Happy 80th Birthday to the greatest film ever made | Opinion

Kentucky.com ^ | 2/17/2023 | Bob Heleringer

[Saije]

When Warner Brothers’ movie, “Casablanca,” was released nationally on Jan. 23, 1943, to coincide with a war-time meeting of President Franklin Roosevelt and British Prime Minister Winston Churchill in the same city, New York Times critic Bosley Crowther wrote that “The Warners . . . have a picture that makes the spine tingle and the heart take a leap.” After 80 years, the iconic film remains a masterpiece and, in my totally subjective estimation, simply the greatest movie ever made.

I can still remember when I was in law school the Vogue Theater in St. Matthews showing “Casablanca” like it was a first-run movie. The packed house, as in earlier generations, was held spellbound by this compelling, World War II-era good-versus-evil saga with dozens of unforgettable characters with a red-hot romance as an extra “added attraction.” People around me sang out loud the soaring “Le Marseillaise,” spontaneously begun on screen by Resistance leader Victor Laszlo (Paul Henreid) to drown out the Germans’ “Die Wacht am Rhein” after the Nazis had commandeered a piano at Rick’s Café Americain. If you’re not moved by perhaps the most riveting single scene in any American film, well, you might need to go see a good cardiologist.

“Casablanca” won the Academy Award for Best Picture of 1943, along with Oscars for Best Director (Michael Curtiz) and Best Screenplay (Julius and Philip Epstein and Howard Koch). That nominees Humphrey Bogart (“Rick”) and Claude Rains (“Captain Renault”) didn’t win Best Actor and Best Supporting Actor, respectively, is still shockingly unfathomable.

[Right_Wing_Madman]

At that moment in the film, EVERY woman in that theater, my date included, let out a brief, almost imperceptible gasp, however, due to the collective and simultaneous nature of all those gasps in near perfect unison, it was quite noticeable.

Haha, thanks for that interesting perspective.

[Right_Wing_Madman]

A few of my favorites include: Patton

After a lifetime to think about it, Patton may be my favorite movie of all time.

[ladyjane]

Yes, the Brattle Theatre ran Bogart films during Harvard exam week every year. That’s an old theatre from around 1900. They also had a Buster Keaton week with live piano/organ music. Wonderful theatre.

[Gay State Conservative]

Yes,that leap would be very noticeable. But going from bluray to 4K might not be as noticeable...particularly with a b&w film. One of the main features of 4K is HDR...which is a special way that colors are handled.

But that film is important enough to me that I spent the $$$ despite my basic attitude.

Just my 2 cents' worth....

[xp38]

Lots of great movies mentioned so far. For me my favourite right now is the Heston Ben Hur. I do like epic movies and this won 11 academy awards. The opening alone leading in to the title credits depicting the birth of Christ is great. It ends with the blowing of the shofar and the title sequence with the closeup of the creation of man from the Sistine chapel. The greatest work of art in history as a backdrop. You know you’re in for a ride with the epic music on top of all that.

[jmacusa]

Claude Rains was always one of my favorite actors. The epitome of the urban sophisticate. "Casablanca'' is one of my favorite films. It introduced a line that's become part of the lexicon of life. "I'm shocked , shocked to find there is gambling going on in here!''.

[Blennos]

I agree. Patton is indeed one of the great ones: both the film and the man himself.

[JennysCool]

“Your winnings, sir!” :)

[kearnyirish2]

Yes, that was along a different vein.

[GingisK]

Yes, interesting content different vein.