A war film set in the midst of WWII has been labelled as the “greatest film of all time” by many throughout the years since its 1942 release, and it is now available to stream on BBC iPlayer. Casablanca is a romantic drama film directed by Michael Curtiz and starring Humphrey Bogart, Ingrid Bergman, and Paul Henreid.
It was filmed during the Second World War, and is centred on an American expatriate (Bogart) who has to choose between his love for a woman (Bergman) and helping her husband (Henreid), a Czechoslovak resistance leader, who must escape from the Vichy-controlled city of Casablanca in order to continue his fight against the Nazis. The screenplay is based on Everybody Comes to Rick’s, which is an unproduced stage play by Murray Burnett and Joan Alison. The supporting cast includes Claude Rains, Conrad Veidt, Sydney Greenstreet, Peter Lorre, and Dooley Wilson.
The film’s synopsis reads: “Rick Blaine, who owns a nightclub in Casablanca, discovers his old flame Ilsa is in town with her husband, Victor Laszlo. Laszlo is a famed rebel, and with Germans on his tail, Ilsa knows Rick can help them get out of the country.”
The film has been hailed by many and still resonates with viewers today, with many ranking it amongst the “greatest films of all time”. Its near-perfect 99% rating from the critics on Rotten Tomatoes reflects that. Their consensus states: “An undisputed masterpiece and perhaps Hollywood’s quintessential statement on love and romance, Casablanca has only improved with age, boasting career-defining performances from Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman.”
One audience reviewer described Casablanca as “the greatest film of all time.”
Another dubbed it a “masterpiece”, stating: “What can I say? I am absolutely grateful to have witnessed this masterpiece. I truly enjoyed “Casablanca” from start to finish. This film is exceptionally well-crafted, and I would say that it currently stands as a strong contender for my favourite film of the 1940’s. Casablanca is a film that will forever hold a place in my heart for a myriad of reasons.”
Casablanca is available to watch now on BBC iPlayer.