Casablanca (1942)- 2 hrs

Rick (Humphrey Bogart) and Ilsa (Ingrid Bergman) find out that the Germans are entering France

Hello everyone,

For the first recommendation for February's star of the month, I've picked something that some of you, and certainly any movie buffs, will recognize: Casablanca. It is definitely an obvious selection, but it is an essential recommendation for any of you who are new to classic film and wish to get to know the films of Ingrid Bergman.

The film, though now a classic, didn't look like it was going to be as big of a success as it was during filming. The writers were writing day to day and constantly re-writing. The actors didn't know what to expect and Bergman was left particularly confused as to how to approach her character. In fact, the film had two alternative endings, one with Bergman's character (Ilsa) ending up with each of the two men (Humphrey Bogart and Paul Henreid)!

Bogart plays an American, Rick, who owns a nightclub in Casablanca. The nightclub is a stopping grounds for immigrants running from Nazi persecution. They are waiting for a rare and costly visas, and Rick's place in the perfect spot for undercover meetings and the chance to win some much needed money. However, when Rick's former lover Ilsa (Ingrid Bergman) arrives with a Nazi rebel husband, Victor Laszlo (Paul Henreid), that he knew nothing about, Rick may be in for more than he bargained for.

The film features an amazing roster of character actors, all actual refugees from Nazi persecution, an amazing cast, a beautiful score (linked below), and much more. I hope that you enjoy this classic as much as I do, and be sure to stay tuned for the rest of this month's star's recommendations.

- Olivia

Availability: Googleplay, Youtube, Amazon, DVD, and Blu-ray.

Victor Laszlo (Paul Henreid) and Ilsa (Ingrid Bergman)

Purchase DVD: https://www.amazon.com/Casablanca-70th-Anniversary-Special-DVD/dp/B007XF4J66/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1518380430&sr=8-1&keywords=casablanca+dvd
Purchase Blu-ray: https://www.amazon.com/Casablanca-Blu-ray-Humphrey-Bogart/dp/B0035RQTNC/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1518380455&sr=8-1&keywords=casablanca+blu-ray

Score: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cl2fY2MEnjg