MovieChat Forums > Casablanca (1943) Discussion > Bill Maher

Bill Maher

posted 5 months ago by SandyR (7465)
6 replies | jump to latest

Just watched Bill Maher's discussion with Tarantino. He (Maher) says Casablanca "makes no sense." I think he's crazy. This is probably the best screenplay ever written. Makes perfect sense.

[–] Ldlamb (589) 5 months ago

What part does he say makes no sense

[–] SandyR (7465) 5 months ago

He doesn't think it would matter to the Nazis who had the exit papers (because they're violent, or something like that).

[–] MCguy (949) 5 months ago

If I recall correctly, that part of Morocco was not yet occupied by Germany, so the Nazi's power was limited. IRL, that may not have stopped the Nazis from taking action, but this is a movie. Bill should take that into consideration.

[–] riraho (100) 3 months ago

The papers are a MacGuffin to advance the plot.

[–] DoctorThirteen (10641) 5 months ago

It's my favourite film. I've never had a problem with it (although I do remember reading a long time ago that they were pretty much rewriting the film day-by-day as they were filming).

[–] Ace_Spade (9408) 5 months ago

Casblanca is one of my all-time favourite films, but the screenplay was being rewritten on set on the fly. Nobody knew what was going on. So, really, it's a major anomaly as far as writing goes. Normally, when something is being constantly reworked during filming, it winds up muddled at best. Casablanca is the exception that proves the rule.

Why did Maher say it made no sense? Did he give a reason? The character motivations work perfectly; I can't speak for every aspect of the bureaucracy of that time and place.

I often find Maher out to lunch on his pop culture opinions. I've seen him defend a lack of attention span before. He seems to think modern rapid-cut filmmaking is better. I don't think it's worse, necessarily, just that I find value in all eras of film, and I love a good slow-burn with deliberate pacing as much as I do a frenetic spurt of chaos - as long as both serve the story.