Casablanca (1942)
Referenced numerous times, spoofed to death, complete sections of dialogue that have entered the vernacular... I mean: what is there still left to be said about this film? That it's a bloody marvel and fully deserving of the title 'masterpiece'. Yeah, I know: never would have expected me to enjoy a story about a love triangle in the middle of the Second World War. Yet here we are. Set in the titular Moroccan city, 'Casablanca' is the tale of how this place became the most important waypoint for people wanting to escape the Nazis and head out to the United States. But because a lot of people are desperate and travel documents aren't easy to come by, the city quickly turns into the most wretched hive of scum and villainy. Rick (Bogart) is the proprietor of Rick's Café, where indeed illegal transactions are done and gambling is prevalent, but because the local head of police (Rains) is as corrupt as they come, things keep working nicely. There's even a ...
