film

Casablanca (1942) is one of Hollywood’s most enduring dramas, setting its central romantic plot against the shadowy intrigue of World War Two. Directed by Michael Curtiz, it follows nightclub owner Rick Blaine, played with run-through charm by Humphrey Bogart, whose carefully detached life in French Morocco is upended by the arrival of his former lover Ilsa, portrayed in iconic style by Ingrid Bergman.

Balancing romance, politics and moral dilemma, the film builds toward a quietly devastating choice between personal desire and collective responsibility. Its sharp, quotable and endlessly referenced dialogue has become part of cinematic folklore, and its smoky atmosphere, aided by Max Steiner’s score, have helped it gain a timeless allure. Casablanca captures a world in flux, in which neutrality is no longer an option. An essential appointment on the big screen, no matter how many times you've seen it on TV at Christmas.