I cannot imagine that anyone has not seen this movie, one of the most classic films of all time. Bogart, Bergman, and Raines shine in the roles that would, really, define their careers and their generation. It is, above all, a love story, although a bittersweet one, and it has rightly been described as the most romantic movie of all time. Nothing I could say would be of value to the wealth of commentary that has been written about this wonderful movie. The only plea I can make is to remember the director who put it all together and made it happen: Michael Curtiz (Adventures of Robin Hood; Charge of the Light Brigade; We're No Angels; Mildred Pierce; and many more).
Personally, I love this movie because the characters triumph over tragedy. Rick and Ilsa still love each other, but bow to fate; Victor Laszlo knows he's second in line but accepts it with honor and unconditional love, and not to mention risks his life to fight for his principles. Even Capt. Louis Renault, Raines' character, rises above his moral morass to nobility. Despite the worst that life can throw at them, every character continues forward with personal strength and honor and love. The message sings to me: life is suffering, but it is still beautiful.
So I guess you can say Casablanca is a Buddhist movie…why not?
At IMDB: Casablanca
