The most Hemingway of all movies, including movies made from Hemingway books.

Rob, interesting association with Hemingway. I've never thought of Casablanca in that light, but now that I think of it, yes, I can see your point.

Casablanca is one of those movies which slots right into the Five Primary Archetypes construction: Protagonist: Rick Blaine Nemesis: Major Strasser Attractor: Ilsa Lund Mentor: Victor Laszlo, Sam Trickster: Captain Louie Renault, Signor Ferrari, Ugarte Strasser as chief representative of the Nazi power structure. Ilsa: She awakens Rick's from his emotional shut-down. Victor: He inspires Rick to reconnect with his idealism and commitment to what is right, something which has been repressed since being jilted by Ilsa. Renault: One of the greatest Trickster figures in all cinema history. Enemy. Ally. Ally. Enemy. Only out for his own benefit... until the very end of the story in which he chooses altruism - in the form of friendship - over greed. We see these five dynamics in movie after movie. When we note its presence in classic films like The Wizard of Oz, The Apartment, and Casablanca, it suggests there is something approaching universality when it comes to storytelling and characters in movies.