to the field hospital, but shrapnel from a second bomb kills Katczinsky. Paul is unaware until he gets him to the hospital.

The film ends as Paul is on the front lines and sees a butterfly beyond the trench. He reaches for it, but is shot and killed by an enemy sniper.

I must say that I found All Quiet on the Western Front to be a great film in many aspects. It’s a very good story concerned with young, fresh recruits who get conned into signing up for war only to realize it isn’t as glamorous as they were lead to believe. In the end, it seems that only one man from the class survives, albeit with an amputated leg. It’s also an interesting juxtaposition when Paul comes back home on leave. When his former teacher tells him to tell the students about the glory of war, Paul just tells them how terrible it is. Paul doesn’t succeed in turning the young men away from their deaths. Instead they mock him for his cowardice. It’s a good way to show that the only ones who can really talk about war are the ones who lived it.

As mentioned earlier, almost no character survives, but that’s not a problem. Dealing with the stress of war and death makes them believable characters. How they go from wide-eyed idealists to hardened cynical soldiers perfectly shows how human they are. Paul’s night in the foxhole with the dead French soldier further makes him a relatable character. He matches a face to the men he’s killing and starts going insane at what’s happening, but later he’s back with his unit and fine, able to get the face out of his head for the time being. It’s a great representation that war affects everyone.

There’s also hardly any music in this film. In fact, the only music is during the opening credits. And it works, showing how bleak life during war is.

I watched the retouched version of the film and the visuals were great, however it made it very quiet. Even with my volume up to 100, it was still hard to hear.

Unfortunately, no film is perfect. All Quiet on the Western Front is average time for a film, but unfortunately it feels that long. The Empire Strikes Back and The Avengers take nearly the same amount of time to get through, but they don’t feel like it. It seems like All Quiet on the Western Front just drags on. It’s a great film, but the pacing just makes it feel like it plods on. On the other hand, maybe that was intentional. Maybe George Abbot (the screenwriter) and Milestone chose this sort of pacing to show how war drags on with no end. If that’s the case, then it may be a much greater movie than I give it credit.

Final Call: Though All Quiet on the Western Front is audibly quiet and incredibly slow, it’s a great film. The story and characters mesh very well and the lack of music gives it a great punctuation. It won’t make my top 10, but it will replace Wings as #11.