At the Movies in the Age of Coronavirus: Casablanca (1942)

ImmigrationProf continues its film series “At the Movies in the Time of Coronavirus.” We have a true fil classic — and among the greatest American movies — for you from 1942 — its got star power, drama, and tells a refugee tale. In fact, an article by the BBC proclaims that Casablanca is “the ultimate film about refugees.”

The film has aged well and tells a compelling story about love, refugees, and self sacrifice.  Previously featured on this blog (and here),  Casablanca (1942), as this plot summary from IMDb descreibes, tells

“The story of Rick Blaine [Humphrey Bogart], a cynical world-weary ex-patriate who runs a nightclub in Casablanca, Morocco during the early stages of WWII. Despite the pressure he constantly receives from the local authorities, Rick’s cafe has become a kind of haven for refugees seeking to obtain illicit letters that will help them escape to America. But when Ilsa [Ingrid Bergman], a former lover of Rick’s, and her husband, show up to his cafe one day, Rick faces a tough challenge which will bring up unforeseen complications, heartbreak and ultimately an excruciating decision to make.”

The cast includes:

Humphrey Bogart … Rick Blaine

Ingrid Bergman … Ilsa Lund

Paul Henreid … Victor Laszlo

Claude Rains … Captain Louis Renault

Conrad Veidt … Major Heinrich Strasser

Sydney Greenstreet … Signor Ferrari

Peter Lorre … Ugarte

KJ