I was going to direct something like this at @qqueenofhades, but then I became overcome with apostolic fervor about this movie. (I am, among certain of my college friends, still slightly notorious for my apostolic fervor about this movie. It’s a reputation I’m happy to live with.) I discovered, in thinking about it, that it’s extremely hard to explain how great Casablanca is without spoiling the plot, because so much about loyalties, identities, and even facts is only gradually revealed. Which is, in itself, no small part of how great Casablanca is. So my manifesto comes in the form of a Dramatis Personae, viz.:
Abdul, the Arab bouncer who cooly stares down Nazi businessmen and gives the headwaiter the honorific “Professor”
Said Austrian headwaiter, Karl, adorable man, who encourages émigrés and does the books (is he on the run because of his blood or his ideas? we don’t know)
Corina, who left Salazar’s Portugal in order to play her guitar here
Sasha, who probably got exiled for being at the wrong demonstration, and now tends bar and flirts (both full-time)
Emil, the Jewish croupier, who knows that justice sometimes requires breaking the rules
Sam, the Black pianist who sings defiantly of good luck and plays his own compositions in the evenings
Rick – smoldering, wisecracking Rick – whose rigid, scarred, cynical neutrality keeps this strange collection of refugees safe in a powder-keg of a city
I LOVE EVERYONE IN THIS LITERAL BAR.
And then, of course, other people walk into it:
Captain Renault, original Disaster Bi™, who is Claude Rains and who snarks his way through administering a Vichy outpost. DISASTER of a man. And every one of his moments on screen is priceless.
Major Strasser… look, it’s not every day that the Evil Nazi™ is played with aristocratic coolness by a man who was one of the greatest actors of Berlin’s 1920s/30s film scene, and went on the run from Literal Nazis for a laundry list of reasons.
Victor Laszlo… journalist, dork in love, became a heroic Resistance leader kind of by accident, now makes bad jokes about it (while in constant danger of dying, of course.) PROTECT HIM.
Ilsa Lund: she is so perfect, playing her role, accepting the tribute of adoration even from corrupt Vichy officials and working as a silent partner in the Resistance movement and telling off the Evil Nazi™ because she’s that much of a badass and… I love her, okay?
Look. Look. It has cinematography. (Also, you could try to tell me that’s not a gay couple walking into the bar, but I won’t believe you.) In conclusion: do yourself the favor. Watch this film. Then go forth with apostolic fervor. And, if you want, tell me about it? It could be the beginning of a beautiful friendship.
Day 25: Felix (S. Z. Sakall) in Christmas in Connecticut [1945]
Happy Christmas, folks. If I could wish one thing for you all, it would be for Felix to magically appear and cook your festive luncheon for you. Or at least show you how to toss pancakes.
S Z Sakall is one of those great character actors who for years I never really knew the name of, I just loved him wherever he turned up (Casablanca, Ball of Fire, um, some others :D). I think some of you know I have a soft spot for Hungarians, especially adorable ones who made great films as emigrés (see also: Peter Lorre, Emeric Pressburger) and S Z is one of those. He’s fab wherever, but as Felix he really gets the chance to shine. He’s almost a lead in this film, but for the purposes of this calendar, and as it’s the season of goodwill, let’s pretend he’s not. Especially as you get to enjoy Sidney Greenstreet in a rare benevolent role as well.
So here’s to you, Felix; the most adorable cupid to ever interfere in a christmas romance, the best chef this side of Budapest, the biggest-hearted fake uncle ever. I raise a glass to you and all the other not-lead characters; thank you for making film-watching even more fun for us all.
I can’t find anything else about it, but I heard that at the time of his death Sakall had found a producer for a script he’d written about the adventures of a chef, and I really wish we’d got that movie.