Amazon.com Essentials:
A truly perfect movie, the 1942 Casablanca still wows
viewers today, and for good reason. Its unique story of a love
triangle set against terribly high stakes in the war against a monster
is sophisticated instead of outlandish, intriguing instead of
garish. Humphrey Bogart plays the allegedly apolitical club owner in
unoccupied French territory that is nevertheless crawling with Nazis;
Ingrid Bergman is the lover who mysteriously deserted him in Paris;
and Paul Heinreid is her heroic, slightly bewildered husband. Claude
Rains, Sydney Greenstreet, Peter Lorre, and Conrad Veidt are among
what may be the best supporting cast in the history of Hollywood
films. This is certainly among the most spirited and ennobling movies
ever made. The DVD release has theatrical trailers, a related
documentary, optional French soundtrack, and optional English and
French subtitles. --Tom Keogh
