In this classic from the Hollywood "Golden Age", Humphrey Bogart plays the owner of "Rick's", a night spot in the city of Casablanca, which people commonly use as the last hub on an escape route to freedom from the WW2 Nazi regime. Rick is a cynical, fast witted businessman, apparently neutral and impenetrable regarding all matters (including the Nazi government), until someone he had once fallen in love with (Ingrid Bergman, in a starlit performance unparalleled in modern cinema) happens to show up.

This is a gorgeous, well written, heartstring grabbing, thought provoking film, and a story filled with irony and charm. It's also a perfect example of some great pro-U.S. propaganda dispensed during wartime (of which we will likely see a resurgance very soon, if we haven't already). A timely film that stands the test of time. (Uggh, was that a bad cliché sentence or what?)