Casablanca (1942 Michael Curtiz)

A perfect film, bright and shiny as ever, written by Julius G and Philip J Epstein and Howard Koch and based on an unproduced play 'Everybody Comes to Rick's' by Murray Burnett and Joan Alison.

It's tempting to think that's Curtiz behind the camera, or Edeson, but it could just as easily be camera assistant Wally Meinardus, Jack Warner or virtually anyone!

Humphrey Bogart, Ingrid Bergman (who's softly lit in every close up), Claude Rains, Peter Lorre, Sidney Greenstreet, Dooley Wilson, S.Z. Sakall, Paul Henreid, Conrad Veidt.

Caution: when singing La Marseillaise Madeleine Lebeau will move grown men to tears. Pictured here with Leonid Kinskey.

"How extravagant you are, throwing away women like that!"

The Germans wore grey, you wore blue. Won Oscars for best film, director and screenplay, and was shot with the astonishing skill of Arthur Edeson, pin sharp and without a shadow in sight, with long lenses which slightly blur out the detail surrounding the actors (according to David Lean and Ronnie Neame, anyway). Both Edeson and Curtiz had made well over a hundred films each by then. Outstanding music also by Max Steiner.

"I don't have time to spend the money I make here!"

It was the second film we saw on Blu Ray, on 10 December 2010. Also watched it on 9 April 2011, as an antidote to the wretched Mama Mia! and observed that with its wonderfully quotable dialogue it's a model for anyone wanting to make a film.

Comments from 31 December 2011:

It was released on 23rd January 1943.
Veidt was German, Henreid and Sakall (Jakob Gero) were Austria- Hungarian.
Ingrid's great - check her expression as they drink the last champagne in Paris.
You see the progress of Joy Page and her fiancé through the whole film.
In the sing off, Sam is out back having a joint with some of the band.
Capt. Renault sure is a cad ("Captain, another passport problem has turned up." "Show her in".)
Naturally there's a Westmore involved (Perc), and Edeson did at least get nominated (but lost to Arthur Miller for The Song of Bernadette).

Joy Page