I apologize for being M.I.A. for the past few days. I gave in on Saturday after work and watched "Persuasion" on Masterpiece theatre (I'm a big fan of Jane Austen) and "Bright Star" a tragic love story based on the poet John Keat's first love. Of course me being the hopeless romantic that I am I loved both. Another reason I've been missing in blogworld was because the Olympic Men's Hockey team was having their gold medal game. And lets be serious if you're Canadian or American you were probably watching this game. Unfortunately, I also shared two pitchers of Molson Canadian beer with a friend and ended up really drunk...screaming and slurring when the Canadians won! After some food and a nap I was almost completely sobered up and decided to end my romance filled weekend with "Casablanca" which won the 1943 Academy Award for Best Picture. The story begins with Rick Blaine played by the moody Humphery Bogart, an American who owns and operates a popular bar in Casablanca, Morocco. Under a rage filled World War II backdrop Rick befriends and hosts many a Nazi, Italian and American soldier. Who should walk in one day but Rick's former lover played by the lovely Ingrid Bergman, Ilsa Lund and her husband Victor Lazlo the famous European Resistence Leader (Paul Henreid). Bewildered and confused Rick confronts Ilsa demanding an explaination for why he was gilted on that rainy Paris train station. We then take a journey to Rick and Ilsa's past and learn why Ilsa decided to be seperated from Rick. Having realized how very much in love they still are with each other both conspire to run away together again using letters of transit, very valuable to the Nazis. But will they escape and have the happy ending they've always dreamed of?
AFI deemed this movie their number 1 pick for Best Romantic movie. I have disagree, while yes it does have some tender, deeply felt moments between our Rick and Ilsa I found it was lacking. I think that the romance aspect of it sometimes gets lost in all the policial undertones. The characters make you feel torn; you want to root for Rick and Ilsa but feel bad for Victor who adores Ilsa. Dooley Wilson's Sam is great, his velvety smooth voice sings classics like "The Way You Look Tonight", "The Very Thought Of You and the memorable "As Time Goes By". In the end you feel cheated in a way because after everything both Ilsa and Rick have been through they deserved a happy ending. Why is it that all the great love stories have sad endings?
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